A Fresh Start for Spring: Understanding Dyslexia in Children

When we think about spring, we think of growth. For many kids, learning to read is a huge part of that growth. But for some children, reading doesn’t come easily, no matter how hard they try. This is often when dyslexia comes in.

Dyslexia is a learning difference that impacts how children process written language. It can affect reading, spelling, and writing, but it’s important to know it has nothing to do with intelligence or a lack of desire to learn. Anatomically, there are true differences in the way the brain of a person with dyslexia develops and functions. Many children with dyslexia are incredibly bright, creative, and strong thinkers. Their brains are just wired differently, requiring them to learn in a different way.

The encouraging part? The brain is capable of change. With the right support and intervention, the brain can build new pathways for reading and language. This is called neuroplasticity, and it’s a big reason why early support is so powerful.

What to Look For

Dyslexia is not as obvious as you might think. Some signs include:

• Difficulty sounding out words or blending sounds

• Trouble recognizing common sight words

• Slow or effortful reading

• Avoiding reading or becoming easily frustrated

• Spelling the same word differently each time

You might notice these signs early on, or they may become more clear once reading demands increase in school.

Why Early Support Matters

Children reach a stage in school where instead of learning to read, they begin to read to learn. This shift can become especially frustrating for children with dyslexia, impacting their confidence, and making it harder to keep up with their peers. The good news is – when we catch these challenges early and provide the right support, kids can make meaningful progress and start to feel more confident in their abilities.

Where SLPs Come In

As SaSSKC, we look beyond just reading the words on a page. We focus on the underlying skills that make reading possible:

• Phonological awareness

• Language comprehension

• Vocabulary and word knowledge

Therapy is individualized, functional, and designed to meet your child where they are, while keeping things engaging and supportive.

Simple Ways to Support at Home

• Keep reading time positive and low-pressure

• Read with your child, not just to them (dialogic reading)

• Celebrate effort over accuracy

And most importantly, remind your child that struggling with reading doesn’t define them. With the right support, they can absolutely succeed.

We’re Here to Help!

If you’re noticing signs of reading difficulty or just have questions, you’re not alone. Early support can make a big difference, and our team at SASSKC is equipped and here to help guide you through it!

Reach out to learn more or schedule an evaluation info@sasskc.com

Spring Tip for Families:

Incorporate literacy into everyday activities. Reading books outside, writing chalk words on the driveway, or playing rhyming games during walks can help build foundational skills in a fun way while enjoying the spring weather!

From NICU to Home: Finding Your Rhythm Without the Monitors

Bringing your baby home from the NICU is both joyful and disorienting. In the hospital, you were surrounded by nurses, therapists, and monitors guiding care. At home, that support feels quieter. This shift can feel overwhelming, but it also opens the door to learning to understand your baby in a more natural, connected way. The numbers and schedules helped your baby grow in the NICU. Now, your role expands to reading cues, building trust, and finding a rhythm that fits your family.

One of the biggest changes is moving from constant monitoring to cue-based care. Your baby may not follow the same schedule they had in the NICU, and that is okay. Hunger cues can be subtle at first, especially for babies born early, but they become clearer with time. Look for early signs like stirring, rooting, or bringing hands to mouth rather than waiting for crying, which is a late cue. A loose routine can still provide helpful structure as you adjust.

• Use your NICU schedule as a starting point, but stay flexible

• Watch for early hunger cues such as stirring, rooting, or hand-to-mouth movements

• Pause and observe your baby before offering a feed

• Remember that crying is a late hunger cue

  
  

If your baby came home with a feeding tube or is still building oral skills, you can support the connection between sucking and feeling full. This oral-gut connection is an important step toward feeding development. Even when full oral feeds are not yet possible, small, consistent experiences can help your baby learn.

• Offer a dry pacifier during tube feeds to pair sucking with fullness

• Try a dipped pacifier with guidance to safely introduce taste

• Keep feeding experiences calm and positive

• Follow your baby’s lead and allow progress to be gradual

  
  

It is also common to feel focused on numbers such as ounces, minutes, and daily weights. These were essential in the NICU and still matter, but they can begin to serve as guides rather than strict rules. Your baby’s cues and patterns will tell you just as much over time. If you feel unsure, you are not meant to navigate this alone.

