#CCARetreat2025 Seattle: What To Do and See

CCA is headed to Bellevue, WA for this year’s retreat. Beautiful Bellevue is located about. 20 minutes away from Seattle, WA home diverse offerings sure to pique everyone’s interests. Personally, I am excited about learning more about the origins of alternative bands from the 1990s like Nirvana, Peal Jam, among others that brought the Seattle sound to the nation. Once again, I am Kara, your favorite travel guide for the best weekend of the year. Are you ready to have some fun?

Take Flight
While music may not be your bag, there are plenty of other fun things to explore while in Bellevue and Seattle. One big one for many of our CCA friends will undoubtedly be The Museum of Flight. I am not nuts about aviation. It kinda freaks me out. However, I am really into space flight and outer space. Yes, I know it doesn’t make sense, but as I often quote the great Walt Whitman, “we contain multitudes.” Enough about me, and back to the planes, the Museum of Flight has a featured exhibition called Apollo where you will be able to see the F-1 engines that powered the Apollo and Saturn space missions. In addition, there is 737 Airliner Theater, Vietnam and WW1 and WW2 planes used in war, and a number of interactive exhibitions to better learn more about the world of flight. The museum is located at 9404 E. Marginal Way South, Seattle, WA, admission is $29 for adults, $21 for youth 5-17, and children 4 and under are free. Tickets are available for purchase online. Special exhibitions may require an additional ticket fee.

Art & Science
Next up for all my fellow artsy friends, there is the Chihuly Garden and Glass. Artist, Dale Chihuly created some of the most iconic glass sculptures, lighting fixtures, and more over the course of his career. He studied at the University of Washington and began working with glass while studying interior design. On the grounds of the museum, there are galleries, gardens, glasshouse, and theater to explore. The museum looks like a true treasure seamlessly blending the outdoor and indoor spaces. You can combine admission to the Chihuly Garden and Glass with admission to the Space Needle, the 605 ft tall spire at the center of the city of Seattle. The observation deck and rotating restaurant is located right next door to Chihuly Garden, the Seattle Children’s Museum, Pacific Science Center, and Willard Smith Planetarium. For $68, adults can go to see beautiful Chihuly glass and get the best view of the city at the top of the needle. Regular admission for ages 13 - 64 is $68, youth ages 5-12 is $63.

Food, Art, Sculpture, and History
Other places worth exploring, include Pike’s Place Market. A spot featured in many a movie and tv show featuring famed fish-throwing seafood vendors, produce stalls, and other shops. Nearby the market is the Seattle Art Museum and nearby Olympic Sculpture Park. At no cost at all, the park overlooks the Salish Sea, and boasts a pavilion, and MARKET at the Park which is open Friday through Sunday from 10AM - 2PM, and what I can only describe as a ginormous, artsy, indoor greenhouse called Neukom Vivarium. For the more adventurous, and amateur spelunkers among us, the underground passageways attraction below Pioneer Square, Beneath the Streets is just for you. Explore this underground system of tunnels that lay below one of the oldest parts of Seattle. My friends at Viator can bring back in time and below sea level for $29.00 a person.

Pop Culture
Finally, (well I could go on and on, and there is more below), one may want to check out the Museum of Pop Culture, where you will get to see artifacts from your favorite bands, horror, sci-fi films and more. Current exhibitions boast an indie game revolution, infinite worlds of science fiction, an expansive guitar gallery, and the sound lab where you can mix up your own tunes in an interactive exhibition space.

Irreverent Fun For All
Finally, (maybe, we’ll see...) on the more quirkier side are these suggestions found on this really cool site, AtlasObscura. I think I speak for some of us when I say we all need to go check out the gum wall, a wall of chewing gum that is a collective art project. You can find it at 1428 Post Alley in Seattle. If chewed gum isn’t your thing, maybe the Fremont Troll may tickle your fancy. Well most likely he won’t be doing much of anything as he is 18 ft tall and made of concrete. Created in 1990 for the Fremont Arts Council competition for designs to improve freeway underpasses, the architectural wonder has been there ever since. You can make your pilgrimage to visit the Fremont Troll at 3468-3696 Aurora Ave N. in Seattle. There are many, many more suggestions for wacky and wonky sightseeing at atlasobscura.com for Seattle and almost every other city you may be visiting this summer. Peep the Seattle Meotropolitan Cat Cafe. It looks like it's a winner if you like cats and coffee.

