Tapia Speech and Language Services, LLC

08/21/2026

Thank you Ms. Crisy!!

Let’s wish Tanya a very happy birthday today! 🎂🎉💖✨ The mastermind and owner behind Tapia Speech and Language Services, LLC 💖 Tanya has the biggest heart and compassion. She wears many hats 🎩 - fabulous SLP, mom, friend , business owner etc…. Let’s wish this superwoman a wonderful day!🦸🏻‍♀️

08/20/2026

#9: Self-Talk vs. Parallel Talk

Want to support your child’s language development without constantly asking questions or telling them to “say ___”?

Talk about what’s already happening!

✨ SELF-TALK = Talk about what YOU are doing.

Think of yourself as the narrator of your own actions.

💬 “I’m cutting the apple.”
💬 “I need my shoes.”
💬 “I’m washing my hands. Scrub, scrub, scrub!”

✨ PARALLEL TALK = Talk about what YOUR CHILD is doing.

You become the narrator of their actions.

💬 “You’re building a tall tower!”
💬 “You found the blue car.”
💬 “You’re pouring the water. Uh oh—it spilled!”

Both strategies give children meaningful language models connected to what they are seeing, doing, and experiencing in that exact moment.

And here’s the important part:

They don’t have to repeat you.

You’re exposing them to new words, phrases, grammar, and ways to put their thoughts into language….without turning the interaction into a quiz.

Sometimes building language is less about getting your child to talk and more about giving them great language to listen to. ❤️

08/14/2026

As parents it is practically engrained in our DNA to ask questions, however, when we want to encourage language development it is best to comment more than we ask questions.

Commenting decreases the pressure of “having to respond” while providing a good model of sentence structure and relevant vocabulary.

Not to mention It is highly motivating for children when parents are interested in what they are doing.

08/14/2026

Tip/ Tidbit 8: The problem isn’t “watch me.” The problem is that watching isn’t always enough.

A child may watch you produce a sound correctly but still not understand:

* where their tongue needs to go
* what their lips need to do
* whether their voice should be on or off
* where the airflow is going
* what they’re supposed to feel when they make the sound

So instead of only saying “Watch me”, we can make the movement and placement more explicit.

For example:

“Watch me. My tongue is behind my teeth. Now you try it.”

This also gives you a nice opportunity to introduce teaching children about the parts of their mouth and what they do because sometimes a child needs more than a visual model. They need to understand the mechanics of the sound.

The key takeaway:
Don’t just show children what a sound sounds like. Help them understand how to make it.

08/06/2026

🎉 36 Things This Pediatric SLP Wants You to Know

#5: Don’t be afraid to talk to your kids about things that interest YOU!

As parents, we often focus on teaching our children words like ball, dog, and car. While those are important, don’t stop there!

Talk about your hobbies, your job, your favorite TV show, gardening, cooking, sports, music, fixing cars, baking, or whatever you’re passionate about.

Why? Because children learn language through meaningful conversations. When they hear you talk about things you genuinely enjoy, they’re exposed to a wider variety of vocabulary, sentence structures, and ideas.

You don’t have to “dumb it down.” Instead:
🗣️ Explain new words.
💬 Answer their questions.
✨ Connect new vocabulary to things they already know.

For example, if you love gardening, your child might learn words like soil, roots, bloom, stem, seedling, and watering can….words they may not hear anywhere else!

The best language opportunities don’t come from flashcards. They come from everyday conversations with the people children love most.

What’s something you’re passionate about that you could share with your child this week? 🌱

08/06/2026

🎉 36 Things This Pediatric SLP Wants You to Know

A true speech or language delay will be present in BOTH languages of a bilingual child. 🌎🗣️

One of the biggest myths I hear is that learning two languages causes speech or language delays.

It doesn’t.

Children learning more than one language may:
✅ Mix languages
✅ Have different vocabulary sizes in each language
✅ Prefer one language over another depending on the setting

These are all typical parts of bilingual language development.

However, if a child has a true speech or language disorder, those challenges will be seen across both languages…not just in English or just in Spanish… or any other languages the child may speak.

Bilingualism doesn’t cause communication disorders, and children should never be encouraged to stop using their home language because of concerns about speech or language development.

If you’re ever unsure whether what you’re seeing is part of typical bilingual development or something that warrants an evaluation, reach out to a speech-language pathologist with experience in bilingual assessment.

💬 Were you surprised by this? Let me know in the comments!

08/04/2026

✨ Looking for something fun to do this Saturday? Join us for our Friendship Snack, Story & Craft! 💕🌵

Whether your child comes with a friend or makes a new one, they’ll enjoy 90 minutes of hands-on fun featuring:
🩷 Friendship bracelet kabobs
🌈 Make TWO friendship bracelets—one to keep and one to give away
📚 Interactive stories all about kindness and friendship
🎉 Cooperative games that encourage teamwork and connection

It’s the perfect way to celebrate friendship while building language, social, and communication skills through play.

Learning, laughing, creating, and making memories—all in one afternoon!

🌵 Limited spots are still available, so be sure to reserve yours today!

08/04/2026

#3: SLPs actually LOVE when parents ask questions! 💬

As SLPs, we don’t just want to work with your child. We want to work with you.

You are the expert on your child. You know their personality, their strengths, their interests, and the little things that make them unique. Our job is to bring our clinical knowledge and create a plan together that supports your child’s communication.

That means:
✨ Asking questions
✨ Sharing what you’re noticing at home
✨ Learning strategies you can use during everyday routines
✨ Celebrating progress together
✨ Understanding the “why” behind therapy goals

A good speech therapist should not just tell you what your child is working on—they should help you understand:
💬 What skill we are targeting
💬 Why it matters
💬 How you can support it during play, meals, books, and daily routines

Therapy is most powerful when children have communication partners cheering them on in every environment!

Parents are not just observers of therapy. You are an important part of the team. 💚

08/03/2026

🎉 36 Things This Pediatric SLP Wants You to Know

#2: What do all those letters after an SLP’s name actually mean?

If you’ve ever seen a speech therapist introduce themselves as MS, CCC-SLP or CF-SLP and wondered what all those letters mean, you’re not alone!

Here’s a quick breakdown:

🗣️ SLP = Speech-Language Pathologist
A professional trained to evaluate and treat communication and swallowing disorders.

🎓 MS or MA = Master of Science or Master of Arts
Speech-language pathologists earn a master’s degree before entering the profession.

🌟 CF-SLP = Clinical Fellow Speech-Language Pathologist
This is an SLP completing their supervised clinical fellowship—the final step before earning their Certificate of Clinical Competence.

✅ CCC-SLP = Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology
Awarded by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), this certification means the SLP has completed graduate school, a supervised clinical fellowship, passed the national Praxis exam, and maintains ongoing professional development through continuing education.

🤝 SLPA = Speech-Language Pathology Assistant
An SLPA works under the supervision of a licensed SLP and plays an important role in providing therapy and supporting client care. They do not conduct evaluations, diagnose communication disorders, or independently develop treatment plans.

No matter the letters, we’re all working toward the same goal: helping individuals communicate with confidence.

What other speech therapy terms have you always wondered about? Let me know in the comments!