Teachers: You May Be the First to Notice a Communication or Feeding Concern

Teachers play an incredibly important role in identifying potential speech, language, voice, and feeding or swallowing concerns in students. You spend hours with students each week, giving you a unique perspective on how they communicate, participate, learn, and interact with others.

Sometimes, you may notice a pattern that a parent or caregiver hasn’t seen yet. Other times, a student may have difficulty that isn’t immediately obvious outside of the classroom.

So, what should you look for?

Here are some observations that may be worth sharing with a student’s parents, school speech-language pathologist, or other appropriate professional for further evaluation.

Speech

• Speech that is frequently difficult for others to understand

• Noticeable speech sound errors that may also be affecting reading or spelling

• Repeating or prolonging sounds or getting “stuck” on sounds or words

Language

• Difficulty using pronouns, prepositions, or other concepts appropriately

• Not consistently responding when their name is called

• Needing gestures, visual cues, or repeated directions to understand or complete a task

• Using limited vocabulary or having difficulty expressing thoughts and ideas

Voice

• A consistently hoarse, gravelly, or breathy voice

• A voice that becomes weaker or changes noticeably throughout the day

• Difficulty controlling voice volume appropriately for the setting

Feeding & Swallowing

• Consistently eating or drinking very little during meals or snacks

• Coughing, choking, or frequent throat clearing while eating or drinking

• Frequent gagging or strong reactions to the smell, sight, texture, or presentation of food

When in doubt, ask.

You don’t need to diagnose a communication or feeding disorder. Your observations are valuable. Sharing concerns early can help families and professionals determine whether a student would benefit from further evaluation or support.

We know how much teachers already have on their plates, and our goal isn’t to add another task to your day. Instead, we hope this list gives you a simple starting point when you notice something that doesn’t seem quite right.

If you have questions about a student’s speech, language, voice, or feeding and swallowing skills, SaSSKC is here as a resource. Reach out to us at info@sasskc.com to learn more about our evaluation and therapy services.

Communication Coaching Isn’t Just for Adults

Strong communication skills don’t just happen, they develop over time, with practice, feedback, and opportunities to use them in real-world situations.

From the time children begin putting sounds together to express their wants and needs, they are learning how to communicate. As they grow, their communication becomes increasingly complex. They expand their vocabulary, learn to use tone and body language, develop social communication skills, and eventually navigate written, persuasive, and professional communication.

For teens and young adults, these skills become especially important as they prepare for life beyond high school.

As the parent of a high school junior, I’m seeing firsthand how quickly communication demands change during these years. Teens may be expected to communicate professionally with teachers and employers, advocate for themselves, participate in debates and presentations, write college essays, interview for jobs or college programs, and communicate confidently with people from a variety of backgrounds and settings.

Communication coaching can help teens and young adults build the skills and confidence they need to stand out—in school, in interviews, and eventually in the workplace.

Areas where communication coaching can help:

• Interview preparation – Practice answering questions clearly, confidently, and professionally.

• Debate and discussion skills – Organize ideas, support an argument, and respond effectively to others.

• College interview preparation – Develop confident responses and professional communication skills.

• Persuasive speaking – Strengthen organization, word choice, delivery, and audience awareness.

• College essay preparation – Clearly communicate ideas, experiences, and personal strengths through writing.

• Professional communication – Practice communicating with teachers, professors, employers, coworkers, and other professionals.

• Self-advocacy – Learn how to ask questions, express needs, and communicate effectively in new environments.

  
  

At SaSSKC, our professional communication coaching is designed to help teens and young adults find their voice, communicate with confidence, and prepare for the opportunities ahead.

If your teen or young adult is preparing for college, entering the workforce, or simply wants to become a more confident communicator, we’d love to help.

Contact us at info@sasskc.com to schedule an initial session with our professional communication coach.

Why Summer is Actually a Great Time to Start Pediatric Therapy

The end of the school year always seems to sneak up on us. After months of packed schedules, homework, and extracurricular activities, it can be refreshing to step away from the structure of the school year and settle into the more relaxed rhythm of summer. 

While formal academics and new classroom learning may be on pause, summer is an excellent time to maintain and strengthen your child’s speech, language, and literacy skills so they can return to school confident and ready to learn. Our literacy specialists and skilled speech-language pathologists help children continue making progress in a fun, engaging, and child-centered environment. 

We believe learning should be enjoyable, and summer provides the perfect opportunity to build skills while keeping the experience positive and motivating. Additional benefits of summer speech therapy and literacy support include:

1. Preventing Summer Learning Loss 

Children can lose some of the skills they worked hard to develop during the school year. Consistent speech, language, and literacy support helps maintain progress and reduces the need to “catch up” when school resumes.

2. More Opportunities for Individualized Attention 

With fewer academic demands and extracurricular commitments, summer allows children to focus on specific goals and receive targeted support in areas that need extra attention.

3. Building Confidence Before the New School Year 

Summer therapy can help children strengthen communication, reading, writing, and social skills, allowing them to start the next school year feeling more prepared, independent, and confident.

Ready to make the most of summer? Whether your child needs support with speech sounds, language development, reading, writing, social communication, or feeding skills, our team is here to help. Contact Speech and Swallowing Specialists of Kansas City today to learn more about our summer therapy and literacy programs and reserve your child’s spot before the school year begins.