Hello and welcome to the KidSpeak Therapy Blog — otherwise known as the corner of the internet where speech, myofunctional magic, and mild sarcasm meet for tea.

I’m Amy Clayman: speech-language pathologist, literacy enthusiast, myofunctional therapy nerd, and the person who has spent more hours analyzing tongues, lips, and airways than most people spend on TikTok. Since 2000, I’ve worked with kids, teens, and adults on everything from the classic “R” struggle to “Why is my child chewing like a baby goat?” to “Is mouth breathing… bad?” (Spoiler: yes. Yes, it is.)

For years, parents have asked me the same questions in person, over email, in parking lots, during soccer games, and once in line at Trader Joe’s. Eventually I realized:
If I write all this down, maybe people can get answers before the parking lot encounter happens.
Also, written words don’t follow me around the grocery store, so there’s that.

This blog exists because the world of speech, literacy, and myofunctional therapy is equal parts amazing, misunderstood, and unintentionally hilarious. Kids say things that would win comedy awards. Parents deserve clear, friendly explanations about what’s going on with their child’s speech or oral function — without needing a medical dictionary or a decoder ring. And let’s be honest: the internet is full of questionable advice (“Just have them chew gum aggressively!”), so someone’s gotta offer the real deal.

Here you’ll find helpful tips, myth-busting, humor, and real-talk guidance for families in Bethesda/DMV, Florida, California, and beyond.

Thanks for being here! Dive in, learn something new, laugh a little — and if you find yourself nodding along thinking, “This explains SO much,” then mission accomplished.