Explore and Build Your Memorable Visit
There is so much to explore in Seattle. I feel like I did the outdoors a great disservice. Mount Rainier is nearby, whale watching is also available to folks who may be so inclined. Check out the Visit Seattle website to explore restaurant suggestions, additional attractions, and for anything I may have missed.

CCAAnnualRetreat2025: Getting Around Bellevue Washington

I am quite excited about our long weekend together in Bellevue, Washington, just a stone's throw from Seattle, Washington. This blog will share information about how to get from the airport to Bellevue, and how to move around the area that surrounds the hotel. Hope this helps you get around, locate some grocery and pharmacy basics to help make your trip to the Pacific Northwest a smooth one.

From the Air to the Pavement, How to Get to Bellevue After You Land

Let’s start with what happens once you land. Ground transportation is important. There are the usual offerings which include your preferred ride share app, taxi service, or rental car. A cost effective alternative is the $30 Bellevue Airport Shuttle. The shuttle runs every hour from 7:00AM - 10:00PM local time. It will bring you to our hotel, the Hyatt Regency, and also provides rides to other hotels. You can board the shuttle by going to the third floor of SEA-TAC airport, and take the skybridge to the garage. Continue to the hotel shuttle area and go to Island 2A (between skybridge 3 and 4) designated as “Hotel Shuttles” on the signage. The only downside I can see with this service is that it lacks accessibility for individuals in wheelchairs. Learn more and book your ride here.

Ground Transportation Around the Hotel

Once unpacked and settled in your room, you can explore Bellevue by using the free, electric transportation service called Bellhop. The electric shuttle runs along a 6-mile perimeter bringing passengers to local hotspots, like the Bellevue Botanical Gardens, Kidsquest Children’s Museum, and Meydenbauer Center. The shuttle runs Mon – Thursday – 7:30 – 9 pm, Friday – 7:30 – 10 pm, Saturday – 10 – 10 pm, Sunday – 9 – 9 pm. Download the Bellevue Bellhop app, called circuit, to learn more about how to get on board to get out and about.

What to Do in Bellevue?   

If you want to stay on foot, and have a luxurious lunch and shopping experience, you should visit the Bellevue Collection. Department stores, your mall favorites, plus coffee shops, and restaurants for lunch and dinner can be found here. Notable among the offerings are Cheesecake Factory, West Coast Tacos, a mocktail bar called Club Seltzer and a few coffee shops, DOTE Coffee Bar, and Woods Coffee. There is so much to explore as far as shops go as well. Flagship stores include Nordstrom, Macy’s and span the alphabet from Athleta to ZARA. Truly an elevated shopping experience awaits those who are so inclined to shop till they drop, or maybe just take a window-shopping stroll.

If you are more of an outdoors person, Bellevue and the Seattle region have spectacular green spaces. Nearest to the Hyatt is the Bellevue Downtown Park. This accessible park has playground equipment, picnic areas, and a 240-foot-wide waterfall. This area looks like a wonderful place to explore and enjoy the outdoors a bit.

Groceries, Pharmacies, and Target Runs

For groceries, and some of the bare necessities, there is a Target at 272 116th Ave, NE and a Safeway grocery store at 300 Bellevue Way NE. The Safeway has a pharmacy and there are also CVS and Walgreens Pharmacies in the same area. I also saw there was a Trader Joes and Whole Foods nearby for those os us with special diets. Stock up on water, bandaids, and snacks so you can fuel yourself through the fun.

7 Speech Therapy Apps to Download Now For At-Home Practice

 

By Kara Jackman 

Whether you are practicing at home or must stay at home because of COVID-19, speech therapy will always be part of the lives of our craniofacial kiddos and kids at heart. Here are some great pronunciation pathways to pursue (say that five times fast!). 

