Meet our Speech Therapist, Emily Chow!  We asked Emily a series of questions in order to get to know her better and you can read it all here.

Q:  Tell us a little about yourself.

A:  I grew up in Dallas. I received my bachelor’s at University of Texas (Hook ‘em), worked for a couple of years in Austin, before moving to Dallas for graduate school at UT Dallas (Go comets??). I met my husband soon after, who is a diehard K-state fan (Go Wildcats…sigh). We were married in 2010, and have a goofy Airedale Terrier named Birk. We have an ongoing bet each year that whoever’s team wins the Texas/K-State football game gets to decorate our Christmas tree with their mascots tree topper.

Q:  What made you want to be a therapist?

A:  I’m one of those crazy people who has always known what I wanted to be when I grew up. Both of my younger brothers had early intervention for speech and language, and, being the big sister that I was, I “helped” them with their daily speech homework for years. Later on, in high school, my great-grandmother had a series of strokes, and I watched her go from barely talking, eating, or drinking, to almost back to normal – all with the help of home health Speech, Occupational and Physical therapists. I knew a career in therapy was for me, and since I’m known for talking too much, I figured Speech-Language Pathology would probably be the best fit. It really clicked for me in college, while working as a home tutor for children with Autism, that pediatrics was my calling.

Q:  What is the most rewarding thing about your career?

A:  It ranges from seeing a kid so excited that he can finally say his name correctly, to seeing a family finally get to sit down to a meal all together because their child can finally eat her nuggets and veggies, to getting that tearfully happy phone call that a baby is cleared to remove his g-tube because he’s finally eating enough. It’s a joy to work with so many families that just want their child to live the best life they can. Really, I’m just blessed that I get to be a blip in these wonderful families lives.

Q:  What are your biggest challenges?

A:  I talk really, really fast, especially when I’m excited, and have a lot of energy. I have to remind myself before walking into each patient’s house to slow down so that both they, and their families, can understand me! I’ve even had one family ask that I wait to drink my morning coffee until after my visit, because I’m a lot to handle at 8 am! 

Q:  What made you want to make VIVA Pediatrics your home?

A:  I met Erica while working with her daughter on speech. Erica and Efrem’s passion for targeting not just the patient, but the whole family immediately caught my attention, and their vision for VIVA to serve the “whole package” continues to amaze me. The more nurses, managers, and staff I meet, the more I love the family that I am a part of. We have a wonderful, caring team that is always on call to help, brainstorm, and share in the joys and frustration of therapy!

Q:  What expert advice do you have for parents?  Maybe most frequently asked question/s?

A:  Parents have great instincts. If you think your child is delayed or you have some concerns about their development, it is ok to get a second, or even a third opinion! And always, always ask questions. I always want the parents in the room, and to know exactly what I am doing, and why. We are here to help you AND your child!

Thank you, Emily, for all you do to make life great for our patients and families!