Speech First, LLC

Home
United States
Philadelphia, PA
Speech First, LLC

📍 Wayne, PA: Private in-home and in-school speech therapy. Providing services to children and families throughout the Main Line and beyond for over 16 years.

Speech First, LLC is owned and operated by Lindsay Petersen, a Pennsylvania State licensed and nationally certified Speech-Language Pathologist who provides private, in-home speech therapy to the greater Philadelphia region. Lindsay has extensive experience assessing and treating clients with receptive/expressive language impairments, articulation and phonological disorders, fluency disorders, fee

ding delays and disorders, and communication delays and disorders associated with developmental delays, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, hearing loss, and neurological impairments. She is trained in the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), American Sign Language, and Auditory Verbal Therapy strategies and techniques. Lindsay believes in a multidisciplinary team approach to therapy and thus encourages collaboration with parents, caregivers, teachers and other professionals to provide the most optimal and successful treatment plan for her clients. Her practice is based on providing the highest quality of service to her clients and their families while working to achieve their speech and language goals.

06/12/2026

“My child isn’t talking much today.”

“I’m worried, but everyone keeps telling me my child is fine and will catch up.”

“I feel like I should have started speech therapy sooner.”

“My child is shy/silly/wiggly/high energy/strong willed (insert any descriptor here!)”

“We have too much screen time some days.”

“My house is a mess.” (Honestly, same!)

We don’t need perfect circumstances to seek support nor do we need to have all the answers. You just need someone who will meet you and your child where you are!

06/05/2026

A short & sweet course of speech therapy for an adorable little boy!

06/02/2026

1. Stop comparing.
Comparison truly is the thief of joy. As both an SLP and a parent, I’ve learned that children develop at their own pace. Looking at what another child is doing rarely provides useful information—it usually just creates unnecessary worry.

2. Trust the process and be patient.
I know how hard it can be to wait for a new skill to emerge. But so much development happens behind the scenes before we see it. Progress isn’t always linear, and milestones often arrive when we least expect them.

3. Spend less time worrying.
About everything! As an SLP, I understand child development. As a mom, I understand worry and I know it’s easier said than done.

The truth is that professional knowledge doesn’t make you immune to comparison, impatience, or overthinking. There were moments when I knew exactly what I would tell another parent, yet struggled to follow that advice myself.

Parenting has humbled me in the best way and reminded me that behind every milestone is a parent who simply wants the very best for their child!

05/21/2026

That means your family works directly with me every step of the way — from consultations, evaluations, and therapy sessions, to parent communication and support and ongoing check-ins.

I’m so grateful to be able to build these relationships with the families I work with and be part of each child’s unique journey! 🤍

05/14/2026

MAY MOOD 😵‍💫

End-of-year events, vacations, sports schedules… it’s a LOT. And for many families, speech therapy can start to feel like “one more thing” to fit into an already packed calendar.

If scheduling has felt tricky lately, you are definitely not alone 🤍 Summer scheduling is already underway and can be a great time to maintain momentum while often offering a bit more flexibility for families!

As always, I’m happy to work together to find a schedule that feels manageable during the chaos of May and beyond.

05/05/2026

Three little words… but so much more than that!

When your child says a phrase like this, it’s not just exciting because they’re combining words — it’s exciting because they’re building a complete sentence.

✨ Mama → subject
✨ read → verb
✨ book → object

That means your child isn’t just talking — they’re beginning to understand how language is organized. And that’s a HUGE developmental step.

And let’s talk about that middle piece for a second — the verb. Verbs are the POWER source of a sentence. They tell us what’s happening. Without them, we just have labels… not ideas.

It’s something I’m always intentional about in sessions with little ones — modeling a variety of sentence patterns, especially action words, and paying close attention to the ones they begin using on their own.

Because it’s not just about saying more words… it’s about learning how to put them together.

Varied sentence patterns — with strong, meaningful verbs — lay the foundation for grammar, storytelling, and meaningful conversations down the line!

04/30/2026

You may start to see things clicking for your child in speech therapy and wonder—how do we know when we’re finished?

When it comes to speech sound disorders (articulation/phonology), the key word is AUTOMATICITY.

Our goal is to reach a point where your child is using their target sound(s) in everyday conversation effortlessly. They’re no longer thinking about it, practicing it, or relying on reminders or feedback…it just comes out naturally.

So how do we get there?

First and foremost, it starts with choosing the right intervention approach. Not all speech sound errors (or patterns) are created equal, and they shouldn’t be treated the same way. Targeting the right things, in the right way, is what allows true progress to happen.

From there, it takes consistent practice, time, and patience.

But when it all comes together—when your child is speaking clearly, confidently, and without even thinking about it—that’s when we know we’ve done our job! ⭐️

04/20/2026

I love this parent’s feedback because it touches on something so important! While we are all excited for a child to start talking, one of the biggest (and most overlooked) stepping stones to verbal communication is gesture imitation.

Before a child can imitate sounds or words, they need to be able to watch, process, and copy actions—like clapping, waving, pointing, signing, or blowing a kiss. These simple gestures are actually building the foundation for speech.

Here’s why:

👏 It builds the imitation pathway
Imitation is a skill. When a child learns to copy actions with their body, they’re strengthening the same system they’ll later use to copy sounds and words.

👋 It supports joint attention
When your child copies a gesture, it shows they’re tuned in—watching you, sharing the moment, and learning that communication is a back-and-forth experience.

👆 It reduces pressure while increasing success
Gestures are easier than words. Starting here helps children experience success and confidence without the added complexity of speech.

🙌 It gives children a way to communicate NOW
Pointing, reaching, waving—these are all meaningful ways to express wants and connect, even before words emerge.

04/13/2026

From toddlers to teens, engagement is everything!

For my toddlers, that usually means getting on the floor, following their lead, and turning play into opportunities for language.

For my school-aged kids, it’s games, movement, and activities that keep them motivated while we target specific goals.

And for my older ones, it’s real conversations, humor, and making therapy feel relevant to their world.

Why is this so important??
✨ Kids learn best when they’re enjoying themselves
✨ Connection drives communication
✨ And progress happens when they want to be there

Curious what speech therapy could look like for your child? Feel free to reach out or send me a message!

04/09/2026

An SLP’s thoughts on “wait and see…” 💭💭💭

I always tell parents — YOU know your child better than anyone. If you are feeling concerned or just need reassurance about their communication development, the best course of action is an evaluation by a speech-language pathologist!

Address

Philadelphia, PA

Website

http://www.speech-first.com/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Speech First, LLC posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Speech First, LLC:

Shortcuts

Featured

White Cleaning Service LLC
54 Westbury Drive, Berlin
SYNERGY HomeCare of Philadelphia
525 S. 4th Street