For one particular client, today was the introduction of a speech goal targeting the sandwich sound, "th." For those who may be curious, "th" is sometimes referred to as the sandwich sound during speech therapy because it references how to form the sound using the upper and lower teeth to close down on or "sandwich" the tongue. In between the Play-Doh tongue molding and sandwich stacking, we persevered while tackling this new skill... just like we've always done all along.
Learning new things and facing challenges is a part of every speech-language therapy session and... life. For a speech-language pathologist (SLP), growth can be measured most concretely in the data collected and reported on clients' treatment and progress notes. The sight of "GOAL MASTERED" never loses its appeal and neither does the satisfied grin on the face of a child when she knows she is catching on and has accomplished something grand. All of the little pluses add up and shouldn't be forgotten.
Especially when something's tough, reflecting on the journey is a valuable reminder to celebrate the progress and just how far we've already come together. I'm so proud of my hard working clients and am thankful for their families who support them. Cheers to more growth and victories ahead!
- Johanna Sims, M.S., CCC-SLP
