Smiling Star Speech & Language

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Smiling Star Speech & Language Our goal is to help kids find their voices, and to bridge the gaps between acceptance and neurodiversity~

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Smiling Star Speech & Language was established in Hinsdale in 2004. Having grown up in the Oak Brook/Hinsdale area, Micaela Fisher understands not only the needs of her clients, but the culture of the community which affects her clients learning and progress. Micaela spent the early years of her career in the TV Broadcast/Communications industry, and later found a deeper calling to the Communicati

on Disorders field to help children find their own voices. After working at local hospitals for outpatient pediatric speech therapy and Neonatal Intensive Care Units for feeding therapy of premature infants, Smiling Star Speech & Language was established as a transition for clients that Micaela worked with in the Illinois Early Intervention System. Therapists at Smiling Star Speech & Language specialize in the assessment and treatment of developmental speech and language delays, speech disorders such as Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Central Auditory Processing Disorder, fluency (stuttering), augmentative communication use (PECS) and sensory feeding difficulties.

Today is National PDA Day! No, that does not mean to go out spreading public displays of affection! đź’‹ In the neurodiverg...
13/05/2026

Today is National PDA Day! No, that does not mean to go out spreading public displays of affection! đź’‹

In the neurodivergent world, PDA is known as Pathological Demand Avoidance OR Persistent Drive for Autonomy. This is considered a profile of autism, but can be best described as a nervous system disability.

What does this mean? Any miscommunication, demand or perceived loss of choice will be perceived as a threat by someone with PDA sending their nervous system into fight or flight.

How does this differ from a regular meltdown? Think of it as the difference between someone being upset that they can’t go swimming to a person in a panic like they are drowning. The response is SURVIVAL not a behavior.

This is REALLY important for others to know because the approach to helping someone with PDA is very different.

Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, this is as good a time as any to talk about the unsung heroes of individuals...
10/05/2026

Since May is Mental Health Awareness Month, this is as good a time as any to talk about the unsung heroes of individuals with autism. Their siblings.

The challenge is real. For many, siblings are the fiercest defenders of their often misunderstood neurodivergent siblings. For some, the love is there, but sometimes hard to bring to the surface because of the challenges neurodivergence brings into a family.

If you have a friend who has a sibling with autism or other disability, you may not understand what they are going through, but you can be a friend by being a compassionate listener and giving a supportive hug đź’ž

Who knew Coldplay was a bridgemaker?? 👏🏻 💗 🎶
30/04/2026

Who knew Coldplay was a bridgemaker?? 👏🏻 💗 🎶

29/04/2026

Just in case you were wondering what autism acceptance month really means, and how it affects you.

Why is it hard to identify some kids as being autistic when they're at school? They seem so "normal"! It's called "Maski...
29/04/2026

Why is it hard to identify some kids as being autistic when they're at school? They seem so "normal"!

It's called "Masking".

28/04/2026

RESOURCES!!! I’m putting it on my to-do list to read each of these 📖 💗

Accelerated/ Advanced/ Regular. Advanced/ Intermediate/ Beginner. Professional/ Semi-professional/ amateur. Different le...
26/04/2026

Accelerated/ Advanced/ Regular. Advanced/ Intermediate/ Beginner. Professional/ Semi-professional/ amateur. Different levels indicated for different levels of performance. Not better or worse. Not right or wrong. Just where you’re at. Same goes for Autism. Be accepting. Be curious.

25/04/2026

My find of the day. We are ALL on our own journey’s of personal development everyday. Aren’t we? So often people look at neurodivergence as a fixed condition, but listening to Russell’s journey with autism shows us that being autistic is anything but that.

Be curious whenever you see someone with a difference. What you see does not define who they are or who they will be. co

24/04/2026

I wasn’t always striving to be a bridge-maker. To be honest, I spent a large part of my career as a pediatric speech-language pathologist avoiding autism. I’m kind of ashamed to say that, but it has just never been my strength. Not because I didn’t understand it. It was because I didn’t really want to. At that time, I only really saw it through the lens of how I imagine most neurotypical people see autism even though I knew better. Fast-forward and life always has a way of bringing you the lessons that you’re meant to learn. Now I’m diving all in because I see how much more there is to people with autism and listening to Abbey describe her experience here is done in a way that is relatable for everybody. Please take a second to watch! 💗

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IL

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 18:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 18:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 18:00
Thursday 09:00 - 18:00
Friday 09:00 - 18:00

Telephone

+16304554400

Website

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