Easterseals recognizes Better Hearing and Speech Month in May

It is a typical scene happening in many homes across the country, a family sharing a meal at the table. However, for the Shrieves family, this night is anything but typical. For the first time since 2-year-old Cheyanne was born, the family is all eating the same meal. Easterseals speech therapy services helped this magical moment come true.

"Tonight, Cheyanne ate what we ate for dinner. She ate chicken, a few green beans and some potatoes! That is the first time ever! I have tears in my eyes, I am so excited and proud of her," said Heather, Cheyanne's mom. "Thank you, Easterseals, for all your hard work and help. It means more than I could ever express."

May is Better Hearing and Speech month. Although more than 5 million children in the United States have a speech, language or hearing disorder, parents are often unsure about what to do when they suspect their child may be affected.

Cheyanne originally started speech therapy to help her learn sign language so she could communicate with her mom. Now, speech therapy is helping her broaden her vocabulary, brush her teeth, and tolerate more textured foods, like the dinner she shared with her family.

"Therapy has helped my daughter meet her milestones. But it has also helped me as a mom," Heather said. "I have been given the tools to help my daughter meet those milestones, and it has helped me realize that I am not alone in this. My husband and I have found a village at Easterseals that has helped us in so many ways. We have also learned how to be advocates for our daughter."

If there is a concern about a child's speech-language-feeding development, the Easterseals team of master's-level American Speech-Language-Hearing Association-certified speech-language pathologists can provide the answers parents seek. If there is a concern about a child's speech, Easterseals should be contacted for a full evaluation. Easterseals licensed speech-language pathologists are available to provide services to children of all ages in their locations in Delaware and Maryland's Eastern Shore.

A trusted provider of children's therapy services for more than 65 years, Easterseals Delaware & Maryland's Eastern Shore specializes in treating children ages birth through 18 years with a variety of challenges, including developmental delay, autism spectrum disorders, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, speech and language delay, feeding and swallowing difficulties, and others. Therapy services are provided for children in the home, at day care centers or through center-based play groups.

Easterseals Delaware & Maryland's Eastern Shore offers a range of services, including children's therapies, assistive technology, recreational camping, day programs for adults with physical or intellectual disabilities, and respite services for caregivers. For more information about how Easterseals helps children and adults with disabilities, call 1-800-677-3800 or go to www.de.easterseals.com.