Featured Archives | SmallTalk

New Chapter, Same Heart

Featured, General, News | Jun 26, 2025 3 min read

A letter from our founder, Jen Traina:

In 2004, my third child was born eight weeks early. Like many of the families we now serve, I found myself suddenly navigating a world I hadn’t planned for—one filled with delayed milestones, specialists, and therapy appointments. He didn’t walk independently until nearly two years old. At the time, we lived in La Mesa, and I was driving over 30 minutes each way for physical therapy appointments twice a week. It was exhausting—managing traffic, parking, wrangling my two other little ones in the waiting room, and trying to make it all work.

I was a speech-language pathologist myself and had always believed in the power of family-centered care. But what we were experiencing didn’t feel that way at all. It felt like we were just going through the motions, not being seen as a whole family with unique needs. And that’s when the idea for SmallTalk started to take shape. I knew East County needed something different—something warmer, more supportive, more centered on both the child and the family.

We opened SmallTalk in a 300-square-foot office on Chase Avenue in El Cajon. That tiny space was full of heart and big dreams. Over the years, we expanded within the same building, eventually growing into the clinic many of you have come to know and love. In 2011, we opened a second location in Sabre Springs, followed by Old Town in 2014—both of which eventually found new homes in Scripps Ranch and Mission Valley.

Through all this growth, East County remained our home base. It’s where we started. It’s where we stayed.

Now, after more than 20 years in the same El Cajon building, we’re taking the next step: just four miles down the road to La Mesa. Starting June 23rd, our East County clinic has a brand-new home at:

7862 El Cajon Blvd., Suite 200, La Mesa, CA 91942

This new clinic was designed with families in mind—more therapy rooms, a bigger gym, a cozy waiting area, and (a personal favorite) much easier parking. And most importantly, it’s the same caring team, the same playful, child-led therapy, and the same commitment to your family.

Watching SmallTalk grow from that tiny office to over 17,000 square feet across San Diego has been one of the greatest joys of my life. We’ve added Child Development Centers, virtual services, and more—but what hasn’t changed is our heart. East County isn’t just where we started—it’s who we are.

To all the families who have trusted us over the years: thank you. You’ve helped shape SmallTalk into the place it is today. We can’t wait to welcome you into our new La Mesa space and continue this journey together.

With gratitude,
Jen Traina
CEO and Founder, SmallTalk Pediatric Therapy

Summer Speech & OT Tips: Five Ways to Support Your Child’s Development at Home

Activities, Featured, General | Jun 18, 2025 3 min read

Summer break is here—and while it’s a great time to relax and recharge, it can also be the perfect season to support your child’s developmental goals through fun, play-based activities. Whether your child is working on communication, motor skills, or sensory regulation, there are plenty of simple ways to keep therapy going at home.

At SmallTalk Pediatric Therapy, we believe that kids learn best through play—and summer is full of playful opportunities. Here are some therapist-approved tips to help you make the most of the season.

1. Build Speech Skills Through Everyday Moments

Language is everywhere! Use summer outings—like beach trips, park days, or even grocery runs—to model vocabulary, ask open-ended questions, and encourage your child to describe what they see or feel. For younger children, narrate your activities and encourage imitation. For older kids, play games like “I Spy” or storytelling prompts in the car.

Try this: Pack a “summer bag” and talk through each item: “This is sunscreen. It keeps our skin safe!”

2. Make Sensory Play a Daily Routine

Sensory bins, sand play, water tables, and even messy play with shaving cream or finger paint can help children with sensory processing challenges stay regulated and engaged. Summer is a great time to get messy outdoors!

Try this: Fill a bin with water, sponges, and cups for a simple, calming sensory station.

3. Strengthen Fine Motor Skills with Summer Crafts

From sidewalk chalk to water balloons, summer is full of hands-on activities that boost coordination. Crafts like beading, finger painting, and cutting shapes are great for improving grip strength and control—key goals in occupational therapy.

Try this: Make homemade lemonade and let your child squeeze the lemons, stir, and pour—great for hand strength and sequencing.

4. Keep a Routine—but Keep it Flexible

Kids thrive on predictability. Try keeping some structure to your summer days (e.g., morning chores, mid-morning activity, afternoon free play), but allow room for spontaneity. Consistent mealtimes, bedtime routines, and regular movement breaks support both sensory and communication development.

