TalkTools

TalkTools® — Header

Tag: CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME

5.3 YEARS: THE COOLEST SPEECH THERAPIST

You know how there are some people who you just click with? That’s how it is for Belle and Monica Mitchell, TalkTools speech therapist. Belle adores her. Not only does Monica have the absolute coolest toys, she is also super patient and fun. Our two hours together this month flew by, and Belle was sad to leave. […]

February 15, 2018 administrator Annabelle's Progress Comments (0) Details
Tags: BLOG, CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME, SPECIAL NEEDS MOM, SPEECH THERAPIST, TALKTOOLS

4.9 YEARS: FULL SUMMER MODE!

We are in full summer mode here! Belle has been enjoying some horseback riding lessons, swimming, cheering on her siblings at baseball games, and finishing up a great dancing year with a big dance recital. The recital took up a substantial part of the beginning of our summer, so that’s where all our pictures came from […]

August 1, 2017 administrator Annabelle's Progress Comments (0) Details
Tags: ANNABELLE BEETSMA, CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME, DANCE RECITAL, DOWN SYNDROME, DOWN SYNDROME SPEECH THERAPY, DOWN SYNDROME THERAPY, GIRL WITH DOWN SYNDROME, HORN #6, LANIE BEETSMA, MONICA PURDY, OPT, ORAL MOTOR EXERCISES, SPEECH DEVELOPMENT, SPEECH THERAPY, SPEECH THERAPY FOR DOWN SYNDROME, TONGUE RETRACTION, VOCABULARY

3 Presentations at NDSC 2017!

TalkTools was represented in 3 presentations at this year’s National Down Syndrome Congress. Thank you all for attending! EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVED COMMUNICATION AND SPEECH CLARITY FOR CHILDREN WITH THE DIAGNOSIS OF DOWN SYNDROME Presenter: Jennifer Gray, MS, CCC-SLP Age range: Birth to 8 Course description: This presentation will focus on effective communication strategies for children, birth to […]

July 24, 2017 administrator From the Experts Comments (0) Details
Tags: AIRWAY, BRIAN HOCKEL, CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME, COMMUNICATION DISORDER, CONVENTION PRESENTATION, DOWN SYNDROMEDOWN SYNDROME CONFERENCE, HEATHER PETERSON, HEATHER VUKELICH, JENNIFER GRAY, MONICA PURDY, NDSC, ORAL PLACEMENT THERAPYORTHODONTICS, SENSORY DIFFERENCES, SENSORY INTEGRATION, SENSORY PROCESSING, SENSORY PROCESSING DISORDER, SENSORY SYSTEMSLEEP APNEA, SPEECH CLARITY, SPEECH THERAPY

4.5 YEARS: “NEAR PERFECT” ARTICULATION

Belle is doing well and has been enjoying some spring-like weather in February! She has managed to stay healthy this season (minus her chronic runny nose). Belle’s good health has allowed her to go roller skating for the first time, participate in her preschool’s Valentine’s Day party, perform with her dance class on stage for 300+ […]

March 8, 2017 administrator Annabelle's Progress Comments (0) Details
Tags: #DOWNSYNDROME, ANNABELLE, ARTICULATION, CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, FOUR YEAR OLDORAL PLACEMENT THERAPY, PARENTING, SPEECH, SPEECH CLARITY, TALKTOOLS CLIENT, TODDLER, TODDLER WITH DOWN SYNDROMETODDLERHOOD

4.4 YEARS: MAKING UP HER OWN SILLY PHRASES

Happy New Year! Belle’s year is off to a solid start! I am happy to report that we have been pretty consistent with our TalkTools oral motor program, created by Monica Purdy. We have been staying on track except for the 4 days that Belle stayed with her siblings and grandparents while we got away for […]

February 8, 2017 administrator Annabelle's Progress Comments (0) Details
Tags: #TALKTOOLSWORKS, ABC, ABCS, ALPHABET, ANNABELLE, ARTICULATION, CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME, COMMUNICATION SKILLSDOWN SYNDROME, FOUR YEAR OLD, MONICA PURDY, ORAL MOTOR EXERCISES, Oral Placement Therapy, PARENTING, SIBLINGSSPEECH DEVELOPMENT, SPEECH THERAPY, SPEECH THERAPY AT HOME, SPEECH THERAPY HOMEWORK, TALKTOOLS CLIENT, TALKTOOLS HOMEWORKTALKTOOLS PROGRAM, TODDLER, TODDLER WITH DOWN SYNDROME, TODDLERHOOD

3 YEARS 10&11 MONTHS: GETTING BACK-TO-SCHOOL AFTER DISNEY WORLD MAGIC

3 Years 10 Months Summer continues in our household! This month, Belle has enjoyed swimming lessons (and lots of pool time), a slip’n slide party, BBQs, fairs, a trip to the lake, and a full week at Walt Disney World! While our hearts may be full, our routine is not. 🙂 However… Belle continues to do […]

