Southland Snapshot: Back to School Preparations and New SLP!
Southland Snapshot: Back to School Preparations and New SLP!
With back to school on your mind..
As the summer quickly comes to a close and your back to school preparations begin, the staff and therapists at Southland ask that you keep your therapy sessions in mind. The time you chose for your summer therapy may not work with your new school schedule. Most therapists’ schedules are extremely full and the coveted spots that require little to no school to be missed will fill up quickly. If you need to make any changes to your child’s therapy time, please talk to your therapist as soon as possible to ensure there will be no issue once school begins. We also ask that you keep upcoming orientation and parent conference dates in mind. Below you will find the link to the Savannah-Chatham County Open House dates and times. The list is also hanging on our bulletin board in the Savannah office. Please plan ahead and keep your therapist informed of any possible missed appointments. Thank you!
WELCOME NEW SOUTHLAND SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST!
Talia (wife and mother) grew up in New York and graduated with her Master’s Degree in Communication Disorders from Western Kentucky University in December 2010. She has worked in many settings, which include public school, rehabilitation hospital working with adults, early intervention working with children and tele-practice. She has experience working with children in the fields of articulation, language, and feeding therapy. In her free time she loves hanging out with family and friends.
SOUTHLAND’S BACK TO SCHOOL TIPS:
Preparing to go back to school can be an exciting time. The new school year may also make a child who doesn’t adjust well to change feel nervous and overwhelmed. Read on for more tips on how to prepare your student for a new a schedule and school year.
Attend all orientation and open house events:
Meeting the teachers and seeing the layout of the school and classrooms may help ease some anxiety about what to expect. Be sure to ask lots of questions so you and your child leave feeling more empowered and secure. If they allow the student to attend, bring them along! Seeing their new surroundings before the “big day” may help lessen some fears.
Take photos!
Taking photos of their teacher, classroom, lunchroom, cubby or locker, etc… during the orientation could be a useful tool to prepare your child for their new routine. When talking about their new schedule, and the wonderful new people they will work with, it’s very helpful to have a visual reminder to make this new adventure less scary. Look at the photos each day as school approaches and help them talk about all the new things they are excited for.
Review child’s IEP and accommodations:
If edits need to be made to your child’s IEP, now is the time to set a plan in motion. Some schools evaluate the students during the summer, so definitely bring this up during the open house. If a new evaluation is needed, make plans now so they don’t influence the start of the school year. As always, if paperwork from Southland is needed to supplement any documents or advocate for accommodations, please ask us for a copy!
Start the new schedule early:
Summer allows for sleeping in and having a more relaxed schedule. Once school starts, catching the bus and being busy all day may take it’s toll on your little ones. Starting this new routine a few weeks before the first day of school may make your mornings a little less chaotic.
Remember that school can be fun!
We know that any change in routine can add stress; we hope that you and your family keep in mind that learning can be fun also. Remember the value of reading and the important place is holds with acquiring and practicing language skills. Talk with your children about what they are learning and the new people and skills they experience each day. We hear that school is “boring” and they learned “nothing” but we know there must have been something that stood out to them- even if it was being kind to the kid sitting alone at lunch.
BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS FOR TWO SOUTHLAND JUNE BABIES:
South Carolina Occupational Therapist Melinda welcomed new baby Indrielle “Indy” Jolyn Morris. She was born on 6/18/18 at 6:07am at a whopping 9 lbs.
South Carolina Occupational Therapists Bridget welcomed new baby Lyla Rabia Fijlane. She was born 6/22/18 at 6:22 am weighing 11.1lbs 21 inches long.
KUDOS TO SLP PAT FOR A GREAT SUMMER!
SLP Pat Roberts has been on fire this summer! During the months of June and July she completed
16 SPEECH EVALUATIONS and covered for multiple therapists while they were on vacation. Way to go Pat! You took the record for evaluations this summer! Pat works as an SLP in the Savannah – Chatham County public school system during the school year as well as with us here at Southland Pediatric Therapy. We were lucky to see more of her this summer when she had free time to see more amazing Southland kiddos!