Tip: Use visual schedules to help your child understand what’s coming next.

5. Stay Connected with Your Therapy Team

If your child is enrolled in speech or OT over the summer, be sure to attend regularly—and talk with your therapist about summer goals and carryover activities. If you’re taking a break, ask for a few at-home strategies to keep skills fresh.

Not in therapy yet? Summer is a great time to schedule an evaluation or get started without the school-year rush!

SmallTalk is Here to Help All Summer Long

At SmallTalk Pediatric Therapy, we’re here to support your family year-round—with fun, effective, and compassionate care. Whether you’re continuing therapy this summer or want ideas to use at home, our team is always happy to share tools and encouragement.

If you have questions about your child’s speech, motor, or sensory development, schedule an evaluation today.

Here’s to a summer full of growth, play, and connection!

From My Heart to Yours: A Grandmother’s Perspective on Children’s Therapy

Featured, General, Stories, Therapy | May 20, 2025 3 min read

By Shauna Oakes

Sometimes, when I walk through the halls in one of our clinics, I hear laughter creeping out from therapy rooms. At times I hear the frustration of a child who is just learning constructive ways to express emotions. And other times I see creative art pieces lovingly assembled by small hands or groups of children learning to work together. But every day, I feel a deep sense of gratitude that this is the work I get to be part of.

I’m a grandmother and that role defines my heart. But I’m also the administrative director here at SmallTalk Pediatric Therapy-a place that has become a second home not just for me, but for so many families navigating life with little ones who need a bit of extra support.

From the desks I have occupied, I have seen it all: the worried looks of new parents walking in for their first visit, the nervous energy of kiddos not quite sure why they are there or what to expect. But then-over time-the incredible transformation that happens when trust, patience, and care take root.

The Strength in Showing Up: A Message to Parents

What I want parents to know is this: you are doing enough. You are showing up for your child in a world that can sometimes feel overwhelming. You are not alone.

As a grandmother, I often find myself watching these children as if they were my own grandbabies. I see their bravery, their moments of frustration and celebration. I watch them find their voices, their balance, their confidence and I feel so much pride, even if I’m just a tiny part of their journey.

As a mother, I recognize the deep sacrifices you make-your time, your energy, and sometimes other interests you may have had to put on the back burner. I hear your concerns, and I love to see, hear and celebrate with you the victories, especially the ones that once felt out of reach.

Therapy Is a Relationship, Not Just a Service

Therapy, to me, is not just a service. It’s a relationship. It’s a safe space where children are reminded that they are capable, that they matter, and that they are deeply loved for who they are not just for what they can do.

And for the families who walk through our doors: I hope you feel that we care about not just your kiddo but we care about you. I hope you feel our belief in your child, in your family, and in the progress that sometimes comes in inches, not miles. I know the road can be long. I have witnessed it myself over and over again. But I also know how beautiful it can be when you have the right people walking it with you.

Celebrate Every Milestone—Big and Small

So from one grandmother’s heart to another parent’s hands-thank you for trusting us. Thank you for letting us celebrate your child’s growth, step by step. You may not always see it in the moment, but there is magic in the work we can do together. And I promise, from where I sit, it is the most meaningful work I’ve ever known.

Shauna Oakes is the Administrative Director at SmallTalk.

How Virtual Speech and Language Therapy Can Support Your Family

Educational, Featured, General, Speech Therapy, Therapy | Apr 22, 2025 2 min read

As the world continues to expand its abilities to connect with other people, so has our ability as therapists to connect with you in ways that are flexible, effective, and fun! Virtual visits are a great method of speech-language services that ensure your child’s ability to make progress on their communication goals, while simultaneously supporting your family navigating busy schedules and lives.

What can be accomplished virtually?

