Welcome to Lifting Little Voices PLLC

 

We offer

 

✅ Convenience — Let us come to you! We offer home visits, or we can meet at a local park or library. Teletherapy (video session) is also available.

✅ Communication — We’re here for you between sessions to address any questions or concerns.

✅ Flexibility — We offer evening and weekend appointments, and easy rescheduling options.

✅ Personalization — Our therapy reports and sessions are tailored to the activities and routines that matter most to your child and family.

✅ Collaboration — We work with your team (with your permission, we can communicate with schools and/or medical teams) to advocate for your child and help them become a successful communicator.

 

💕 Home-based speech and language therapy means having a partner to help your child strengthen their voice in the world!

 

 

Services

Free Half Hour Consultation 

 

We offer up to 30 minutes of consultation that allows us to get to know your child and helps you determine if our services are a good fit for your family.

Working closely with families in their homes fosters transparency and collaboration, empowering children and increasing motivation to achieve speech, language, and behavioral feeding goals more quickly than in traditional therapy settings.

 

Speech and Language Evaluation

 

Your family may be seeking standardized assessment results to share with a school or to confirm a diagnosis of a speech and language impairment.

A thorough speech and/or language evaluation can provide in-depth insights into speech sound development, comprehension and use of language (including grammar, vocabulary, social skills, and listening comprehension), early literacy skills, and basic executive functioning.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

What ages do you serve?

I have experience with all childhood ages (infancy to 21 years), but my expertise is particularly in working with children aged 2 to 12 years

How do I know if my child needs speech/language therapy?

If you have found this page, it is likely you have been searching for answers about speech and language development for your child - trust your gut! 

Each child truly has their own path in life, but there are some guidelines of development set by research conducted within the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA):

 

💕 Development of verbal and nonverbal expression:

Infants 6-12 months old make several sounds and syllables, and use facial expressions and gestures to indicate wants and needs. Many, but not all, children use 3-5 words by 15 months old. Children produce more than 30 single words and begin to put words together by age 2. By age 3 1/2, children typically produce simple sentences and are understood by familiar listeners 90% of the time.

Preschool-age children may have some speech sounds in error, but vowel sounds and the following are accurate: b,p,t,d,k,g. By first grade, children verbalize correct word structures (he/she instead of hims or her / past tense ED, irregular verbs such as ran, went, etc).  Also by first grade, children produce most speech sounds accurately. They may not produce S, TH, and R accurately, but can be taught how between ages 6 and 8.

 

💕Speech fluency:

Many children have normal periods of dysfluencies (word repetitions or restarting sentences) throughout a growth spurt or when adding new vocabulary. Intervention may be needed if there is a family history of stuttering and a child repeats single sounds or syllables, or gets stuck without producing a sound (block).

 

💕 Development of cognitive and social skills for communication:

Infants are interested in looking at the faces of familiar people and start to smile by 4-6 months. Joint attention is the exchange of eye gaze between an item and another person and is a developmental milestone needed for attention and reciprocal communication. It develops between 8-12 month, and is established before 18 months.

 

💕Development of language comprehension and literacy

Joint attention is crucial for language development. It involves shared focus between a child and another person, which helps the child learn and understand language concepts, such as word meanings and spatial descriptions (e.g., “on top” or “over there”). By age 2, children follow simple questions/directions ("Where is your ball? Go get ball") and understand the names of basic categories (i.e., they understand "food" is what they can eat, and maybe point to food pictures).

Preschool age children have a huge growth in language comprehension and should understand 2-3 step directions and answer a variety of Who/What/Where/When questions. By age 6, children can apply their knowledge of vocabulary and grammar to written language (reading and writing). They can identify sounds and syllables in words and apply alphabet knowledge to begin decoding. 

Children with speech and language delays often exhibit splinter skills—they may appear “okay” in their use and/or comprehension of language, but specific concepts may be missing. These gaps often become noticeable in school when difficulties arise in applying executive functioning and language to learning new skills. Difficulty reading can result from verbal language delays that were not addressed in the first six years of development. However, it is never too late to address foundational language skills!

 

If you have specific questions, feel free to reach out!  I'm happy to talk to anyone about speech and language development.

Do you offer therapy in a clinic?

While I have found most families prefer services delivered within their home; I have seen children in my own home or met up at a local library or playground. 

Do you take my insurance?

UPDATE 11/12/24: Lifting Little Voices PLLC recently contracted with Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Illinois, however, I was missing information at the time of my application and am working to complete this as well as credential with the state medicaid program.

I also offer out-of-network rates (private pay).

Testimonials 

"I highly recommend Michelle as an exceptional speech therapist. I've had two children work with her over the span of two years, and I am continually impressed by her expertise and ability to connect with children.

Michelle has a remarkable ability to create a warm, welcoming environment that makes speech therapy sessions both effective and enjoyable. She has a deep understanding of speech and language development and tailored her approach to meet both of my children's specific needs. Over time, I have seen significant improvement in my children's communication skills, confidence, and overall development. She always had a new game tailored to their interests that kept them engaged and excited each week. 

What sets Michelle apart is their patience, creativity, and genuine care for their clients. She is always willing to go the extra mile, kept me well-informed about progress, and provided helpful tips for reinforcing skills at home.

I wholeheartedly recommend Michelle to any parent seeking a skilled and compassionate speech therapist for their child. Her expertise and dedication have made a significant difference in children's life, and I am confident they will do the same for other families."  - Colleen

 

"Michelle provides speech therapy to my son on weekly basis. She is very accommodating." - Ronny

About Me

Lifting Little Voices PLLC is dedicated to providing exceptional pediatric speech therapy services in the Naperville/Bolingbrook area. Our concierge approach allows us to offer personalized and flexible therapy options, ensuring that each child receives the attention and support they need to thrive.

I am an ASHA-certified and IL-licensed pediatric speech-language pathologist. My career began in an elementary school, and as my family grew, I continued to practice in settings with more flexible scheduling. I was a certified Early Intervention service provider and State Evaluator for eight years in Will County and worked in a pediatric therapy clinic. Collaboration with physical therapists, occupational therapists, teachers, and social workers has enhanced my service delivery and fueled my passion for lifelong learning. I participate in yearly continuing education coursework and seminars in social-emotional language, reading disabilities, feeding therapy, and research in speech sound production development.

The pandemic created the opportunity for me to open my own business. Since then, I have had the pleasure of working closely with families in their homes to help children comfortably reach their goals in literacy, speech, or picky eating.

 

- Michelle Shields, M.S., CCC-SLP/L

I am a small business owner, therapist, and volunteer. But by far, my favorite title is MOM. Being a mom allows me to connect deeply with the families I work with, as I understand firsthand the joys and challenges of raising children. It fuels my passion for helping other parents and their children, and it gives me a unique perspective and empathy that enriches my practice every day. I cherish everyday moments of joy and connection and am continuously humbled and inspired by the minds of children that allow me into their worlds.