Good-luck with back to school preparations Pat!
Southland Snapshot: June Raffle Winner & New Southland Team Members!
Southland Snapshot – June 2018
click here to see PDF version of newsletter
JOIN US IN WELCOMING NEW SOUTHLAND TEAM MEMBERS
MELLISSA PARKS- AUTHORIZATION SPECIALIST:
Mellissa has a Bachelors of Science degree in Healthcare Management. She loves to travel and spend time with her family. She is married and has two daughters and a dog. Her hobbies include shopping with her daughters and swimming. Some of her favorite places to visit are Hawaii and Korea. Mellissa is our new Insurance Authorization Specialist and comes to us with lots of wonderful experience.
AMANDA GIBSON – OFFICE ASSISTANT:
Amanda is a Speech Therapy undergraduate student at the Armstrong campus of Georgia Southern who is joining us as our new Office Assistant. She will be graduating in May 2019 with her bachelor’s in Communication Sciences and Disorders and a minor in Applied Behavior Analysis. Outside of school, Amanda is an aspiring performer, and loves working with children in any and all fields – her favorite work so far has been visiting children’s hospitals dressed as their favorite characters and putting a BIG smile on their faces.
SOUTHLAND THERAPISTS & STAFF ‘SAY CHEESE!’
Front row (L to R) – SLP Ali, Outreach Coordinator Laura, (standing) OT Megan, SLP Pat, Authorization Specialist Mellissa, (sitting) OT Nicole, SLP Cindy, & SLP (to be!) Andrea Back row standing (L to R) – Owner Dee Dee, PT Katie, Referral Coordinator Regina, SLP Marjory and Office Assistant Amanda.
Not pictured: PT Anne Marie & SLP Talia
GRAD-STUDENT MARISSA JOINS SOUTHLAND FOR SUMMER STUDIES
“I am a second year graduate student in the Communication Sciences and Disorders program at Georgia Southern University – Armstrong. I moved to Savannah from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania last August to continue my studies. I will be at Southland until the end of July working with Cindy, Marjory, and Pat for some hands on experience and education in the field. I would love to work in pediatrics some day! Outside of school, I enjoy exercising, exploring new places, cooking, and spending time with friends and family” – Marissa Dardozzi
Pictured from Left to Right: SLP Pat, SLP Marjory, Graduate Student Marissa & SLP Cindy
FUN IN THE SUN RAFFLE WINNER!
Join us in congratulating the Jackson Family for being our raffle winners! Enjoy your summer goodies and the Target gift card! Thank you to everyone who entered for a chance to win!
SLP ALI SAYS HEARTFELT FAREWELL
Saying goodbye to patients after completing their therapy goals can be such a bittersweet moment. Ali had been working with Adalee for a while and had a wonderful relationship with her family, We will miss seeing her sweet smile every week but are happy to share in her success!
SOUTHLAND SUMMER SAFETY TIPS
- Don’t forget your sunscreen! As little as 5-10 minutes in the sun can burn the skin. Reapply sunscreen often, especially after going in the water! Don’t forget to hydrate!
- When using the garden hose or a sprinkler to cool off on these hot summer days, make sure to let the water run first for a few minutes. The water that sits inside the hose can get dangerously hot baking in the sun and has led to extreme burns and serious injury.
- Summer means trips to the beach and pool to cool off- be sure to check the safety fitting of your child’s flotation devices and make sure they are wearing it properly the entire time in the water since straps may loosen as they wiggle around and swim. Never leave a child unsupervised near any water, even as shallow as a kiddie pool.
HAVE FUN – STAY SAFE – BE ALERT- DRINK WATER – WEAR YOUR HELMET
Southland Snapshot: May SLP Month & RAFFLE KICKOFF
May 2018 Southland Snapshot
Click here to read the full PDF
Peaceful Pals Thanks to SensaCalm
Earlier last month, SensaCalm sent Southland Pediatric Therapy Services TWO amazing Peaceful Pals to share with our patients. Pictured left are the weighted plush stuffed animals that each weigh approximately 5 pounds.
