Summer is the perfect time to step away from screens and lean into sunshine, connection, and playful learning. The season is full of simple, fun opportunities to support your child’s speech and language development, and most of them don’t even require leaving your home or backyard!

Summer is a season of fun, but it’s also a time when our ears can face some serious challenges. From loud concerts and fireworks to splashy pool days and noisy travel, the warm-weather months can be tough on hearing health, especially for kids and teens.

At Sound Speech & Hearing Clinic, we believe that protecting your hearing can still be part of the fun. With just a few easy strategies, you and your family can enjoy every summer sound without putting your ears at risk.

Throughout June, the Sound Speech and Hearing Clinic team visited providers across the Bay Area who support gender-diverse patients!

This summer we are making reading a top priority, and embracing the Read 25 Day Today (June 25th). To make this even more fun, we encourage you to support some of San Francisco’s incredible independent bookstores and libraries. Here are a few of our team’s favorites:

Meet Ethan and Mackenzie, this summer’s Sound Interns!

At Sound Speech & Hearing Clinic, we believe in the power of reading, not just as a tool for learning, but as a way to connect, relax, grow, and explore. That’s why we’re excited to share a simple, joyful movement we’re embracing on June 25, 2025 with the Read 25 Challenge by author and happiness expert Gretchen Rubin.

As summer break rolls in and backpacks are tucked away, it’s easy to assume that learning can take a full vacation too. But for many children, especially those with speech, language, or literacy challenges, the summer months can lead to a phenomenon known as the “summer slide.”

The summer slide refers to the learning loss that can happen when children are away from the structure and practice of the school year. And while all kids are vulnerable to some degree of regression, research shows that reading skills are particularly at risk, especially for students who are already working hard to build their reading fluency, comprehension, or vocabulary.

Earlier this month, clinic owners Jody Vaynshtok and Melissa Beer headed to New Orleans to attend the Fuel Medical Symposium, a 3-day powerhouse conference for private practices in communication health.

The wait is over, tonight’s the night! Sound Speech & Hearing Clinic is headed to the first-ever Wellness Rave, and we are so ready to dance, connect, and protect some ears along the way. 🪩🎧✨

Schools out for the summer…but the team at Sound Speech and Hearing Clinic is sticking around. Flexible schedule, double the fun, intensive weeks, we’re here to fit in and around your summer schedule.

Going to a concert or rave? Don’t forget your phone charger, your water bottle… and your earplugs.

Seriously. One of the best things you can do to protect your future self is to take care of your hearing now. That’s why we’ll be at the Wellness Rave on Thursday, June 12 offering on-site ear mold impressions for custom hearing protection, designed specifically for music lovers who want to feel the beat without the damage.

So many people assume hearing loss is an issue for “later.” But the truth is, extended exposure to loud noise can cause permanent damage, even in one night. That’s why education and prevention are so important, especially in high-volume spaces like festivals and raves.

This June, in celebration of Pride Month, we’re extending our support beyond the clinic walls with free weekly Gender-Affirming Voice Office Hours, held virtually every Monday.

On Thursday, June 12, Sound Speech & Hearing Clinic will be onsite at the Wellness Rave: A Night of Vibes, Vision, and Movement, a one-of-a-kind event combining music, medicine, mindfulness, and movement. Hosted by the brilliant team at Avid Sports Medicine and the iconic Dr. Veronica Jow (aka The Rave Doctor), this night is all about celebrating your body and mind in ways that feel good and do good.

At our clinic, Pride isn’t just a month. It’s a year-round commitment to providing culturally responsive, identity-affirming care. It’s using the right pronouns, creating safe spaces, listening with respect, and advocating for access at every level.

At Sound Speech & Hearing Clinic, we know that communication is powerful, and so is advocacy. This National Speech-Language-Hearing Month, we’re using our voice to speak up for greater access, equity, and awareness in the fields of speech, language, and hearing care. Because supporting our patients doesn’t stop at the therapy room.

Hearing technology is evolving, and we’re excited to give you a front-row seat May 29 & 30, 2025 during a special Hearing Aid Showcase Event at Sound Speech & Hearing Clinic, featuring the cutting-edge Oticon Intent™ hearing aids.