For many parents, hearing a child’s first words is a milestone they count down to. For some families, that milestone requires a little extra help.
At MetroEHS Pediatric Therapy’s Southfield location, speech-language pathologists are working one-on-one with children - from infants to adolescents - to build the communication skills that shape their lives.
“SLPs have a deep understanding of children’s physical and neurologic development as it relates to speaking and language development for infants, children, and adolescents,” said Kayleigh McKnight, Director of SLP at MetroEHS. “We support children to learn to communicate their thoughts and to understand the world around them.”
Inside the therapy rooms, sessions look less like clinical appointments and more like playdates - therapists sit on the floor, play games and read stories, turning ordinary moments into learning opportunities.
McKnight acknowledges the work is demanding, but says the rewards keep her going.
“There is nothing like the first time a child tells their parents goodbye on the way into a session or tells us the way something made them feel,” she said.
For children who are not yet speaking verbally, MetroEHS therapists offer alternatives. Megan Bacigal, Regional Director of SLP at MetroEHS, said the approach goes well beyond spoken language.
“SLPs can help children communicate using augmentative or alternative communication, or AAC,” Bacigal said. “And that can be speech-generating devices, pictures, gestures, or their spoken words.”
Bacigal says she has witnessed countless breakthroughs over the years, but one stands above the rest.
“A specific story that stands out for me is when a parent came in and brought their child and told me that they used their speech-generating device to say, ‘I love you, Mom,’ for the first time,” Bacigal said. “So, I will never forget that.”
Speech-language pathologists at MetroEHS say early intervention can make a significant difference, and parents concerned about their child’s communication development are encouraged to contact a specialist.
MetroEHS is also currently hiring physical therapists and is hosting a career event April 30. More information is available at metroehs.com/wdiv.