May is Better Hearing and Speech Month: Can you hear me now?

Did you know May is Better Hearing and Speech Month? For a clinic that works in the speech and occupational therapy domain, it’s the perfect follow up to April’s OT month. Although not quite as catchy and accessible for kids as Joke Month.

Since I am not a speech-language pathologist, I feel like a bit of an outsider writing about Better Hearing and Speech Month. Yet, I’m a witness to the passion, humor, drive, and compassion that each of our clinicians brings to their work with kids and families every day. I watch and learn as our clients move forward on their communication journeys. It’s incredible and rewarding to observe. I love seeing their confidence grow and their willingness to put themselves out there, make jokes, start conversations, and be heard in new ways. I’ve particularly enjoyed talking to our clinic friends who use AAC devices. Sometimes it's just a little one coming up to the front desk and smiling at me. I've gained such an appreciation for the many ways we engage and communicate with one another.

But back to Better Hearing and Speech Month! Last year, our company stretched their poetic muscles a bit and shared Hello Haiku in celebration of the amazing work SLPs do to bring awareness to and remediate communication disorders. Those are so fun, it's worth a revisit!

In the clinic last May, I took a survey of some of the creative approaches our clinicians were taking to up their game in speech and language therapy.

So a year later, what are we doing better and how are we raising awareness? Well, while we are most known as a pediatric practice (and a PDX Parent Pick for Top 5 PT, OT, and ST providers), in recent years, we have expanded to work with more and more teens and adults, especially with OMD concerns. Read more about OMD and protecting your investment in orthodontia.

And just for fun... If you want to test your hearing, check out our May craft: making maracas with plastic eggs and spoons. According to our craft maven Carla, this project is super simple and easy for small hands and an excellent reuse opportunity for any leftover plastic eggs you might have from spring egg hunts. To test your hearing, just shake the maraca close to your ear and ask: "Can you hear me now?"