Chicago Group Therapy • May 18, 2023

Parent Tips for Better Hearing & Speech Month

Patrick McLean
Patrick McLean
Patrick McLean serves as Administrative Director and Co-CEO of Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center, a comprehensive pediatric therapy practice he co-founded with his wife…
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Patrick McLean

Patrick McLean

Patrick McLean serves as Administrative Director and Co-CEO of Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center, a comprehensive pediatric therapy practice he co-founded with his wife Rose in 2014. With over a decade of healthcare business leadership, Patrick has transformed their vision of coordinated, family-centered care into a thriving multidisciplinary clinic serving families throughout Chicago. After graduating from Western Illinois University in 2004 with a Bachelor's degree in Business and Finance, Patrick developed expertise in healthcare operations, strategic planning, and organizational growth. His business acumen combined with a deep commitment to serving children with developmental needs has positioned Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center as a trusted resource for families navigating speech delays, sensory processing challenges, autism spectrum disorder, motor delays, and behavioral concerns. As Co-CEO, Patrick oversees essential operational pillars including marketing and community outreach, human resources and staff development, financial management and insurance coordination, and long-term business strategy. His leadership has enabled the clinic to expand from offering single therapy services to providing integrated physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, ABA therapy, and social work—all coordinated under one roof for maximum family convenience and clinical effectiveness. Patrick's management philosophy centers on creating systems that empower both staff and families. He has built a culture of collaboration where therapists from different disciplines communicate seamlessly about each child's progress, ensuring holistic treatment plans that address the whole child. His proudest moments come from witnessing families' journeys—from initial concerns through celebrated milestones and hard-won achievements. Beyond his professional role, Patrick brings personal perspective as a father of four children. He actively coaches his kids in various sports, enjoys creating barbecue masterpieces on his smoker, and values connection time with friends on the golf course. This balance between professional purpose and family life reinforces his understanding of the families Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center serves every day.

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Chicago Pediatric Speech Therapycommunicationhearing and speechhearing and speech monthSpeech Language PathologySpeech therapy
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May is Better Hearing and Speech Month which makes it the perfect time to have a conversations about your child’s hearing and their speech and language development. Your child most likely had a newborn hearing screening following birth. However, some hearing losses can begin months or years after birth. Stay tuned into how your child attends to sounds, starting at birth. Your child should begin responding to her name around 7 months to 1 year of age and follow simple directions around 1-2 years of age.

Signs of Hearing Difficulties

Watch for signs of ear discomfort, such as constant pulling or itching, or a history of ear infections. Look for delays in speech and language starting at birth, academic difficulties in school (especially in reading and math), and social isolation or unhappiness at school. Be aware of the volume your child prefers when watching television, if they answer questions inappropriately, have difficulty understanding what others are telling them, looks to see what others are doing to understand when they are supposed to be doing, or talks and responds differently than other children their age.

 

 

 

 

Preventing Noise Induced Hearing Loss

Now that we know what to look for, let’s be careful with little ears! Noise induced hearing loss is caused by exposure to loud sounds and usually happens over a period of time, without pain. Research is showing noise induced hearing loss at younger ages and with more frequency. Here are some tips to protect little ears:

  • Keep the volume down. A good rule is to keep devices no higher than half volume.
  • Limit listening time on personal devices to one hour per day and provide “quiet breaks” to reduce the overall duration of noise exposure.
  • Use over the ear headphones to reduce background noise, therefore decreasing the desire to turn the volume up to compete with other sounds in the environment.

Questions and Concerns?

Talk to an audiologist if your child does not pass her newborn hearing screening, school hearing screenings, or if you have general hearing concerns.  If you have any questions please feel free to contact our Speech-Language Pathologists at The Chicago Pediatric Therapy & Wellness Center. We can be reached at 773-687-9241 to help with all pediatric needs!

Resources

More Parent Info

Pediatric Speech Therapy at CPTWC

Make Listening Safe For Children

Hearing Loss Information

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