Occupational Therapist Megan had wonderful things to say about these great therapy tools and their uses: “Weighted equipment such as a stuffed animal, lap pad, or weighted vest provides proprioceptive input which can be calming and soothing to a child. Proprioceptive input, or heavy work input, gives a child’s body information about position and body awareness. It is the same concept as an adult who likes to run to relieve stress or taps their
foot on the ground while working. This type of heavy work input has many benefits for kids including increased attention to task, improved self-regulation and calm, and decreased fidgeting. Research supports the idea that weighted equipment can assist children during structured tasks and reduce interfering behaviors such as inattention or increased
movement during seated tasks. While not all children respond positively to weighted equipment, I have seen it assist fidgety, inattentive kids during structured tasks with increased focus and decreased stress.”
The monkey will stay in the office as a tool to be used by our patients during therapy treatments and evaluations. The adorable grey dog will be raffled off to a very deserving Southland patient very soon, please stay tuned for more information. As you can see, these pals have already been welcomed with warm hugs in the office and have proven how valuable they can be to calm and comfort the patients and staff.
Happy Better Speech & Hearing Month!
We want to wish our Southland Speech-Language Pathologists a happy Speech and Hearing month. Thank you for all your hard work. Georgia SLPs: Cindy, Marjory, Pat, Ali & Andrea. South Carolina SLPs: Dana, Angela, Tanya, Randy, Amy, Samantha, Sarah, Kayley, Jessica, Jennifer, Abby & Eileen- We are lucky to have you on our team!
Month of the Military Child Recipients
Southland Therapy celebrated our military kids, with thanks to the Military Child Education Coalition, during the month of April. The military kids we serve are some of the toughest kiddos around and we were happy to award them with a certificate to honor their hard-work and sacrifice. Thank you for your service to our country and for letting us be a part of your journey. Southland loves our Military Kids!
MAY 2018 FUN IN THE SUN RAFFLE
Our “FUN IN THE SUN” Summer Kick-Off Raffle has begun! The gift basket includes lots of fun
summer goodies like sidewalk chalk, bubbles, sand toys and a $50 Target gift card!
Want to know how to win? Like or Follow us on our social media pages, write a review and then place your name in the box located in the office. A winner will be selected on May 31st!
SOUTHLAND NAMED A FINALIST IN BEST OF THE BEST OF COASTAL EMPIRE
On Thursday, April 26th, Owners Dee Dee and John along with Outreach Coordinator Laura and her husband Jacob, attended the the “Best of the Best” finalist event. Surrounded by lots of amazing entertainment and delicious food, the night was a great success. Southland Pediatric Therapy could not have been a finalist without your support- THANK YOU!
Southland Snapshot: April Awareness & OT Month!
April is Autism Awareness Month & the Month of the Military Child
Click here to read the full PDF newsletter
Our office is decorated this month with many colorful puzzle pieces in honor of Autism Awareness Month. Southland is also proud to serve our brave military families. Alongside the puzzle pieces adorning our office, you will see stars hanging in honor of military kids month. We hope you will join us in celebrating these wonderful kids and their hard work & resiliency.
SLP Ali attended April 2018 NANT Conference in Charlotte, NC
“This is my third year attending The National Association of Neonatal Therapists Conference (NANT). I had an incredible opportunity to spend two days continuing to learn from experts within this niche in the field and expand my knowledge of evidence based practices and resources. Some of the presentations I attended focused on areas that included, bridging the gap in therapy post discharge and feeding fragile infants.” – Ali Rice, SLP
Website link: www.nantconference.com/2018/
Ali RIce is a Speech-Language Pathologist in the Georgia clinic.
