Meet three voices behind real TalkTools success stories—a clinician (and mom) who advanced to Level 4 OPT, a parent whose child found his voice with the Horn Kit, and a public SLP specialist.
Spotlight 1: Anne Salah Aziz — Therapist/Specialist (and Mom)
TalkTools Journey
- Using TalkTools since: 2017 (began with Level 1 OPT in Egypt)
- Training milestone: Level 4 OPT (Florida, with Ms. Renee Hill)
- Roles: Pediatric therapist/specialist and parent to a child with epilepsy
For Therapists & Clinicians — What’s Working in Anne’s Practice
Structured progression: Advancing from Level 1 to Level 4 sharpened assessment, goal selection, and tool choice—every activity ties back to a functional outcome.
Function-first plans: Targets focus on safe swallow, efficient chew, and clearer speech, then align exercises accordingly.
Carryover that sticks: Short, high-frequency home routines (mealtime, toothbrushing) support motor learning and consistency.
Dual perspective advantage: Clinician + parent lens keeps protocols compassionate and realistic.
For Parents & Caregivers — Anne’s Family Takeaways
- Quality training empowers home practice: OPT principles helped Anne guide her son—who has epilepsy—through feeding steps with confidence.
- Feeding wins are possible: Gradual chew and swallow progression reduced stress at meals.
In Anne’s Words
“Since I got Level 1 OPT with the TalkTools team in 2017, I targeted a high quality version of the sessions I provide to children as well as my son’s feeding challenge as he wasn’t able to chew and swallow.
Now, there’s a crystal clear progress in both of therapy and my son ability to eat and everything with no difficulty.”
Advance your OPT training and bring structured, functional outcomes to your caseload.
Learn more about epilepsy basics on MedlinePlus.
Spotlight 2: Rachel MacElhenney — Parent/Caregiver
TalkTools Journey
- Using TalkTools: 1 year
- Tools used: Horn Kit (starting the Straw Kit next)
Why She Chose It
Rachel’s son had severe torticollis as an infant, impacting oral-facial strength and tongue coordination. She needed a simple, graded sequence to build foundational skills.
What Changed
Tongue coordination & strength: The Horn Kit’s stepwise sequence delivered clear, motivating wins.
Communication breakthrough: Speech began after starting the Horn Kit.
Next step: Transitioning to the Straw Kit to support age-appropriate speech and sustained breath support.
In Rachel’s Words
“TalkTools’ Horn Kit helped my son improve his tongue coordination and strengthen his oral-facial muscles due to severe torticollis as an infant. My son was unable to talk until we started the Horn Kit. TalkTools is the reason my son is able to communicate. We’re starting the Straw Kit next to get his speech to an age appropriate level. We will be forever grateful!”
Spotlight 3: A Public School SLP — School-Based Clinician
How They Implemented It
- Program layer: Added TalkTools as an additional/before-school daily program alongside regular speech sessions to reinforce targets.
- Focus: Mastery of difficult sounds that had been hard to generalize in standard sessions.
What Changed
- Accelerated carryover: Daily, brief practice helped students achieve mastery on targeted sounds.
- Motivation & momentum: A predictable routine created quick feedback loops and visible progress.
In Their Words
“The support this program provides to my students is amazing. There have been sounds we’ve struggled mastering during our regular speech sessions and added this program on as an additional/before school program daily and it helped the students achieve mastery.
Sincerely,
A Public School SLP”
Big Takeaways from These TalkTools Success Stories
- Structure drives progress: Whether it’s Level 4 OPT or Horn #1, a clear sequence + consistent practice = momentum.
- Function is the north star: Tie every exercise to a real-life goal—safer chewing, clearer words, calmer mealtimes.
- Families & schools are partners: Clinician-designed home and school routines keep practice frequent, short, and doable.
- Layering works: Adding brief daily sessions (e.g., before-school) can speed up mastery and generalization.
Keep Learning & Growing
Disclaimer: These are personal testimonials and do not constitute medical advice. Outcomes vary by individual. Consult your clinician or a TalkTools-trained provider for guidance tailored to you.