• Let numbers guide you rather than control you

• Look at trends over time instead of a single feeding

• Reach out to feeding specialists through Early Intervention or private providers

• Trust your growing understanding of your baby

  
  

As you care for your baby, remember to care for yourself too. This transition can bring exhaustion and worry, especially without the constant reassurance of NICU staff. Your well-being matters. Small moments of rest and support can make a meaningful difference.

• Take short breaks when you can

• Prioritize sleep and regular meals

• Accept help from family, friends, or professionals

• Reach out if you feel overwhelmed

  
  

This stage is not about doing everything perfectly. It is about learning your baby, adjusting along the way, and building confidence together. What feels uncertain now will become more familiar with time. You are already doing so much right.

Finding the Goal at the End of the Care Plan

Why Meaningful, Measurable, and Personal Goals Matter in Speech and Swallowing Therapy

At Speech and Swallowing Specialists of Kansas City (SaSSKC), every evaluation begins with a question that is far more important than it first appears:

“What are we working toward?”

A care plan is more than a clinical requirement or an insurance document. The most effective therapy does not start with standardized language alone; it starts with understanding what truly matters to the client and their caregivers.

When goals are meaningful, measurable, and personal, therapy stops feeling like a series of exercises and becomes progress toward real life.

Meaningful Goals: Therapy That Connects to Real Life

A meaningful goal answers the question: Why does this skill matter right now?

For a child, the goal may not simply be “increase expressive vocabulary,” but rather “ask for help during play without frustration.”  

For an adult recovering from illness, it may not be “improve swallow safety,” but “return to eating dinner with family.”

Meaningful goals connect therapy tasks to everyday participation. When clients and caregivers understand the purpose behind the work, motivation increases, carryover improves, and progress becomes easier to recognize outside the therapy session.

At SaSSKC, we encourage families and clients to share priorities openly. Clinical expertise guides the how, but clients help define the why.

Measurable Goals: Progress You Can Actually See

A goal must be measurable to tell us whether therapy is working.

Vague goals can create frustration for everyone involved. Statements like “improve communication” or “eat better” sound helpful but leave too much room for interpretation. Measurable goals, on the other hand, provide clarity and accountability.

Strong measurable goals include:

- A clearly defined skill

- Observable behavior

- Conditions or supports provided

- Criteria for success

For example:

- Instead of: “Improve speech clarity”  

- We aim for: “Produce targeted speech sounds in words with 80% accuracy during structured conversation.”

Measurement is not about reducing therapy to numbers. It is about ensuring progress is visible, trackable, and celebrated.

Personal Goals: Therapy That Respects the Individual

No two clients share the same life, routines, or priorities. Personal goals recognize that therapy must fit the person, not the other way around.

A teenager may care deeply about being understood by friends.  

A working adult may prioritize returning to meetings confidently.  

A caregiver may want smoother mealtimes or fewer daily struggles.

When goals reflect personal values, therapy becomes collaborative rather than prescriptive. Clients feel ownership of their progress, and caregivers become active partners instead of observers.

Personalization also allows therapy to evolve. As skills improve or life circumstances change, goals should adapt alongside the client.

Finding the Goal at the End of the Care Plan

The true goal of therapy is rarely the final line written on a treatment plan. It is the outcome that line represents:

- A client confidently expressing needs  

- A safer and more enjoyable mealtime  

- A return to independence  

- A stronger connection with others

When goals are meaningful, measurable, and personal, therapy moves beyond clinical improvement and toward quality of life.

At SaSSKC, we believe success is not just completing therapy — it is reaching a goal that genuinely changes daily living for clients and families.

Because the best care plans do more than guide treatment.  

They help people move toward the life they want to live.

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If you ever feel unsure whether your therapy goals reflect your priorities, we invite you to talk with your clinician. The most powerful goals are the ones we build together.