All About Kids Podcast

In this episode of All About Kids, Zach talks with Jennifer Cody about the long-overdue buzz around the importance of sensory processing. Increasingly parents and teachers are recognizing the powerful impacts of environmental feedback, which is exciting for occupational therapists like Jenn, who is also a supervisor at AAK. She has devoted her career to giving kids the tools they need to recognize...

In this episode of all about kids, Zach talks with Jerry Rothwell, a documentary filmmaker who has made films like Town of Runners, How To Change the World, Heavy Load, and most recently, The Reason I Jump, inspired by the writings of a young non-speaking autistic boy. The film centers around the central question of the author, Naoki Higashida, ‘could you imagine how your life would be if you coul...

In this episode of all about kids, Zach talks with Faye Miah, a speech-language pathologist whose path to helping kids is both unusual and inspiring. A native of Vietnam, she was first exposed to the world of speech rehabilitation through annual visits to her hometown by Operation Smile, an international nonprofit that provides a range of surgeries and complimentary services for people in developi...

In this episode of all about kids, Zach talks with Dominic Trevisan, a psychologist who focuses on autistic research. Dominic shares how he became interested in autistic research and explains how the autistic mind processes information differently.   Zach and Dominic discuss how the changes from COVID may impact children and people with autism, as well as the importance of facial expressions in de...

In this episode, Zach talks with Dr. Kathleen Keefe-Cooperman, an associate professor at LIU Post and a clinical psychologist for the Committee on Preschool Special Education in the New York City area. They discuss the joy of toddlers and the effect of COVID-19 on evaluations.   Dr. Keefe-Cooperman also shares the technology gap between adults and children, common misconceptions about screen time...

In this episode, Zach talks with Tao Moran, a special educator and play therapist who was inspired to switch careers by her autistic son. Tao shares the importance of early intervention and how the pandemic led to her finally understanding the benefits of embedded practice.   They also discuss the importance of parent involvement and how technology can be effective, or dangerous, depending on how...

Today’s episode features Kacy Wickerson, speech-language pathologist and owner of Teach Speech Services which is a platform that teaches caregivers strategies on how to build communication skills at home. Kacy shares how she began, what therapy looks like during a pandemic, and weighs in on the relationship with parents and pediatricians. She also shares about building a social media presence as a...

Our guest on this episode of the All About Kids podcast is Haley Moss, the first openly autistic lawyer admitted to the Florida bar. Haley spent her early career working in litigation before deciding to start her own business where she consults with companies on their inclusion practices and policies. She points out that many things that could be put in place to accommodate employees or customers...

Our guest on this episode of the All About Kids podcast is Phillipa Ross, a speech language pathologist who is completing her clinical fellowship with AAK. Phillipa shares her perspectives on the abrupt shift to teletherapy in the midst of COVID-19, discussing both the challenges and the opportunities that the digital platform present for having meaningful interactions with her clients. These curr...

Danielle Pugliese: Understanding 'Dog' Versus 'Dog'   In this episode, Zach talks with Danielle Pugliese, a speech-language pathologist who spent her clinical fellow year with All About Kids. They discuss the difference between a specific dialect and a problem, how effort best measures success during a pandemic, and why agencies are not as bad as they seem. Danielle also explains strategies for in...

In this episode, Zach talks with Carrie Clark, a speech-language pathologist and founder of speechandlanguagekids.com. They discuss the importance of education, the connection between support and therapy and how the coronavirus will lead to positive structural changes in the industry. Carrie also shares what bugs her about her job and what we can all do to make a difference.   Carrie Clark Main Si...

Kirk Smith: What's Funny About Autism?   In this episode, Zach talks with Kirk Smith, a stand-up comedian and father to a 21-year old severely autistic son. They discuss the lack of certainty in a creative profession, how autism is challenging but funny, and why you have to adjust your expectations to find joy. Kirk also shares the permanence of loss and the secret to a successful career in comedy...