SUPERHERO SCRAMBLE AT GSU A ‘SUPER’ SUCCESS
For the second year in a row, Southland Pediatric Therapy Services sponsored the Doctor of Physical Therapy Club’s Superhero Scramble fun run. Donning superhero apparel and bundling up for a chilly
Savannah morning, Owner Dee Dee, Outreach Coordinator Laura (with daughter Abigail), and PT Katie were all smiles on March 31, 2018 as the event began. Physical Therapist Katie ran the 10k race while Dee Dee and Laura manned the table and handed out Southland cups, brochures and goodies. “We love supporting the students at GSU,” Laura stated, “the PT and SLP students are the future of the therapy field and I think it’s awesome for them to see our organization out at these events and showing up.” A few days later Southland attended the GSU career fair which was a great success!
Easter at Southland
In the week leading up to Easter, our patients worked hard to make adorable bunny themed crafts. After a week of being creative with our therapists, they were ready to hippity-hop into the Easter weekend.
MAY 2018 FUN IN THE SUN RAFFLE
Keep an eye on our Facebook page for details on how to win our “FUN IN THE SUN” Summer Kick-Off Raffle! The gift basket will include lots of fun summer goodies like sidewalk
chalk, bubbles, sand toys and more! (with a few surprises!) Stay tuned for more information!
Happy Occupational Therapy Month
We want to wish our Southland Occupational Therapists a happy OT month. Thank you for all your hard work. Georgia OTs: Megan & Nicole and South Carolina OTs: Bernadette, Camille, Charly, Bridget & Melinda- We are lucky to have you on our team!
Southland Snapshot: Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
Another LUCKY AmTryke Recipient!
On February 27th, 2018, Kendrick become another lucky Southland patient to receive a new set of wheels. His family will be moving soon, so sadly we had to say goodbye. We were very happy that his tricycle arrived just in time so he can take it with him on his next adventures. We would like to thank the AMBUCS of Savannah President, Kevin Sheehan and AmTryke sponsor, Cecilia Russo Turner (Cecilia Russo Turner Marketing, LLC) for making this a reality for Kendrick. It was very special to have the entire team here at Southland Therapy Services to celebrate alongside Kendrick and his family. During the month of February Katie helped two other children receive their AmTryke tricycles- way to go Katie!
“Kendrick received an AmTryke to allow a safe way for him to interact with his family and peers and will provide a means for exercise and to enjoy being outdoors. Riding a foot propelled bike will also provide a way for him to work on strengthening his legs and his core muscles for improved gross motor function. This bike will also help him to work on gross motor coordination, left and right discrimination and motor planning.” - PT Katie Osborne
Congratulations Kendrick- safe travels to you and your family!
Best Practices ’18 Conference Inspires Southland SLP
Georgia Speech-Language Pathologist Cindy Green attended the Georgia Organization of School Based Speech Language Pathologists' (GO-SSLP) Best Practices 2018 conference during the first week of March. The two-day long conference in Atlanta, GA covered a number of interesting topics ranging from autism and anxiety to literacy strategies and how to assist in identifying behaviors. Cindy was able to attend the conference alongside other SLP friends and colleagues and had a wonderful time. In the coming newsletters we will begin to recap the amazing information she gathered while listening to the diverse speakers and presentations. Keep a look out on our Facebook page, Southland Therapy blog and our Instagram account for tips and tricks from Miss Cindy! Stay tuned!
NEW THERAPISTS!
Anne Marie Conroy- Georgia Physical Therapist:
Anne Marie has worked in the field of pediatric physical therapy for over 35 years after receiving her degree from the University of Buffalo. She has worked in many diverse settings which include: hospital, NICU’s, neonatal follow up clinics, center and Home based early intervention with medically fragile children, special needs and public school settings, and outpatient pediatric clinics. She has worked in many states including New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, South Carolina and now Georgia! Anne Marie loves working with children and their families. She has specialized training in adaptive equipment, torticollis, pediatric treadmill training, aquatic therapy and intensive therapy with the Therasuit and Universal Exercise unit. Anne Marie and her husband, Joe, relocated to Beaufort, South Carolina from coastal New Jersey in 2016. She has 3 children, Matthew, Meghan and Daniel, and a 2 year old grandson, Carter. She loves her new life in the Lowcountry and is looking forward to providing services to South Carolina and Georgia families!