There are a variety of benefits that a virtual visit can provide, much like in-person visits:

Assessments: Standardized assessments to determine the diagnosis of potential speech-language delays, as well as implementation of a comprehensive treatment plan are entirely achievable by meeting virtually. Virtual assessment sessions usually include a combination of standardized testing, particularly if your child is of age to participate. Another effective measure is parent interview, hearing from you exactly what your concerns and observations are of your child in their home environment.
Treatment: Virtual speech therapy sessions can be designed to meet the communication-specific needs of your child. Whether it is articulation, expressive/receptive language, social/pragmatic skills, or related areas, tasks developed through various online games, interactive stories, and songs/videos help support the progress of your child. Not to mention, they are designed to be fun and engaging so that your child will want to continue to attend these virtual visits!
Parent Education and Collaboration: Parents are just as important to the process of speech-language development as the therapists that work with your child. Virtual visits allow for private, constructive conversations to give parents suggestions, resources, and in-the-moment opportunities to demonstrate language facilitation strategies with their children right in the comfort of their own home!

So what now?

If your child might need a little guidance in speech and language, receiving services virtually is an effective way to support the communication journey of your child. SmallTalk offers virtual sessions all-week long, including several therapists, like me, who have dedicated an entire day to virtual sessions to connect with more families around the San Diego community. Please consider giving it a try – I hope to see you online!

By Alex Maloney, SLP

Op-Ed: California is failing kids in reading.

Featured, News | Apr 02, 2025 2 min read

From The San Diego Union-Tribune

At SmallTalk Pediatric Therapy, we are deeply committed to supporting children’s language and literacy development. That’s why we are proud to highlight an important Op-Ed published in the San Diego Union-Tribune, written by one of our Lead Speech Language Pathologists, Kelly Stuart. The article, titled “California is Failing Kids in Reading – There is a Better Way”, sheds light on the urgent need for change in how we approach reading instruction in California.

“Nationally, California ranks 33rd in fourth-grade reading proficiency. This is a tragedy — but it is solvable. One can look to Louisiana to see how it went from 50th in the nation in 2019 to 16th in fourth-grade reading scores in 2024 after implementing comprehensive literacy policies requiring evidence-based teacher training — and it spends far less per child on education than California.”

The California Reading Crisis

Far too many children are struggling with reading due to outdated and ineffective teaching methods. In the article, Kelly explains how research-backed, structured literacy programs can make a profound difference in helping children become confident and capable readers. She also emphasizes the importance of phonics-based instruction and early intervention.

Read the Article

The SmallTalk Way

At SmallTalk we see firsthand how literacy challenges impact a child’s confidence, academic success, and overall well-being. When children struggle to read, it affects every aspect of their education and daily life. The good news? There are proven methods that can help.

Oral language is very important for a child to be able to read and write, as language is the backbone for reading comprehension. At SmallTalk, our speech-language pathologists are trained in phonological awareness, which is one component of the five pillars of reading instruction.

Read the Full Article & Join the Conversation

Read the full Op-Ed in the San Diego Union-Tribune here.

Let’s work together to ensure every child has the opportunity to succeed in reading and beyond! We believe that raising awareness about effective literacy instruction is crucial, which is why we encourage parents, educators, and policymakers to take action.

Catching Some Z’s

Educational, Featured, Occupational Therapy, Therapy | Mar 27, 2025 2 min read

Sleep is extremely important for one’s mood, growth, and overall wellbeing, but sometimes counting sheep just isn’t enough to fall asleep. Falling asleep can be particularly challenging for children with sensory processing differences, developmental delays, or Autism. Working with your family, occupational therapists can develop an individualized plan to help your little one fall asleep and catch some Z’s.

Why Isn’t My Kid Falling Asleep?

Sleep can be challenging for multiple reasons including:

Sensory Sensitivities and Overstimulation: Your child may have heightened or under-responsive sensory processing, which means they can be overly sensitive to certain sights, sounds, textures, or even smells. These sensory sensitivities can make it difficult for them to relax and fall asleep.
Difficulty Regulating Emotions: The transition from daytime and play to nighttime and bed can be challenging for those learning calming strategies for when transitioning can be challenging. Changes to routines from earlier in the day or known changes in future routines can also impact a child’s stress and ability to navigate through challenging emotions before they can calm to fall asleep
Medical Issues: Gastrointestinal problems or other sleep-related disorders such as sleep apnea could also be negatively impacting your child’s ability to fall asleep and stay asleep (Consult with your child’s pediatrician to rule out any medical issues that may be affecting sleep.)

