Olive Tree Speech Therapy

Olive Tree Speech Therapy Olive Tree Speech is a private practice providing in-home services to clients in Bergen County!

Want to encourage more communication at home? Sometimes it’s not about saying more, it’s about changing how we interact....
17/06/2026

Want to encourage more communication at home? Sometimes it’s not about saying more, it’s about changing how we interact.

As parents, it’s natural to ask questions, encourage repetition, or remind our children to “use their words.” But these approaches can sometimes create pressure instead of opportunity.

A few simple shifts can make interactions feel more natural and support language development throughout the day:
✨ Model language instead of asking for repetition
✨ Make comments instead of asking constant questions
✨ Give your child the words they need instead of expecting them to find them on their own

Children learn language through meaningful interactions, repetition, and connection.

11/06/2026

One of the biggest misconceptions about reading with children is that you need to read every single word on every single page.

You don’t.

In fact, some of the best language learning moments happen when you pause, talk about the pictures, ask questions, and follow your child’s lead.

The goal of storytime isn’t to get through the book as quickly as possible. The goal is interaction and conversation. 💬

Next time you read with your child, try:
📚 Pausing and waiting for them to comment
📚 Talking about what’s happening in the pictures
📚 Asking open-ended questions
These small changes can turn storytime into a powerful opportunity for language development.

Which of these strategies do you already use at home?👇

04/06/2026

Did you know children are expected to use around 16 gestures by 16 months? 👶🗣️

Research shows that early gesture use is strongly connected to later language and vocabulary development. In fact, children who use a wider variety of gestures early on often develop larger vocabularies later in childhood.

Here are 16 gestures you can teach your child to help support communication, joint attention, social interaction, and language development✨

Gestures like pointing, waving, showing, reaching, clapping, and nodding all help children communicate before words fully develop.

Save this post for later and share with another parent or caregiver 🤍

21/05/2026

Hi, I’m Olivia 👋🏼 I’m a pediatric speech-language pathologist + owner of Olive Tree Speech Therapy.

I spend my days blowing bubbles, racing cars, reading books, and sharing lots of laughter 🫧🏎️📚

I support children with a range of communication needs, including language development, speech sound disorders and articulation, childhood apraxia of speech, and AAC through play-based therapy 🤍

When I’m not in sessions, you’ll usually find me with coffee in hand and my Irishdoodle Myles, close by 🐾

I provide in-home and school-based therapy throughout Bergen County, and I feel really lucky to do what I love every day 🌸

New here? Welcome! I’m so glad you’re here.

Follow along for speech, play, connection, and all the little moments in between ✨

☀️ Now Booking Summer Sessions ⛱️Summer is a great opportunity to strengthen speech and language skills in a more flexib...
18/05/2026

☀️ Now Booking Summer Sessions ⛱️
Summer is a great opportunity to strengthen speech and language skills in a more flexible, low-pressure setting while helping prevent regression and maintain progress from the school year.

Sessions are designed to support functional communication that carries over into everyday life.

📍 Sessions take place where it works best for your family, whether at home, at camp or within the community.

💬 Have an IEP? No evaluation is required to begin services.

I also offer free consultations if you’re unsure whether services are needed or want to talk through concerns.

📩 DM me “SUMMER” or reach out to get started
📞 201-416-9803
🌐 www.OliveTreeSpeechTherapy.com
📸

15/05/2026

Moms, babies, and so many meaningful connections 💬

Loved being part of mamapalooza today chatting all things speech, language, and development with families 💕 Thank you ✨

Got 10 minutes to play? 🚂 Here’s how to use trains to support early language development.You don’t need special material...
11/05/2026

Got 10 minutes to play? 🚂 Here’s how to use trains to support early language development.

You don’t need special materials or structured teaching, just simple strategies woven into play.

Try this:
🚂 Model simple words like “go,” “stop,” “fast,” “train”
🚂 Create verbal routines like “ready… set… go!”
🚂 Incorporate sound effects to support early communication
🚂 Imitate your child’s play actions to build engagement

These small moments of shared play help build attention, imitation, and early communication skills in a natural way.
If your child is learning to talk, how you play matters just as much as what you play with 💛

Save this for your next play session 🚂

05/05/2026

What actually counts as a word? 👶🏽🗣️

A word counts if it is:
• Used consistently
• Has meaning
• Intentional

That means first words can look like:
• “Mama” or “Dada” (used for a specific person)
• “Ba” for ball or “baba” for bottle
• “Up” to be picked up
• “Hi” or “Bye”
• Animal sounds like “moo” or “woof”
• Vehicle sounds like “vroom”
• Fun exclamations like “uh-oh” or “yay!”

And yes, these ALL count:
• Partial words
• Approximations
• Sound effects
• Signs (communication is communication!)

What doesn’t count?
• Random babbling
• Words only said once
• Sounds without clear meaning

Bottom line: it’s about communication, not perfection. Every child’s first words will look a little different 💛

Save this for later if you’re tracking milestones!

Words are building blocks 🧱💬From 12 to 36 months, your child’s vocabulary is growing fast. Sometimes in bursts, sometime...
29/04/2026

Words are building blocks 🧱💬

From 12 to 36 months, your child’s vocabulary is growing fast. Sometimes in bursts, sometimes slowly and steadily. There’s a wide range of “typical,” but tracking how words increase over time helps us understand how communication is developing.
Every child develops differently, but word count milestones matter.

If you’re concerned about how many words your child is using for their age, or feel they’re not meeting speech milestones, reach out.

Early support can make a big difference.

“Let’s wait and see” is something many parents hear when they bring up concerns about speech and language development.An...
27/04/2026

“Let’s wait and see” is something many parents hear when they bring up concerns about speech and language development.

And the honest answer is: it depends.

Some children do naturally catch up with time, while others benefit from early support to build communication skills sooner.

The challenge is that there’s no single clear sign that gives a perfect answer which is why guidance from a speech and language specialist can be so important.

A speech and language evaluation can help you understand:
✔ what’s typical
✔ what may need support
✔ and what your next steps should be

If you’re feeling unsure, you don’t have to figure it out alone. You can book a free consultation at the link in my bio to talk through your concerns, gain clarity and decide on next steps 🩷

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