Ali Rice- Georgia Speech- Language Pathologist:
Ali graduated with her Master’s from Long Island University C.W. Post. She enjoys building a strong rapport with patients. Ali has a hands-on experience in various settings including clinic, hospital, home, and school environments, treating toddlers through adults. Her experience includes evaluating and treating patients with a range of diagnoses, including language delays/disorders, articulation disorders, autism, down syndrome, apraxia, fluency disorders, and dysphagia as well as cognitive and neurological disorders. Ali has a growing interest in providing intervention for infants, recently graduating from Neonatal Intensive Care (NICU), helping to decrease the gap in services post discharge. Her continuing education includes Neonatal therapy which has led to her interest in the specialized area of feeding therapy. Ali was raised in Princeton, NJ. Being a military spouse, she has lived and worked in several areas of the country. In Ali’s spare time, she enjoys being a foodie and exploring great restaurants, bakeries, & coffee shops.
Tumble Tykes St. Patricks Playdate
In the week leading up to the March 10th playdate, Southland Therapy patients worked hard to make a piece of the rainbow. Busy cutting, gluing, taping and coloring, the patients’ paper pieces, when put altogether, turned into a wonderful paper chain rainbow that now resides in our OT/ PT room for all to enjoy. The Tumble Tykes kids had so much fun walking over the leprechaun gold on the balance beam and swinging in our cloud swing!
Keep an eye out for our next Spring themed playdate!
WWW.TUMBLETYKESSAV.COM
Best of the Best of the Coastal Empire - Savannah Morning News!
Southland Therapy Services was nominated as one of BEST of the BEST in the Coastal Empire for Physical Therapy practices. Thank you for voting and keeping us in the running all month long! We have the best therapists and patients around - no matter the results of the vote! We are honored to have been nominated.
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Review us on Google: Please consider writing a Google review. Search ‘Southland Therapy Services’ & find the “review” button on the far right
Hiring Pediatric Occupational Therapist- Charleston, SC!
Southland it currently looking for a new Occupational Therapist to add to our team in the Charleston, South Carolina area. Looking to improve the lives of children in your area? Call us today – we are eager to meet you!
Position: Occupational Therapist (Pediatric)
SKILL: BOARD CERTIFIED
We currently have an immediate need for a licensed Occupational Therapist to provide quality pediatric therapeutic services in Charleston, SC. Southland offers therapy in the convenience of our patients’ homes or the most natural environment for them in order to ensure maximum comfort and support throughout their care. We offer the opportunity for therapists who want more flexibility in their career and their schedule. Our therapists treat as few or as many clients as they choose and in the locations that are convenient for them.
In addition to flexible schedules, other benefits may include:
- License and liability insurance reimbursement
- Mobile technology and electronic
- Software solutions to minimize paperwork
- Remote office staff support with paperwork and referrals
- Competitive compensation
You can apply by sending your resume to: [email protected]
Southland Snapshot: February Newsletter- Happy Valentine’s Day!
Read our newsletter here!
Happy Valentine’s Day!
February is American Heart Month, Black History Month, National Children’s Dental Month and many more!
(…and National Grapefruit Month- who knew!?)
We hope you have a great month!
February: a month full of AmTryke love!
February: a month full of AmTryke love!
Our therapists work very hard to be sure all patients receive the services they deserve. One of those services include helping families apply for an AmTryke adaptive tricycle. This month, TWO of our wonderful patients received their tykes and we couldn’t be happier for them and their families. Don’t take our word for it, their smiling faces say it all!
Zack sees Physical Therapist Katie for general strengthening, balance and gross motor coordination. He loves to swing, throw or roll balls and slide during therapy. Everyone agrees that his smile is contagious! “He got a tryke that allows him to use his arms and legs to help him propel the bike which is good for learning reciprocal movements and left/right discrimination and coordination,” said PT Katie.