Smile Train Speech Games (Available in Apple 

App Store and on Google Play)

Starting with simple, free, and reputable, Smile Train’s Speech Games app is a good one for every day practice. Based on the letters needing some extra love, you are presented with either a story or a game to play that utilizes these letters. The images are not animated for the stories, but the words are displayed on the screen and your child will be able to advance the story on each screen. You can read to yourself or listen to the story read to you. There are six games per each sound that range from learning the sounds, to practicing syllables to memory, and a “drag the word” word building game. Simple, free, and efficient this is one app to have on your phone or tablet at all times.

SpeakEasy (Available in Apple App store, Android, Google Play)

SpeakEasy

SpeakEasy is a slightly more robust app that allows you to tailor usage to your child’s needs. Both caregivers and speech pathologists can make use of this app that helps children from ages 0-5 years old. Kyla from SpeakEasy told us more about the app, saying, "We currently have material for 0-5 years old, offered in 4 stages (preverbal through full sentences). We do not focus on age, but rather training parents and caregivers, offering ideas for simple activities they can do at home." This strategy helps reduce screen time for your kiddos. This app is pay-to-play at $19.99 per month, $9.99 per month when billing annually ($119.88/year). SpeakEasy was developed and maintained by a husband and wife team that work together to provide a high-quality product that could be a great fit for your family. 

Otsimo Speech Therapy (Available in Apple App Store and Google Play for Android) 

Otsimo Speech Therapy is a comprehensive app that features development of motor skills for the mouth and lips and speech skills, too. A variety of consonants, words, phrases are featured for practice. Caregivers may choose to coordinate with their speech pathologist, setting the curriculum by answering questions in the developmental test to customize your child’s practice and track their progress. The report generated will give you a regular practice schedule that takes into account your child’s age and attention level. You may create an account for more than one child. The exercises allow your child to watch their peers speak as they offer three different vocalizations or pronunciations for letters, words, and phrases. Then the child will enjoy a little fun with a funky filter selfie, practice their skills once more, and finally play a quick and easy game. The app features cute animations, videos of real children speaking, and the ability for your child’s voice to be recorded to ensure their diction is on point. The app boasts that your child will see progress in just 6 months. The app is backed by University of California Berkeley and the University of Edinburgh. Otsimo Speech Therapy is available for download on IPhone and IPad via the App store. Premium features require a subscription. You can subscribe for $6.99/month, annually at $4.49/month, or lifetime at $115.99. Learn more about how it works on Otsimo's blog.

Speech Blubs Pricing

Speech Blubs and Speech Blubs 2 (the updated version of the original app is available in Apple App store and Google Play)

Speech Blubs comes highly recommended by a wide variety of parenting magazines, speech pathologists, and medical organizations for being fun and effective. Speech Blubs’ dynamic presentation is second to none and worth the subscription tiers of: $14.49 per month, $59.99 for an annual subscription, or $99.99 for a lifetime license. Audio and a dynamic presentation keep your kids engaged while they improve their speech and language skills. A caregiver or parent provides information about the child’s speech therapy needs, including a comprehensive list of diagnoses, noting if they work with a speech pathologist or not, and their level of social engagement. The Speech Blubs app then generates a free personalized report with a full assessment, including tips and tricks on speech and language development. The personalized report informs the words and sounds your child will practice in fun subject areas like animals, shapes, and family fun. Users will also be able to mirror the way the actor on the app’s video moves their lips to speak the words or make other sounds. Children as young as one year of age can start with animal sounds, and then scale up to words and sentences. There are also songs, games, and a section that helps children understand their emotions and how to express them. As a reward, kids can create photos with filters or play games. The filters will have you and your kids entertained for days. Save photos to your photo album and share with your CCA friends!

Speech Blubs 2 Allows Kids 
to see others say words
and sounds

Speech Blubs 2 is the updated version with an expanded offering of videos and enhanced personalization. Kids can see themselves perform in the “videos related to the words and concepts they are learning,” say the Speech Blub developers in the description of this brand new app. 

SmallTalk and Miogym: Speech Apps for motor and mechanic support (Both available through Apple App Store) 

Aphasia Communications has a number of excellent apps to help those kids that have difficulty expressing themselves through speech. SmallTalk Aphasia Female/Male developed by Linographica will help your older child or adult “learn common words and phrases used in everyday situations, like meeting someone for the first time, telephoning someone, or ordering at a restaurant.”

