From Stutter to Superstar: Megan Washington’s Story

by Courtenay M. News

Award-winning singer/songwriter Megan Washington suffers from a stutter. Image Courtesy of ABC.

A multi-platinum singer, two-time ARIA Award winner, and guest judge on The Voice, do you know Megan Washington? As one of Australia’s most famous singer/songwriters, “Washington” as she’s called, is setting stages on fire all across the world. But, did you know that Megan Washington has suffered from a debilitating stutter since she was five years old? If you have not seen her TEDx presentation, you may have never heard Megan Washington stutter, nor guessed that public speaking was her greatest fear. Her experience, as with many, was that singing therapy for stuttering brought “sweet relief” from her speech impediment. It was the only time she felt her speech was fluent. Washington’s story recently became headline news as she revealed her long-time secret at a TEDx conference in Sydney earlier this year.

“To me, language and music are inextricably linked through one thing. And that thing is I have a stutter.”

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Tips For Teaching the “th” Sound

by Courtenay M. At Home Ideas Parents' Corner Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Techniques

Tips for Teaching the “th” Sound

Often, we are asked for suggestions on how to teach the sound of “th.” While Speech Buddies offers tools to help overcome many speech difficulties and articulation disorders, we do not have a tool for the sound of “th.” This is what we offer parents who are looking for help teaching their children to correctly pronounce the “th” sound. Continue reading →

6 Songs For Speech Therapy

by Courtenay M. At Home Ideas Parents' Corner Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Ideas Speech Therapy Techniques

Music is an excellent source of speech therapy. Image source: loogguitars.com

Do you have a little Stevie Wonder on your hands? Lady Gaga? Do you hear singing at all hours of the day? If so, you know that singing and songs are a significant part of your child’s life. In fact, many children sing more than they talk! Through singing and song, children can actually achieve improved articulation skills, just from belting it out. Even simple children’s nursery rhymes can help develop pronunciation and articulation skills. For children who need any type of speech and language therapy, music is essential. It is motivating, familiar, rhythmic, stimulates a variety of senses and most of all – FUN!
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Will My Child Outgrow His Speech Challenge?

by Gordy Rogers, M.S. CCC-SLP Speech Therapist

Gordy Rogers, M.S. CCC-SLP, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Speech Buddies.

This week’s post comes to us from our own Gordy Rogers, M.S. CCC-SLP, co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer of Speech Buddies, Inc., the makers of Speech Buddies Tools, as well as the owner of Brooklyn Speech Solutions, PLLC, a private practice in Brooklyn, New York.

Will my child outgrow his speech challenge? This question not only nags at all parents who are faced with addressing a child’s speech challenge, but is one that speech-language pathologists (SLPs) must seriously consider before beginning treatment. This post aims to shed some light on this often murky question and to arm parents with better information so that they may be more informed partners in the treatment decision-making process.

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10 Warning Signs of a Speech Disorder In Your Child

by Courtenay M. Language Development

10 Warning Signs of Speech Disorder in Your Child. What You Need to Know.

Would you be able to identify a speech disorder in your child? If you are like most parents, the answer is No. As we delve into Better Hearing and Speech Month, we would like to point out 10 warning signs of speech speech disorder in your child. Of course, symptoms can vary depending on the specific speech condition of your child, but there are some essential signs that every parent should watch for as their children grow and develop.
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