How Occupational Therapy Can Help

Developing a Bedtime Routine: Having a routine helps kids wind down for the night. They know what to expect and don’t have to use additional brainpower to go from one step to the next.
Creating a Sensory-Friendly Sleep Environment: Occupational therapists can coach you to make your child’s sleep environment the best for them. That may mean using a sound machine, looking at the fabrics of both the child’s clothes and the sheets, and incorporating calming sensory supports prior to bedtime.

Final Thoughts

If your child is experiencing difficulty falling asleep, reaching out to an occupational therapist may be a valuable step towards finding a solution that works best for your family. With the right support, restful nights and more manageable days can be within reach.

By Lauren Fong, OTR/L

My child was just diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder… Now what?

Educational, Featured, Therapy | Sep 02, 2022 3 min read

Step 1: Take a deep breath!

Learning that your child has been diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD,
can understandably flood parents and caregivers with a range of overwhelming emotions.
It’s easy to feel trapped or condemned by a label. When the “what ifs” start to invade,
remember that this new information does not change who your child is or who you
already know them to be. It is simply an identification of a root cause for various
symptoms and the first step to helping your child reach their full potential.

Step 2: Free your child (and yourself) from expectations

Following a diagnosis of ASD, it is common for parents and caregivers to experience a
period of mourning for “normality” and feelings of uneasiness when thinking about the
future. However, the new diagnosis is not a predictor of the future, let alone a sentence to
a life of failure or unhappiness. Taking one day at a time and celebrating any progress,
no matter how small, is key in cultivating both acceptance and a sense of hope.

Step 3: Advocate for your child

With a new diagnosis comes a plethora of recommendations from medical and school
professionals. Always remember, though these recommendations are backed by research
and have been proven to help, you have the final say in your child’s treatment. Though
30 hours of therapy per week might be recommended, you may feel that is too much. Go
with your instinct! Your child’s team of professionals will work with you to ensure the
best possible treatment to match your child’s individual needs.

Step 4: Find community

No one has to face the journey alone! Consider joining a virtual or in-person support
group for parents and caregivers of children with Autism, or an online forum. Sometimes
well-meaning family and friends can misunderstand and unintentionally cause more pain,
so it can be important to connect with people who do understand. Autism Society San Diego offers both support groups for parents/caregivers and fun events for the entire family. Military families can take advantage of the Exceptional Family Member Program
(EFMP) for a range of family support. When in doubt, meetup.com is a great place to
start!

Step 5: Take care of yourself!

Self-care is often placed on the backburner when caring for a child who has an ASD
diagnosis. However, burn-out is not only emotionally draining for you, but is also
unhelpful for your child. It’s important to seek Respite Care services if you don’t have a
friend or family member to babysit while you take time for yourself to recharge. In
addition, pick your battles with your child. Rome wasn’t built in a day, so anticipating
immediate results and/or perfection can contribute to high stress levels.

Checklist, in no particular order:

Developmental evaluation (medical) through your doctor or San Diego Regional Center. It is important to get a medical diagnosis, not just an educational label
through the school district. This is not the same as a formal diagnosis.
Speech therapy (medical/outpatient)
Occupational therapy (medical/outpatient)
Behavioral therapy (e.g., ABA) (in home or in facility)
Apply for school services at age 2 and 10 months to begin at age 3. This will determine eligibility for services through the school district such as, speech
therapy, occupational therapy, and behavioral therapy. Your child can receive these therapies in both the medical and school setting, as medical and educational
services are autonomous from one another.

Written by: Kat Winger, MS CCC-SLP

What is Pediatric Occupational Therapy and how would I know if my child would benefit?

Educational, Featured, Psychology, Speech Therapy, Therapy | Apr 04, 2022 6 min read

Occupation refers to functional tasks or activities that bring meaning to your life. And our children’s main activity is PLAY. Did you know that kids play to learn and that play requires motor, sensory processing, cognitive, and social skills? All these skills work together for learning. However, when the necessary skills for play are observably difficult, it can make grasping new competencies challenging for kids.

Occupational therapy addresses all the skills needed for play. It works on strength, coordination, and control to support their movement. OT also helps with sensory processing difficulties by identifying the way your toddler receives or responds to sensory input and teaching fun ways for you to support your child. And finally, Occupational Therapy promotes executive function skills building on motor, attention, and regulation foundations for learning.