September 30, 2016 administrator Annabelle's Progress Comments (0) Details
Tags: ANNABELLE BEETSMA, ANNABELLE UPDATES, ANNABELLE'S MONTHLY UPDATES, ANNABELLE'S PROGRESS, ARTICULATION, BACK TO SCHOOLBACK TO SCHOOL ROUTINE, BELLE BEETSMA, BELLE UPDATES, CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME, COUNTING, DISNEYLAND, DOWN SYNDROME THERAPY, DOWN SYNDROME TODDLER, DOWN SYNDROME TODDLERHOOD, DOWN SYNDROMEDOWN SYNDROME CHILD, LANIE BEETSMAMONICA MITCHELL, MONICA PURDY, NUMBER PUZZLE, ORAL MOTOR EXERCISES, SPEECH CLARITY, SPEECH DEVELOPMENTSPEECH THERAPY AT HOME, SPEECH THERAPY EXERCISES, SPEECH THERAPY VIDEO, SUMMER SCHEDULE, SUMMER TIME, TALKTOOLS CLIENTTALKTOOLS EXERCISES, TALKTOOLS PROGRAM, TALKTOOLS THERAPY, TEACHING NUMBERS, THREE YEAR OLD, THREE YEAR OLD GIRLTODDLER WITH DOWN SYNDROME, TODDLERHOOD, VISUAL AID, VOCABULARY, WALT DISNEY WORLD

3 YEARS 8&9 MONTHS: SHE IS READING!

3 Years 8 Months Belle got her palatal expander out this month! Her “princess jewelry,” as we referred to it, was in for a total of six months. Even though her speech didn’t improve as substantially as I had hoped, it was still a success overall. Belle proudly states, “me got my princess jewelry out […]

August 29, 2016 administrator Annabelle's Progress Comments (0) Details
Tags: ABCS, ANNABELLE BEETSMA, ANNABELLE UPDATES, ANNABELLE'S MONTHLY UPDATES, ANNABELLE'S PROGRESS, ARTICULATION, BELLE BEETSMABITE BLOCKS, CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME, DENTIST VISIT, DOWN SYNDROME, DOWN SYNDROME CHILD, DOWN SYNDROME THERAPY, DOWN SYNDROME TODDLER, DOWN SYNDROME TODDLERHOOD, JAW GRADING BIT BLOCKS, LANIE BEETSMA LIZ SMITHSON, ORAL MOTOR EXERCISES, PALATE EXPANDER, SPEECH CLARITY, SPEECH DEVELOPMENT, SPEECH THERAPY AT HOME, SPEECH THERAPY EXERCISES, SPEECH THERAPY VIDEO, SUMMER SCHEDULE, TALKTOOLS CLIENT, TALKTOOLS EXERCISES, TALKTOOLS PROGRAM, TALKTOOLS THERAPY, THREE YEAR OLD, THREE YEAR OLD GIRL, TODDLER WITH DOWN SYNDROME, TODDLERHOOD

3 YEARS 2&3 MONTHS: GETTING INDEPENDENT

3 Years 2 Months Hi everyone! We are now in full swing with our new updated oral motor program that was revamped by Whitney last month. We also were able to meet this month so we could ensure that I am implementing the exercises correctly for Belle. We have progressed to some higher level activities which […]

May 31, 2016 administrator Annabelle's Progress Comments (0) Details
Tags: ANNABELLE BEETSMA, ANNABELLE UPDATES, ANNABELLE'S MONTHLY UPDATES, ANNABELLE'S PROGRESS, BELLE BEETSMA, CHILD INDEPENDENCE, CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME, DAIRY FREE DIET, DOWN SYNDROME CHILD, DOWN SYNDROME THERAPY, DOWN SYNDROME TODDLER, DOWN SYNDROME TODDLERHOOD, ELEVATION AND LATERALIZATION, GLUTEN FREE DIET, GREEN TOOL, LANIE BEETSMA, ORAL MOTOR EXERCISES, RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE, SPEECH THERAPY AT HOME, SPEECH THERAPY EXERCISES, SPEECH THERAPY VIDEO, TALKTOOLS PROGRAM, TALKTOOLS THERAPY, THREE YEAR OLD, THREE YEAR OLD GIRL, TODDLER WITH DOWN SYNDROMETODDLERHOOD, TONGUE TIP ELEVATION, TONGUE TIP LATERALIZATION, TONGUE TIP LATERALIZATION & ELEVATION TOOLS, TONGUE TIP TOOL

2 YEARS 8&9 MONTHS: UPS AND DOWNS

2 Years 8 Months Hello! Today we were walking through the snack/cereal aisle at the grocery store, and Belle had spotted something so she ran ahead. She quickly grabbed a box of the shelf and came running back with it, exclaiming with all her excitement, “Daddy fruit chews!” Three words. Clear as day. No question […]

February 29, 2016 administrator Annabelle's Progress Comments (0) Details
Tags: ANNABELLE, ANNABELLE'S MONTHLY UPDATES, ANNABELLE'S PROGRESS, CHILD WITH DOWN SYNDROME, COMMUNICATION, DOWN SYNDROME, DOWN SYNDROME COMMUNICATION, DOWN SYNDROME GIRL, DOWN SYNDROME THERAPY, DR KINDER, JULIA KINDER, OPTORAL MOTOR EXERCISES, ORAL MOTOR THERAPY, Oral Placement Therapy, SPEECH CLARITY, SPEECH THERAPY FOR DOWN SYNDROME, TALKTOOLS CLIENT, TALKTOOLS THERAPY, VERBALIZATION, WHITNEY PIMENTEL