Posts by hjaffry
January Speech Participant Spotlight!
The Amina Grace Speech and Language Program has impacted Paige’s life so much for the better! Having a child with a speech problem is disheartening… all you wish for is that they can communicate to survive! Of course, Paige has had speech growing up: in early education, grammar school, junior high, and finally high school. The…
Read MoreNever Give Up!
There are times that, as a parent, you may feel like your child is not picking up a skill that you feel they should have. When this happens, it’s natural to become discouraged, but that doesn’t mean you should every give up!! There is a quote by George Evans that says, “Every child can learn. Just…
Read MoreSkip the Sippy!
The sippy has so many wonderful features… mainly its convenience! It’s spill-proof, easy to carry for your child, can be taken on the go, and is practically indestructible from all the tosses, bumps, and drops it encounters daily. Now when the professionals (typically dentists, speech language pathologists, and pediatricians) are telling you to toss the…
Read MoreA Great Night’s Sleep is Possible!
Sleep is important for any child, but for your little one with Down syndrome, it’s especially important! Sleep is actually a vital process for brain growth and development. It’s your child’s time to process, organize and store all the information they learned that day. In addition, sleep is vital for hormone balance, physical growth, immunity…
Read MoreKindness can be found Everywhere
Anne and Jeff were so very excited while they were expecting their first child, Holland Elizabeth. They learned their daughter had Down syndrome and immediately turned to GiGi’s Playhouse for support, but the excitement never faded. Unfortunately at 38 weeks in her mother’s womb, Holland passed away before she could take a breath in the…
Read MoreNew Year, New Career Skills!
It’s hard to believe that 2018 is almost over and 2019 is right around the corner! And with 2019 comes a new batch of students leaving their high school transition programs. While completing the transition program is an exciting time, it can also be full of unknowns with a lot of questions going through your…
Read MoreWinter Themed Language Boosting Activities!
With the onset of winter in the Chicagoland area, you’re probably trying to find activities both indoors AND outdoors! Luckily, there’s a flurry of activities to work on speech and language skills in your home, across the many sceneries of the holiday season, outdoors (if you dare!), and in your community! Below are five winter-themed language activities that you can work on with your child to…
Read MoreA Very Special Visitor
At GiGi’s Playhouse, we are lucky to get the most amazing people walk through our doors on a daily basis. John Manley, who is a longtime friend of GiGi’s and was on the board for the Special Olympics, came to visit us. His son, Charlie, had Down syndrome, coined the term “Best of All” and…
Read MoreNovember Participant Spotlight!
“ The Amina Grace Speech and Language Program has helped turn my daughter into a social butterfly! Through her speech therapy sessions, Louise has gained a large vocabulary, along with much-needed conversational skills. These achievements have led to a huge boost in her confidence and she is more outgoing amongst peers. We are thrilled with…
Read MoreWhat are you Thankful For?
GiGi U is Thankful It’s that time of year when everyone is asking, “what are you thankful for?” This week, I asked GiGi U participants that very question and their answers truly made me realize how much of a difference we make here at GiGi’s Playhouse! I was pleasantly surprised to hear that most of…
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