Though play can look different and vary from child to child, there are general toddler development skill ranges necessary for learning to happen. When these are not progressing or missing, they can inhibit engaging in and learning through play.

The development of sensory processing and motor skills begins immediately at birth. The brain is where all the magic happens. Newborns take in sensations, but their body is unable to organize them—their reflexes are neurological responses to stimulation, including the senses of light, sound, touch, or pressure input such as stroking and vestibular sensory input with sudden movement.

The sensory processing and motor skill development looks random and clumsy at first with the baby’s initial kicking of their legs or trying to find their mouth with their hand. As they continue to be exposed to the sensation and repeat the movement, it becomes more purposeful.

Babies are holding, pulling, pushing, and dropping toys as they learn about cause and effect. More and more skills work together to explore and learn through play.

For your toddler, the years from 1 to 3 are very busy. They are essential years of curiosity, trial and error, and learning about what they can do. At age one, toddlers are very active. Give them a container, and everything comes out; maybe a few things go back inside. Set something on the table, and they pull up to see if they can get it. They make sounds and babble and may tug on your heart with Ma Ma or Da Da words!

Toddlers are in a transition of building more independence. During the terrible twos, a stage that everyone stresses about, they continue to learn about their environment, manipulate things, and communicate their experiences. Their development takes all the work that the baby’s brain and body did and uses it in play to build confidence, control movement, and explore new sensations. Toddlers experience big emotions. They must learn about these feelings and how their body responds to them. How we react and support them is important.

They also learn to transition from one activity to another, even when they don’t want to.
For example, two-year-olds usually can stack a few blocks, string a few large beads on a shoelace, feed themselves with a spoon, drink from an open cup or a straw, remove/pull on clothing, brush teeth, help wash their body at bath time, jump, run, and walk up and down a few steps. They can also throw a small ball toward a target, help clean up, and put toys away. Though the terrible twos try on parents and toddlers, they don’t last long. And both parents and kids learn a great deal!

As we strive to develop more patience during these times, our toddlers are growing far more in their quest for independence. Two-year-olds should be able to attend and learn a new play activity for 4-6 minutes. Some research even suggests that this age group should be able to focus on a task for 10 minutes.

Though many toddlers can sit and play for extended periods of time with preferred toys or activities they have initiated themselves, a better learning opportunity is to give them a new task to work on to develop manipulation skills like using a tool to scoop, fill a container, feed themselves with a spoon or fork, stack or build with blocks, lace beads on a string, or roll a ball back and forth.

Notice how your child works through activities. When development is not smooth, there will be clues in how your child moves, plays, speaks, or acts. See if you observe any of these challenges:

unable to manipulate toys in play, they continue to dump, empty containers, or throw them around the room
difficulty using tools to scoop, squeeze, hammer, draw
unable to demonstrate repetitive play activities. May run around, only roll the car back and forth
moves between many play activities quickly, not engaging in any of them
requiring or demanding your attention and unable to initiate or engage in play by themselves for short periods
difficulty imitating actions in movement, imitating mouth or tongue movements, silly faces, or being unable to throw a ball at a target. Difficulty moving from sitting to moving under structures, crawling through a tunnel
unable or very clumsy with jumping, climbing, moving between different level surfaces, climbing ladder to slide
unable to take turns in play activities such as rolling ball back to you, stacking blocks
seems fixated on the television, tablet, or phone and unable to engage with other toys in play
difficulty putting things together such as connecting blocks, lacing, and beads
unable to tolerate play on a swing, on a slide
unable to play near or with other children
unable to tolerate tactile messy play or engagement with media like play-doh, finger paint, or shaving cream
difficulty removing pull on clothing from dress-up activities

Play is one of the most significant areas that can provide clues about your toddler’s development. As we’ve outlined, there is so much growth happening during this time. If you see your child struggling in any of the areas we mentioned, occupational therapy can help develop and strengthen the skills needed for learning.

Occupational therapists are experienced experts and can help identify the areas inhibiting your child’s primary occupation and introduce fun activities for successful skill development.

Children are tiny individual humans with varied interests and gifts. We embrace and work together with parents to help children reach their greatest potential.

Come in and check us out in April for Occupational Therapy month!

Author: Pamela Vasiloff, OT