Alexis Irazoque, M.S., CCC-SLP
Four-year-old Ezekiel is the kind of kid who lights up a room. He loves playing outside, digging his hands into slime, doing crafts at the kitchen table, and pretending to be Spiderman. But for a long time, his parents, Jackie and David, worried about one big thing: communication.
“When Ezekiel was little, he wouldn’t say words,” Jackie recalls. “He had some sounds, but it was hard for him to pronounce words.”
By the time he turned 3 years old, the gap had grown between what Ezekiel wanted to say and what others understood of his speech. Jackie and David often found themselves guessing what he needed, and the frustration on both sides was heartbreaking. “We just wanted to understand him,” Jackie says.
Unsure where to turn, they brought up their concerns at Ezekiel’s next pediatrician visit. His doctor listened and recommended getting connected with Expressable. That conversation changed everything.
Meeting Liz: The start of something new
In January of 2025, Ezekiel met Liz Seebock, M.S., CCC-SLP, a warm, energetic speech-language pathologist (SLP) who immediately made him feel at ease. Liz remembers their early sessions clearly.
“At first, Ezekiel mainly communicated through gestures and single words, in both Spanish and English,” she says. “His speech clarity and ability to combine words into phrases were limited.” At this stage, Ezekiel’s strengths and challenges were consistent with a mixed receptive-expressive language disorder, a diagnosis that affects both understanding and using language.
But something else was clear, too: Ezekiel’s curiosity. His eagerness to play. His love of connection. So, Liz leaned into all of it.
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Find a speech therapistChild-led speech therapy that’s full of play
Jackie says that speech therapy sessions quickly became one of Ezekiel’s favorite parts of the week. “The sessions are really fun,” she shares. Ezekiel and Liz play games, read books, and pretend to be doctors. Ezekiel’s mom says he loves it, and she adds, “I’ve learned so much from watching Liz.”
Liz uses evidence-based language strategies like language modeling to help Ezekiel build skills. His current therapy goals focus on:
Improving his understanding of and ability to answer WH-questions, such as “what,” “where,” and “who”
Expanding his sentences, so moving from speaking in single words or 2-word phrases to 3-, 4- and eventually 5-word sentences
Because Expressable takes a child-led approach, Ezekiel is never expected to sit still in front of the screen for long periods. “Sometimes he wants to move around,” Jackie says. “But, Liz always reassures us it’s totally fine. She meets him where he is.”
Liz agrees. “Our sessions are child-centered, supportive, and highly engaging,” she says. “Jackie is incredible—she attends every session, helps translate when needed, and practices strategies at home. They are such a dedicated family.”
Progress that everyone can see
Little by little, Ezekiel’s communication began to blossom. Liz remembers one moment that stood out: “During play, he suddenly asked, ‘Where are you, Mommy?’ It was completely spontaneous. That was huge.”
Ezekiel’s vocabulary also took off. During pretend doctor play, he started using big words like “emergency,” “medicine,” “germs,” and “temperature.” And he didn’t just use them with Liz—he started using them with his family, too.
At home, Jackie and David built speech practice into their daily routine by reading books, naming objects around the house, and practicing simple questions at mealtimes. “Liz taught me how to be more patient,” Jackie says. “I feel more confident working with [Ezekiel] one-on-one.”
At a follow-up appointment, Ezekiel’s pediatrician smiled and said, “He talks so much!”
The impact has been undeniable. One day at a follow-up appointment, Ezekiel’s pediatrician smiled and said, “He talks so much!” Jackie says the doctor seemed genuinely impressed by how far he’d come.
Liz reports, “Ezekiel has made tremendous progress in a short time. He’s moved from relying on single words to spontaneously using 3- to 4-word phrases. His WH-question skills are emerging beautifully. And he’s using his language in other environments, not just in therapy.”
One example: Ezekiel now communicates with his friends at school. His teacher says that he’s following directions, interacting more, and participating during class. Jackie beams when she shares, “He started from nothing, and now he wants to talk a lot!”
Speech therapy that fits the family
For Jackie and David, having speech therapy online has been life-changing. “We love that he can do therapy at home,” Jackie explains. “No driving, no sitting in traffic. And Ezekiel has access to his toys, so he feels comfortable.”
Being at home also makes it easier for them to be part of every session, and that’s made a real difference. It gives Liz an opportunity to use parent coaching during therapy, so Jackie and David know how to help Ezekiel with his communication skills all week long. Through the Expressable portal, Liz sends weekly home practice activities and short Learning Paths, giving the family simple, ready-to-use strategies they can practice anytime. Having everything in one place—videos, tips, and therapist feedback—makes it easy for Jackie and David to stay consistent between sessions.
“We focus on practical strategies they can use at home, like recasting, expansions, and structured questions, so language learning continues all week long. And we integrate both English and Spanish to support Ezekiel’s bilingual development,” Liz notes.
A family filled with hope
Ezekiel’s story is one of hard work, creativity, and teamwork between a child, his parents, and a therapist who believes in him. “He’s a different kid now,” Jackie says with pride. “He wants to talk to us. He talks to his friends. We can understand him. And he’s so happy.”
For many families, speech therapy can make a powerful difference! If you’d like to learn more about how Expressable supports children and families through flexible, evidence-based speech therapy, take our free online screener or visit our website to get started.
How Expressable Can Help
Concerned your child isn't reaching age-expected milestones? Looking for communication support from a professional? Expressable is a national online speech therapy practice serving children and adults. We treat all major areas of communication and feeding, offer flexible hours including evenings and weekends, and accept most major health insurance plans. We’re proud to have earned more than 3,000 5-star reviews from our clients (4.9/5 average).
Our therapy model is centered on parent and caregiver involvement. Research proves that empowering caregivers to participate in their loved one’s therapy leads to better outcomes. That’s why we combine live, 1-on-1 speech therapy with personalized education and home practice activities for faster progress.
Communication is more than words. It’s how we share how we feel and show who we are. We’re here to help you or your child do just that.
