Speech with Lisa Higbee

02/24/2026

Writing and reciting poetry is a great way to exercise your speech and language skills! Here's a little poem I wrote for spring this year:

The days are getting longer,
Though snowy days are here,
Soon the snow will melt
And the ice will disappear,

We’ve built our snowmen tall,
And we’ve sledded down the hills,
But soon the Earth will stir again
And warmth will give us thrills,

Green buds will all appear,
And the bulbs will reach up high,
The singing of the choir birds
Will ascend into the sky,

And spring will then be here,
Time for life to start anew,
In March the warmth begins again,
My heart feels warmer too!

What do you feel inspired to write a poem about today?

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02/20/2026

What are you hoping for from the Utah Speech-Language-Hearing Association this year? After presenting at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association Convention again a few months ago I am being supported by the Iron County School District to represent them at the annual Utah Speech-Language-Hearing Association (USHA) Conference next week for the third year in a row! I plan to leave Cedar City next Thursday afternoon for Salt Lake County to go to the USHA conference Friday.

If any safe drivers want to caravan to Salt Lake with me from Southern Utah, or if anyone wants to connect with me at the conference or in Northern Utah this weekend please let me know! It looks to me like the conference line-up is great again this year.

I'm happy to share my notes from the conference with anyone interested in furthering the causes of speech, language, and hearing.
https://www.ushaonline.net/

Utah Speech-Language Hearing Association (USHA). The official organization for speech-language pathologists and audiologists in the state of Utah.

09/14/2025

I had such a fantastic time thinking about using a singalong songs with lyrics printed on YouTube as a choral reading comprehension activity. I love the energy of group sing-a-longs. 🎶

I think sing-a-longs combined with comprehension questions regarding song lyrics are a great example of the principles in this powerful new pilot study I just read by Prahl et al. (2025) in the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology (available with a paywall https://pubs.asha.org/doi/full/10.1044/2025_AJSLP-25-00029). The research confirms what so many of us see every day: functional, motivating, and age-appropriate reading activities are crucial for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD).

The study found that teaching comprehension using everyday texts (like emails and text messages) led to statistically significant gains. This is such an important counter-narrative to the idea that it's "too late" to improve literacy after a certain age or the "service cliff" where supports often disappear.

It's a powerful reminder that reading development is a lifelong process. Finding creative ways to make literacy relevant—whether through a text message or the lyrics to a favorite song—is key to empowering our students for greater independence and quality of life.

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08/19/2025

🗣️ Can We Help Older Adults Stay Tuned Into Others’ Emotions?

I just skimmed a fascinating research article from the Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research about how aging affects our ability to recognize emotions in others’ voices (what researchers call “affective prosody comprehension”). In this study, older adults were less accurate than younger adults at understanding emotions—especially quieter or subtler feelings like sadness and awe—just by listening to how something is said. The biggest dips were not in hearing, or in knowing what words mean, but in tying the sound of a voice to the feeling behind it.

For me, this raises a big question: How can we help older adults keep this important skill strong? It’s more than just a trivia fact—recognizing emotions in others is part of how we build friendships, offer support, and avoid isolation as we age. Declining in this area can really impact social connection and mental health.

Maybe it’s time we:

Get creative with social groups or intergenerational activities that focus on expressing and picking up on feelings in speech and music.

Use technology or therapy approaches that help practice emotion recognition in safe, supportive settings.

Make sure older adults have rich opportunities for meaningful conversation and social connection—because practice matters!

What do you think? Have you noticed changes in how emotions get shared or understood as people get older? What are some things that have helped you or your loved ones stay connected emotionally?

Let’s keep this conversation going—the more we know, the more ways we can support each other as we age!

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07/15/2025

The Elusive Nature of Childhood Stuttering: New Research Confirms What Many SLPs See! 🗣️💡
As an SLP working in public schools in Southern Utah, I've often found myself a bit frustrated by the "atypical" nature of stuttering in many of the children on my caseload. It's a common observation among clinicians, but finding robust, specialized research and resources on stuttering variability in young children can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. While I've pieced together valuable insights from specialists like SLP Stephen, there's a clear need for more dedicated publications.

That's why I'm happy about the latest research from the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology: "Variability of Stuttering in Young Children: Caregivers' Perceptions and Experiences" by Rasoli Jokar, Salehi, and Yaruss! This study validates so much of what we see in practice and highlights critical areas for intervention.

Key takeaways that resonate deeply with my own experience:

It's ALL About Variability: This study, drawing insights from 104 primary caregivers, overwhelmingly confirms that young children's stuttering is highly variable across amount, severity, type, situations, tasks, and time! A whopping 89% of caregivers reported variability in the amount of stuttering alone. This isn't just a nuance; it's the norm.

