Speech Kids
Work for Us
SpeechKids currently has opportunities for licensed speech-language pathologists in the DC metropolitan area. Please contact us for more information.
Speech Therapy for 0-5 year olds in the DC Metro area.
SpeechKids is a pediatric speech and language therapy practice serving the greater Washington, DC metropolitan area. While we serve children of many ages, we specialize in serving children from birth to five years in their home and school environments.
Success through teamwork
We develop a unique plan for each family we work with.
As a parent, you have unique insights into your child. Speech language professionals have insight into how to use what you know to make him or her a more successful communicator.
Parent collaboration is the key to success, especially at early ages.
- Be a good language model - talk to your child about anything and everything.
- Be consistent about which language(s) you speak to your child.
- Consider joining (or creating!) a playgroup where another language is spoken.
- Hire a caregiver who speaks another language.
- Investigate bilingual education options - public, private and weekend schools.
- Start reading simple board books to your 0-3 month old.
- Sing songs to your 0-3 month old (let them see your mouth move).
- Become aware of your 0-3 month old's moods and diffferent sounds.
- At about 3-6 months begin using simple sign language (more, all done, eat, bye bye...).
- Imitate movements, faces and sounds your 3-6 month old makes so that you have a "conversation".
- Continue signing with your 6-10 month old.
- Sing "interactive" play songs (itsy-bitsy spider, wheels on the bus) to your 6-10 month old.
- Talk about what you are doing while you do it (I'm washing your hair, next we'll do your arms).
- Imitate sounds and words that your 10-15 month old says.
- Ask simple questions while reading: who's that? where's the duck?
- Read to your child every day for short periods of time.
- Talk about common vocabulary during daily routines (body parts while getting dressed, etc).
- Label items and actions in the environment.
- Teach your 12-18 month old to point to what they want if they don't know the word.
- Have your child point to pictures in books.
- Encourage your 18-24 month old to use 1-2 words at a time for communication.
- Play with sounds and language: make silly word combinations.
- Respond to his/her comments with encouragement for more: "really? what then?".
- Label feelings for your child: "when you fell down you really felt hurt and surprised".
- Cook with your child to work on sequencing and vocabulary.
- Listen to and enjoy unique thoughts of your child.
- Ask open-ended questions of your 4-5 year old: what do you think will happen?
- Provide definitions for new words /concepts for your 4-5 year old.
- Expose your child to a variety of activities with new vocabulary.
- Pay attention to your language and topics around your 5 year old – they understand a lot!
- Talk TO your child -- he/she is probably good company.
- Point out signs in the environment that your child may recognize (stop, street signs, restaurants)
