OutLoud Speech and Language Services
336A King St. West N7M1G1 Chatham, ON, Canada

Let’s try this again... as per today’s guidelines our service model remains the same. We will continue to offer services both virtually and in person

Today is our 7 year anniversary!! What a wild ride this year has been. We met many, many new clients, shut down for 2 weeks, created a telepractice, re-opened... then decided to open a second location in Windsor...cause why not? We learned so much about ourselves and our clients this year. We learned that online learning works well for some... and not at all for others. And that some of us need face to face contact in the same way that we need water. And that we all surviv...e in our own way. We would like to extend a very sincere thank you to our clients for riding this wave with us. You have been nothing short of inspiring this year and we are grateful for what we have learned from you about resilience and growth. We also thank our colleagues and friends. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. We are at our best when we work together!! Happy New Year!! We look forward to continuing our journey with you!!

Happy Holidays to all of our wonderful families!! We will be closed from December 21st until January 3rd. We will re-open for in-person and virtual sessions on January 4th, 2021. It has been a crazy year and we truly appreciate your continued support!!

So many ways to communicate....

I’ve blacked a lot of it out. But I do remember that recess was a nightmare for me. My mom told me later that she would sometimes hide in the bushes, and when ...she saw me sitting by myself, she’d start crying. The diagnosis was ‘selective mutism.’ I’d get so anxious around people that I physically couldn’t speak. I’d get a rock in my throat, and it would feel like that moment right before you faintwhen everything sounds so far away. It could be lonely at school. I was the only student with a full-time aide. I was the only one who held up a sign when the teacher called attendance. It doesn’t feel good to be different. But my parents did everything they could to minimize that feeling. Every night before I went to sleep, my mother would say: ‘You’re a terrific kid, and I love being your Mommy.’ When my school had a Halloween parade, she knew I’d be too anxious to do it alone. So she dressed up as Minnie Mouse and marched right alongside me. She was always very attentive to my emotions. But she was also a lawyer so she made sure that my rights were being respected. She knew that the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act promised a ‘free appropriate public education.’ And that’s exactly what she wanted for me. She once shut down my entire elementary school for an in-service day, and the entire faculty was taught to ask me ‘yes or no’ questions so that I could nod in reply. She wanted me in a mainstream classroom, having mainstream experiences. So that I would never be left behind. And by the time I hit 5th grade, I was able to speak. It didn’t happen all at once. But I grew more and more confident. I got better at making friends. I joined the debate team in high school. Recently I graduated from Cornell and completed my senior thesis on disability rightswhich I defended verbally. All of this was possible because of my mother. She was beside me the entire time. I took the LSAT in January, and even though the test was five hours long, my mom waited in the lobby. She gave me the biggest hug when I walked out. When I asked her why she didn’t leave, she said: ‘I don’t know. I just wanted to be here. In case you needed anything at all.’ See more

We are excited to announce that starting next week we will be offering Friday appointments at our new location in Tecumseh/Windsor!! We are located at Sound Hearing Care - 13310 Lanoue St. (right behind the McDonald's). We will continue to see clients at our Chatham location from Monday-Thursday and on Saturdays. Looking forward to this new adventure... tell your friends!

Attention CK families! The LDACK team is very happy to announce that we're launching a FREE Online Tutoring program for elementary aged children in our community. Contact us today for more information and to book your time slot!

I am very happy to say that we are slowly starting to see clients in person! Most sessions will continue to be telepractice but we will offer in-office sessions with those who do not have access to telepractice or who have difficulty with this model. Covid 19 precautions will be in place and will be reviewed with clients before they come in. A great big thank you to our wonderful clients who have been and continue to be so patient with all of the changes. Please know that we miss our in person sessions just as much as you do!! Please do not hesitate to contact our offices with any questions or to find out which model may work for you!

Such a good article. Worth the read.

Due to the impacts of COVID-19, the March 31, 2020 deadline to submit your Ontario Autism Program registration form and supporting documents to be eligible for Interim one time funding is extended. A new deadline will be established a at a future date.

Remember the good old days when we could share a cozy clinic room with our clients? Me too. I miss those days and I miss my clients!! As such, I have decided to give telepractice a try. Starting next week, I will be available for online consultations, assessments and therapy. I can't promise it will be pretty, but I will give it everything I have. Super bonus - you can all stay in your pajamas!! There's no reason to wait out the virus - you can get the ball rolling (or keep the ball rolling) from the comfort of your couch. Or kitchen table. Or playroom floor. Maybe not the bathroom. Message, text or call if you're interested and we'll set something up!

Excellent article!!

Such a great session!!! Thanks for sharing, Amanda, and thanks for allowing us to share as well! These moments are so meaningful for us too!!

Autism Ontario Windsor-Essex Chapter is proud to be collaborating with Thames Valley Children's Centre to host a live stream event with renowned American profes...sor and Autism advocate Temple Grandin. On Tuesday, March 31st, 2020, she will be presenting in the morning via FaceTime at the Caboto Club and afterwards will be hosting a question and answer session. In the afternoon, several of our community partners, including Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board and the Gecdsb Greater Essex Co. District School Board will be facilitating informative breakout sessions including but not limited to: - Introduction to Pivotol Response Training - Important Skills to Target in Young Children - What is a Functional Behaviour Analysis? - Living Life to the Fullest - Adult Anxiety Program - What is the PPM 140 and Understanding Your Rights - What is the Ontario Autism Program - Supports in the GECDSB Tickets will be available to members of Autism Ontario first and then will open to the public afterwards - everyone is welcome! Tickets to this event will also include a continental breakfast and lunch, all for only $10.00. Please hold the date (Tuesday, March 31, 2020) for this event. Information and registration will become available for members of Autism Ontario Windsor-Essex in the near future. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this event, please contact Livia Congi at [email protected] or call our office at 519-250-1893.

Best. Profession. Ever!!!!

Symptoms of ADHD evolve throughout adolescence and adulthood

We are excited to announce that audiologist Sandra DeKok has joined our work family. Sandra will be working out of our Essex clinic location. To book an appointment with Sandra, call (519) 961-9285.

It is a terrifying thing to try to match your written words to your inner thoughts. And then share them with people who are not in your brain.