Emotions Are Key Influencers: Caregivers identified emotional factors as the most significant influence on stuttering variability, followed by paralinguistic, linguistic, and social factors. This underscores the holistic nature of stuttering and why we can't just focus on speech behaviors in isolation.

Impact on Everyone: The variability doesn't just affect the child's communication and emotional well-being; it significantly impacts caregivers' emotional responses and their interactions with their children. This is crucial for a comprehensive treatment approach!

The Unpredictability Challenge: Caregivers consistently reported the unpredictable and irregular variations, making it tough to pinpoint specific triggers. This "unpredictability" theme from the qualitative data perfectly captures the challenge many of us face when trying to understand and support our young clients.

This research strongly advocates for comprehensive, multifaceted clinical assessments and interventions that truly account for this inherent variability. It's not just about what we hear in a clinic, but understanding the dynamic influences across different environments and emotional states.

For those of us working with young children who stutter, this study provides validation and a clear call to action for individualized, context-aware therapy inasmuch as possible. Let's keep pushing for more research and resources to support these incredible kids and their families!

What are your experiences with stuttering variability in young children? Share your thoughts below!



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07/14/2025

New Research Shines Light on Mindfulness & Stuttering! 🧠🗣️
Exciting new research from the American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology is challenging assumptions about mindfulness in people who stutter!

For years, many of us in the community have seen the potential benefits of mindfulness in stuttering therapy – helping individuals navigate challenging moments, reduce anxiety, and foster acceptance. But this latest study by Arney, Moser, Walsh, and Yaruss dives deeper into "trait mindfulness" (our natural predisposition to be mindful) in people who stutter.

Here's what they found (and why it matters!):

No Significant Differences: Surprisingly, the study found no significant difference in trait mindfulness between people who stutter and those who don't. This challenges previous assumptions and highlights that, on a baseline level, individuals who stutter are just as "mindful" as their fluent peers.

A Key Correlation: They did find a strong negative correlation between the "nonjudging of inner experiences" facet of mindfulness and experiential avoidance. This means the less judgmental someone is about their internal thoughts and feelings, the less they tend to avoid difficult experiences – a huge insight for stuttering!

The Nuance of Treatment: This research underscores the importance of a comprehensive, individualized understanding of each person who stutters when incorporating mindfulness strategies. It's not a one-size-fits-all solution, and understanding a person's baseline trait mindfulness can inform how effective certain mindfulness-based interventions might be.

This study truly helps us refine our approach, reminding us that effective stuttering therapy is deeply personalized. It's not just about teaching "state mindfulness" practices, but understanding the unique inner landscape of each individual.

A huge shout-out to the authors for this valuable contribution to our understanding!



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06/23/2025

🌟 How Can We Help Children with Language Impairment Build Better Friendships? 🌟

I just read an insightful article published in Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools by Martin Fujiki, Bonnie Brinton, Chelsea P. McCleave, Valyne W. Anderson, and Janet P. Chamberlain. The study explored a social communication intervention designed to increase validating comments—like positive statements, sharing information, and asking questions—among children with language impairment (LI).

Why does this matter?

Children with LI often struggle not just with language, but with the social skills needed to enter conversations, resolve conflicts, and form friendships. These social challenges can be even more pronounced in children who display aggressive behaviors, making it difficult for them to connect with peers who could serve as positive role models.

What did the intervention look like?

Small-group sessions focused on teaching and practicing validating comments in real peer interactions.

Activities included group instruction, peer play, and guided review with a clinician.

The goal: help children learn to encourage, compliment, and acknowledge their peers—skills that foster connection and acceptance.

What were the results?

Most children showed an increase in validating comments, with some maintaining these gains after the intervention.

Teachers noticed improved sociable behaviors in some participants, even if peer acceptance didn’t shift immediately.

What can we learn for children with aggressive behaviors?

For a child whose aggression interferes with making friends, interventions that:

Explicitly teach and model positive, validating comments,

Provide frequent, guided practice with supportive peers,

Include feedback and encouragement from adults,

may help them break the cycle of negative peer interactions and open doors to more positive relationships.

Question for educators and clinicians:

What strategies have you found effective for helping children with challenging behaviors develop the social skills needed to build positive peer connections? How might we further adapt validating comment interventions for children who are aggressive but need good peer models?

Let’s share ideas and keep the conversation going—every child deserves the chance to be heard, valued, and included! 🤝



[Based on: Fujiki, M., Brinton, B., McCleave, C. P., Anderson, V. W., & Chamberlain, J. P. (2012). A Social Communication Intervention to Increase Validating Comments by Children With Language Impairment. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 44(1), 3-19.]