Brianna also sees Physical Therapist Katie for balance and gross motor coordination. “She received an arm and foot bike to assist with right left discrimination, coordination and general strengthening” said PT Katie. She is an adorable 2.5 year old who loves coming to Southland to work with Katie!
Congratulations little speedsters- we are so excited for you and your new set of wheels! Ride safely!
We are happy to introduce our newest Southland baby…
South Carolina Speech-Language Pathologist Kayley John welcomed her son Sullivan Christopher on January 23, 2018. He weighed 8 lbs 3 oz and was 21 inches long! We are so happy for Kayley and her family and wish them many congratulations on the birth of their beautiful son!
Congratulations from everyone at Southland!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
MARCH 2:
Matthew Reardon 2018 Autism Conference
Southland is the Sensory Room Sponsor for the event.
MARCH 3:
Junior League Fit Kids Event
Look for our logo on the back of the event t-shirt!
MARCH 10:
Tumble Tykes of Savannah
St. Patrick’s Day Play-date. Sign up today!
MARCH 16:
Office will be open the Friday before St. Patrick’s Day!
Gracie named one of South Magazine’s Greatest Kids!
South Magazine asked for submissions for the greatest kids in the south and received more than expected. “For the first-ever greatest kids contest, south asked Savannahians to submit photos of their kids, and they did—by the hundreds. Then, still leaving it in the hands of the locals, we let readers choose the winners. The results speak for themselves. It’s official; the South undoubtedly has the cutest kids around.” (excerpt from southmag.com)
We are excited to share that one of Southland’s very own was chosen! Gracie has been a patient at Southland for almost a year and sees SLP Marjory for Childhood Apraxia. “Since she has been coming (to Southland) her vocabulary has grown exponentially and she is much more willing to try new words and phrases. She loves working with Miss Marjory and talking to Miss Regina and Miss Zandia,” her mother Carrie stated.
Along with her adorable photo, this great biography was written by her dad to highlight her sweet spirit. Her profile was published in the January/ February issue of South Magazine.
“Reagan Grace “Gracie” Wahesh is an active, helpful, and independent 2 1/2-year-old who was born four weeks early and has been on the go ever since. She’s shy at first, but after a few minutes, her natural desire to lead comes out. She might not seem as energetic as her little brother, but she loves to climb, slide, swing, and play fetch with her giant golden retriever. She laughs the hardest when she successfully steals her mom’s nose. When it is time to relax, she loves to swing in one of the hammocks by the marsh at Palmetto Bluff.”
Congratulations Gracie and family!
We are so proud to have one of the South’s greatest kids in our midst!
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Southland Snapshot: Happy New Year 2018!
Click here to read in PDF format!
We hope you had a fabulous holiday season and that your 2018 is off to a wonderful start! Southland is happy to kickoff the new year with lots of exciting new changes and of course, with the wonderful Southland team by our side!
New Year, Stay Healthy Tips!
As we ring in the new year, many of us make resolutions for a healthier lifestyle. As lots of adults get active and make choices to get fit or eat better, now is also the time to make family resolutions and good choices with your kids for 2018.
- BE ACTIVE: Get outside, go for a walk or throw a dance party in the living room! Finding ways to be active as a family may be challenging but luckily kids love to be silly! Tap into your inner child and release those winter stresses by getting active with your kids.
- STAY HEALTHY: Those pesky germs are everywhere and the flu is lurking. Remind your family to wash their hands, keep hand sanitizer near, and teach your kids the “elbow sneeze” technique. No one likes to be sick, but stock up on those tissues just in case!
- EAT WELL: Choosing healthier food options is always a great idea. Have a conversation with your kids about foods that fuel our bodies! Cookies are yummy, but carrots can be too! See if your whole family can choose to replace a few snacks with a healthier choice. Your kids may have some creative ideas to help you all eat better in the new year.
