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Preparing for Thanksgiving Part 1

LLA therapy is excited to introduce our new parent contributor Beth Lattime. Beth will be bringing her unique experience as an intervention specialist as well as a parent of a child with an IEP. This is the first installment of a 10 part series leading up to Thanksgiving. 

Real quick…This is my first blog as a parent contributor to the fabulous LLA Therapy team. I am flattered that the LLA VIPs  have welcomed me and my comical life’s perspectives regarding the land of special needs, disabilities, and the wide variety of labels that I am adorned with on my “varsity” jacket. I am a professional in the field of disabilities as well as being the proud owner of a kiddo with his own IEP. I’d offer you an IEP copy to read and a bowl of popcorn but that would defeat my goal of you liking me as a blogger.

So, let’s talk turkey. We are a few weeks away from gatherings with family and friends. Some of you are excited and some of you would like to click the ruby slippers to land in the month of January as fast as possible. Wherever you fall on the holiday anxiety spectrum, I am hopeful that the following tips will prove to be insightful for you. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!

Take the approach of the gravy boat being half full and not half empty


If you are also the proud owner of a child who appears “different” as a result of their disabilities, you have a few considerations. I have dealt with Gtube feeding my son at baptisms and have dealt with watching him fixate on flags in front yards because he likes how they feel and look when the wind blows on patriotic holidays. These are some of the things that have made my family and friends go hmmm. These things have also been frustrating for me as I have navigated between trying to sit with a glass of wine to catch up with people  and chase my son from the table that he is expected to sit at as a member.

So with Thanksgiving coming, how can a parent like me possibly consider the gravy boat as “half full”?  How can I avoid feeling the need to pour the gravy (lukewarm of course) over my son’s head and leave the gathering in a huff? The answers to these questions vary. Ultimately, effective communication and honesty with your fellow party goers are the critical elements to embrace and not avoid this time of year. Staying silent about your child’s needs will not help.

*Beth Lattime, M. Ed. is a developmental specialist and intervention specialist. Her professional experiences span over classroom, clinical, home-based, and recreational environments. She can now proudly add her own natural environments to her list of experiences. Ethan was diagnosed with Infantile Spasms in 2012 which is a rare type of epilepsy and had a former diagnosis of dysphasia. He is currently undergoing intensive therapies at LLA for apraxia and deficits in the arenas of physical and occupational therapy as well. For more on Beth’s story, visit www.lattimeinterventionservices.com

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Crystal Scheibe

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Great place, glad we found them. Been going to Medina over 2 months now and he loves Lauryn and Kyler. Wish they had more ABA therapy places available... live in Wooster and long drive everyday.

Karrie Swan LaRock

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My 11 year old son has dyslexia and has made noticeable gains in working At LLA THERAPY. Katie is strong in her approach toward him and also keeps him comfortable enough to perform well. We will continue visiting both the Fairlawn and Hudson offices and recommend them highly.

Ron Monroe

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My 9 year old just completed about 9 months of weekly speech sessions (due to his stuttering) with Matt Hagge at LLA and we are thrilled with the experience and results. What I thought might be a negative (what kid really wants to go to speech class?) was made very positive by Matt, and my son never hesitated or complained when we talked about class. He really enjoyed it and really took what Matt taught him to heart. His speech has been greatly improved and we definitely recommend LLA. Thank you so much!

Heather Dougherty-Pantoja

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My son’s Occupational Therapist, Jess, is an amazing OT! She gives practical tips on working with my son at home and school!

Terri Apgar

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I cannot say enough good things about LLA Therapy. My daughter was a client of Teal Simmons’ for approximately 2 years and was just released from speech therapy! She was diagnosed with Apraxia in 2015 and worked with Teal twice a week. Through Teal’s application of PROMPT therapy, my daughter had age-appropriate speech after one year. All of the staff we interacted with at LLA were absolutely wonderful. They really care about what they do and making sure your child achieves their goals.

Kelli Geisler Davisson

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LLA Therapy has been an excellent experience for my son as well as my family! My son always asks, "When can I go see Ms. Jeannine again, is it Monday??" He has also made huge gains in only 5 months! I would highly recommend LLA and have already shared my experience with friends looking for services!

Victoria Hansford-Price

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We are so grateful for our Speech Therapist Ms.Teal. We have seen a great improvement with our sons confidence and communication abilities since we have started "Prompt" therapy. What we love the most about LLA and Ms. Teal is that Kohl feels comfortable and relaxed which has played a critical role in his progress. Thank you Ms. Teal for all you have done.

Laura Lee Hogsett

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They have helped in numerous ways. Speech, OT and behavioral. I've had numerous compliments on my son's progress thanks in very large part to LLA. I would recommend LLA before I recommend our local children's hospitals, though they are good, they don't have the staff that LLA does.

Amy Furukawa

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We had a great experience with Matt Hagge at LLA! Our Middle School age son was becoming very conscious of his voice, which is nasal due to a cleft palate. Matt helped him to better form his sounds and project his voice in a way that makes the unavoidable nasality less noticeable.Our son is more confident and outgoing & even took on a speaking role in the church play. Matt has the perfect personality to relate with our son, and we would recommend him to anyone needing speech therapy services!

Jessica Havalotti

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LLA Therapy has been an excellent experience for our daughter. I would highly recommend LLA. Miss Grace was so amazing and I can't believe how quickly our daughter showed improvement. Thank you!
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