Miogym

There are videos that demonstrate how to move your mouth to make sounds and words. The app also acts as a communication tool. For instance, it can inform people that you have aphasia, survived a stroke, or have trouble speaking. The user need only to hold up the app to share with friends, family, and medical providers. This app opens the world up for those that experience speech delays or have an inability to communicate with spoken words. The app comes in both male and female voice versions. Aphasia communications has a number of other apps to explore and improve the speech motor skills. This app appears to be free, but be aware that could change over time.

Similarly, Miogym helps toddlers and children develop proper motor skills to make sounds and words. The app begins with first sounds, “a collection of exercises that helps children begin to make their first sounds,” say the developers, including animals, trucks, cars, and more. Pronunciation of s,r,l,t sounds are the focus. Understanding and honing the ability to make the mouth move properly accelerates speech development which is the next step your child will take in this application. Children with the diagnoses of autism, apraxia, and dyslexia will benefit from this fun, interactive app that keeps them entertained, rewarded with games, and hooked by “leveling up.” Cute videos of kids performing the activities give your kiddo a training buddy as they learn, holding their attention better than a caregiver or other adult. This app is best for ages 2-7 years of age. A monthly subscription is $6.99, and a lifetime subscription costs $69.99.

A Speech App for Autism: MITA - Mental Imagery Therapy For Autism (Available through Amazon)

Like our bodies, all minds work differently, too. No person hears or interprets the world in the same way. Neurodiversity, as we now name it, contributes to our ability to speak and comprehend language. The MITA (Mental Imagery Therapy For Autism) app developed at Boston University helps synthesize the components that affect the different ways in which your child’s mind is unique. The app has brain games that utilize images, audio, and words to assist in the development of the child’s ability to build sentences to communicate things like “the cup is on the table.” It’s recommended to only have the child do exercises on this app twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening.

Boston University researcher and app developer, Andrey Vyshedskiy, says more about how the app works in a Boston University The Brink research article, “Prefrontal synthesis is the mechanism that allows you to juxtapose several disparate objects. If I ask you this question, ‘If the lion ate the tiger, which of the animals is still alive?’ you are using prefrontal synthesis to imagine the events and answer that question,” Vyshedskiy says.

Without prefrontal synthesis, understanding complex language is impossible, Vyshedskiy says. Today, almost 70 percent of children diagnosed with ASD struggle with language and up to 40 percent of adults with autism have never gained prefrontal synthesis.

“Whenever language is delayed, when children don’t understand stories or acquire internal language, they don’t develop the deeper brain function of prefrontal synthesis,” Vyshedskiy says. “I realized, there might be a way to get at language development through a ‘back door’ in the brain—we developed this digital therapy app to improve language acquisition.”

These are just a few of the speech apps available in most app stores. There may be others that will suit your child’s needs better. Many have a trial period. Take the time to experiment with different apps to see which ones hold your child’s attention and interest. Everyone's needs are different, be patient and find the right fit so they will commit to a consistent practice schedule. Now go out there and have some fun.

ConnectMed Camp Cosmos Virtual and In-Person March 8 Programming

 

ConnectMed International in San Diego, CA has an exciting day of programming for medically-complex kids near and far from Southern California. Please join them on Saturday, March 8, 2025. The Virtual Camp starts at 10AM PT/12:00PM CT/ 1:00PM ET

The day's theme is Marine Explorers for A Day. Participants will be able to immerse themselves in the wonders of the ocean. All events, both virtual and in person, will be inclusive experiences for all that provide support, resources, and fun for youth with physical differences and their families. 

The in-person camp for folks local to Southern California begins at 2-4PM PST. The3 gathering will be around Birch Aquarium in La Jolla, CA. More details will be provided upon registration. The deadline to register is Feb 24 (Virtual) and March 1 (In-Person). 

Register Today

Holidays with Camp Cosmos Dec. 14th (On Zoom) & Dec. 15th (In San Diego)

Register Here

Join us for ConnectMed International's Holidays with Camp Cosmos. For the fourth year in a row, we will celebrate the holidays with YOU. This year's theme is "The Wonder of Winter Wildlife." On Saturday, December 14th join us for virtual programming with programming for kids, tweens, and teens. Please come deck the virtual halls with us! It is sure to be a great time. 

Register Here