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06/18/2025

🌟 Making the Most of Ms. Rachel: A Speech-Language Pathologist’s Take 🌟

Can shows like Ms. Rachel can help toddlers learn to talk. The short answer? Yes—with support. 🎶🗣️

I just read a wonderful article from ASHA by Jeannette Reiff that confirmed something I see in my work: screen time isn't the enemy—disconnection is. Ms. Rachel uses techniques that align beautifully with what we SLPs teach every day—slowed speech, repetition, gestures, pauses, and sing-song tones. But these work best when paired with the real magic: loving, face-to-face connection with caregivers.

If your child lights up when Ms. Rachel waves or sings, that’s a great cue. You can pause, imitate, and turn that screen moment into a shared moment. As Jeannette wisely shared, co-viewing turns screen time into learning time. And slowing down the playback speed? Genius! 🐢✨

I especially loved the reminder to respect families' choices and meet them where they are. Parenting today is no joke—and I believe SLPs can be allies, not judges, in guiding screen use wisely. 🙏💕

If you’re a parent, caregiver, or educator who uses Ms. Rachel, I’d love to hear: How do you bring those strategies into your day-to-day life? Let’s learn from each other!



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06/18/2025

From SLI to DLD: Unpacking the Broader Picture of Language Development

Throwback to some foundational research! I'm reflecting on a study I contributed to for Dr. Martin Fujiki and Dr. Bonnie Brinton published in Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools. The 2002 paper, "Emotion Regulation in Children With Specific Language Impairment (SLI)," explored why children with language challenges often face social difficulties, beyond just their language skills.

The findings highlighted that children with SLI, particularly boys, showed significantly lower ratings in emotion regulation compared to their typically developing peers. This suggested that emotion regulation isn't just a byproduct, but a potential contributing factor to social outcomes in this population.

What's fascinating is how our understanding has evolved since then! In 2002, "Specific Language Impairment" (SLI) was the common term. However, the field has since moved to Developmental Language Disorder (DLD). This shift isn't just about a name change; it represents a crucial broader understanding:

"Developmental" emphasizes that language difficulties are a lifelong condition, not just a childhood phase.

"Disorder" acknowledges the significant impact on daily life, moving away from "impairment" which could imply something less severe or temporary.

The removal of "Specific" signals that language difficulties rarely exist in isolation. As this research hinted, other factors like emotion regulation (and many others!) are often intertwined, impacting overall development and social success.

This evolution from SLI to DLD underscores the importance of a holistic approach in identifying and supporting children with language challenges. This early work on emotion regulation's role feels even more relevant in this expanded framework.



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05/13/2025

https://www.asha.org/about/press-room/articles/advice-for-families-of-children-with-speech-or-language-disorders/?utm_source=asha&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=prnslhm&sfmc_id=3b3257f5-d8dc-4614-872c-4b7fbf52942c. Tips on how to support your child's speech and language development during the summer break!

05/01/2025

🧠 New Research Alert for Medical SLPs and ICU Teams 🗣️

If you work with recently extubated patients, the Yale Swallow Protocol might display suboptimal sensitivity and specificity for detecting aspiration.

This recent study by Marvin, Thibeault, and Ehlenbach explores the sensitivity and specificity of the protocol in identifying aspiration risk right after extubation—critical information for speech-language pathologists and interdisciplinary care teams.

📌 Key takeaways:

✅ Efficient, bedside-friendly protocol

✅ Strong performance in high-risk patients

✅ Supports safer decision-making post-extubation

A valuable read for anyone supporting medically complex populations or refining their dysphagia screening procedures.



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04/18/2025

🌟 Helping Kids Find Their Voice 🌟

This week, I read a little about working with children who stutter and how they often feel anxious about speaking—especially when called on in class. Simple but powerful ideas from cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) to help!

Instead of just avoiding the scary speaking moments, we gently explore the thoughts behind the anxiety—like “Everyone will laugh at me” or “I’ll mess up and sound weird.” Together, we practice replacing those thoughts with more helpful ones:
✨ “Everyone messes up sometimes, and that’s okay.”
✨ “I can take my time—I’m doing something brave.”

We pair that with small, safe speaking challenges to help build confidence step by step. The best part? By the end of the session, the child can say, “I’m proud of myself. I didn’t hide.”

Speech therapy is about so much more than sounds—it’s about courage, growth, and helping kids believe in their ability to communicate with the world.

💬 Have you ever tried challenging your anxious thoughts with something kinder and more helpful? It’s a great habit for all of us, not just kids!



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