- DRINK WATER: It seems really simple, but with all the other drink choices these days, can be easily forgotten. Drinking water “keeps our bodies at the appropriate temperature, conveys nutrients throughout the body in our blood stream, it is used to get rid of waste, and assists our bodies in several other important ways.” (liceclinicsmedway.com) Swap out one juice-box or cup of coffee a day for a glass of water and see how you feel!
We hope you all stay very healthy in 2018!
We are excited to introduce our newest Southland baby…
On Friday, Dec. 22nd, 2017 Southland’s Authorization Specialist Zandia had her sweet baby girl, Rylin Ezabella. She weighed in at 7 lbs 4 oz. and is absolutely perfect! Her big brother RJ is so sweet with her and both mom and baby are doing well. We are so thrilled that Zandia and her family had an amazing holiday blessing and wish them many congratulations on the birth of their beautiful daughter.
Congratulations! Everyone at Southland misses you and hopes you are enjoying every sweet newborn snuggle. See you soon!
Tumble Tykes of Savannah @ Southland Therapy
During the months leading up to the holidays, Tumble Tykes of Savannah, an affiliate business at Southland Therapy Services, offered playdates for kids crawling - 5 years old. The class teaches beginner tumbling skills and incorporates theme related songs, dances and games! The playdates were a huge success and lots of fun!
The Valentine/s Day playdate registration will open soon- stay tuned!
Southland is hiring!
Sadly we had to say goodbye to a few wonderful therapists in 2017 who retired or moved away. We wish them luck and happiness in their next endeavors and hope you will join us in wishing them well.
Starting immediately, we are looking to hire new therapists in both SC and GA. Do you know a wonderful SLP, OT or PT? Please recommend us and mention this wonderful opportunity to them. We will be happy to answer any questions!
Visit our Facebook page or our website to see the job description in detail. You may also email us at: [email protected]
December Newsletter- Happy Holidays!
Have a blessed holiday season!
Our office will be open Monday - Friday the week of December 18- 22. We will be closed on Monday (12/25) and Tuesday (12/26). The office will only be closed on Monday January 1 in observance of the New Year. Please check with your therapist, their schedule may be different from the office hours.
Congratulations to Mallory- 2017 Armstrong Graduate!
Graduating from Armstrong State University with a B.S. in Communication Sciences and Disorders, our very own Mallory has her eyes set on large goals for 2018. She plans to apply to many Georgia based Speech-Language Pathology Graduate schools in hopes to one day have the CCC-SLP credentials at the end of her name. We have no doubt that her drive, passion and love for children will take her far. During her time in high school, she volunteered in a special needs classroom where her passion was initially sparked. Her experience led to a paid position working alongside a 14-year-old student diagnosed with Autism where she gained experience in ABA therapy. She was inspired to continue to find ways to reach students using creativity and alternative communication means. We wish Mallory luck as she applies to graduate school. We can’t wait to celebrate all of her successes!
Tumble Tykes of Savannah at Southland Pediatric Therapy Services
During the months leading up to the holidays, Tumble Tykes of Savannah, an affiliate business of Southland Therapy Services, offered playdates for kids crawling - 5 years old. The class taught beginner tumbling skills and incorporated theme related songs, dances and games! The Halloween, Thanksgiving and Winter Wonderland playdates were a huge success! Stay tuned for more information! The new year will bring new changes and classes to our Tumble Tykes program! www.tumbletykesSAV.com
Enmarket Savannah Bridge Run/ Kids’ Run 2017
On December 2, 2017 Physical Therapist Katie Osborne, Owner Dee Dee Mesaros, Outreach Coordinator Laura Leech, along with her husband Jacob and daughter Abigail, attended the Enmarket Bridge Run in Savannah, Georgia.
The race coordinators did a fabulous job in organizing a wonderfully successful event complete with 5k, 10k, and Double Pump races, a Kids’ Run and a Health and Wellness expo the evening before race day. With trolleys coordinated to take racers to the start of their race and family friendly events all throughout the day, they truly did think of everything.
Before the 5k run began, the Kids’ Run took place at the Enmarket Bridge Run finish line. Over 30 children took off to run the 1/4 mile loop and finish across the white and black finish line. All of the children who participated were awarded the Southland Therapy Kids’ Run finishers medal for all their hard work.
As the Bridge Run Kids’ Run 2017 Sponsor, Southland Therapy Services was proud to have members of the Southland team in attendance to show support and participate in the great event. We look forward to taking part in future Savannah Sports Council events.
Thank you to all who attended, adorned their blue Southland race shirts, and helped make our race day extra special!
Southland Snapshot: Thanksgiving Edition!
Click here to read the November Newsletter!
HAVE A TURKEY-RIFFIC THANKSGIVING!
WE WILL BE CLOSED ON NOVEMBER 23rd & 24th IN OBSERVANCE OF THANKSGIVING. PLEASE CHECK WITH YOUR THERAPIST IN REGARD TO THEIR HOURS FOR THE HOLIDAY WEEK AND MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO RESCHEDULE ANY MISSED SESSIONS. HAVE A SAFE AND FUN HOLIDAY!
LOW COUNTRY WALK FOR CHILDREN WITH APRAXIA OF SPEECH
On November 4, 2017 on a beautiful autumn morning, SLP Sarah Sharp and Outreach Coordinator Laura Leech, along with their families, attended the Walk for Children with Apraxia of Speech in Beaufort, South Carolina. With their bright yellow event t-shirts and walking shoes laced up tight, they completed the mile loop around the beautiful Pigeon Point Park.
Apraxia of Speech is challenging to overcome. According to The Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North American, (CASANA) “most children almost miraculously learn to speak without effort, children with apraxia struggle mightily to accurately produce sounds, syllables and words. While their understanding of language is usually much better than their ability to express it, children with apraxia have difficulty planning and programming the movements which underlie speech…for children with apraxia, ideas are often stuck inside, unspoken or not understood.”
Southland Speech-Language Pathologists work with children everyday who are diagnosed with Apraxia of Speech.
Southland Therapy Services was a sponsor for the event and was proud to have members of the team in attendance to show support. Not pictured was SLP Jessica Covinsky who was unable to attend the walk, but helped fundraise for the Southland Therapy Services walking team who raised $80 for the cause. (casana.apraxia-kids.org)
Tumble Tykes of Savannah @ Southland Therapy
During the months leading up to the holidays, Tumble Tykes of Savannah, an affiliate business at Southland Therapy Services, has offered playdates for kids crawling - 5 years old. The class teaches beginner tumbling skills and incorporates theme related songs, dances and games! The October playdate was a huge success and our November 18th Turkey Tumble Playdate is almost full. The Winter Wonderland playdate is open for registration and has spots still available.
Enmarket Bridge Run 2017 Kids’ Run Sponsor & Registration Raffle!
This year’s Enmarket Bridge Run will take place on December 2nd in Savannah. There will be 5k/10k races as well as a kids’ 1/4 mile run early in the morning before the bridge runs begin. We are excited to be the Kid’s Run sponsor for this great event and hope you will join us! See you there!
We will be raffling off ONE Bridge Run Registration starting later this week- keep an eye on our Facebook page for details on how to win!
Join Us In Welcoming New Bilingual Georgia SLP - Andrea Concha
I graduated from Florida International University (FIU) in 2017 with a Masters in Speech-Language Pathology. My FIU curriculum emphasized bilingualism since I am fluent in both English and Spanish. I was born and raised in Miami, Florida and am currently an SLP in the Savannah, Georgia clinic. My favorite part of the job is seeing the progress made by my patients. I also love providing positive changes needed for my patients to succeed. I enjoy to travel and, during the last two years have been able to take several road trips: from Miami to Michigan, later Michigan to Tucson. I love trying new foods and learning about different cultures. I am a big dog lover and have 2 dogs of my own. I enjoy trying to make homemade goods and being creative with different arts and crafts projects. I recently joined the Southland Therapy Services team and am excited to offer bilingual services to the patients at the Savannah clinic.