PEDIATRIC
CONNECTIONS
From Mealtimes to Milestones, Helping Children Thrive through Connection, Play and Family Centered Speech and Feeding Therapy in Fuquay Varina.
NEW! Preschoolers Program: Communication and Literacy ** Click for Details and To Sign up for an Informational Session
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NEW! Preschoolers Program: Communication and Literacy ** Click for Details and To Sign up for an Informational Session **
Our Mission
Empowering families through expert pediatric speech and oral motor/feeding therapy, parent coaching, and playful early learning so children thrive from mealtimes to milestones.
Our Specialties
With 30 years of expertise, we provide playful, individualized speech and feeding therapy that helps children thrive, families feel supported, and encourages meaningful connections last a lifetime.
Why Work With Us
Choosing the right therapy partner is about trust, expertise, and connection. We offer family‑centered care that empowers parents and builds children’s confidence through meaningful, lasting connections in a supportive, engaging environment.
Welcome to Pediatric Connections,
Where Connection Sparks growth, empowers families and transforms learning.
We believe every child should have the opportunity to grow with confidence, and every family should feel supported along the way. Our services include speech‑language and feeding therapy, hands‑on parent coaching, and early learning programs that help children thrive through exploration, learning, and meaningful connection.
Pediatric Speech & Language Therapy Individualized, developmentally appropriate intervention supporting communication from infancy through adolescence.
Oral Motor & Feeding Therapy Guiding families through mealtime challenges with compassionate, evidence-based strategies that make eating safe, positive and joyful.
Parent Coaching & Family Empowerment Practical tools and strategies that help families support communication and feeding at home and in everyday routines.
Early Learning Programs Development‑focused classes for toddlers, and preschoolers that nurture early milestones through connection‑rich learning experiences.
Connection-Focused Care Meaningful partnerships with families to help every child thrive.
Meet Your Therapist
Welcome! I’m Michelle.
I’m Michelle Thompson, M.S., CCC‑SLP, and I founded Pediatric Connections to help children and families thrive. With over 30 years of experience as a pediatric speech‑language pathologist, I specialize in feeding disorders, speech and language development, and parent coaching. My approach is connection‑focused, and I love partnering with families to create practical strategies that build confidence, strengthen communication, and nurture meaningful relationships.
What Families Say About Michelle
“Michelle will always hold a special place in my heart and in my family. She was a bright, guiding light in a time of fear and unknowns. She made a scary situation fun within the first few minutes. She listened, and she taught not only my son but also me how to navigate our situation with grace. She is one of those professionals who explains things so thoroughly, but in a way you can easily understand. She makes you feel confident in taking her lessons home and makes it easy to progress with her constant support and guidance. She was, and still is, just a phone call away. Michelle gave us more than just her time and therapy sessions. She gave us confidence, friendship, and healing. She gave us a light at the end of the tunnel and held our hands until we got there.”
— The Wahl Family“Michelle has been an absolute blessing to our family. As a first time mom I was completely lost when my boy couldn’t eat. Being sent home from the NICU with little to no experience when it came to my son’s needs. We tried three different speech / feeding therapists before finding Michelle. From our first time meeting Michelle, I knew she was the right therapist we needed and I thank God for her all the time. I’m not exaggerating when I say I honestly don’t know where we would be had we not met Michelle. I was spiraling because my son wasn’t eating and I had no idea how to help or what to do. Michelle was able to get my son to start taking his bottles. And then transition him to puree and onto solid foods. We are scheduled to have my son’s feeding tube removed in a few weeks and I honestly think that we wouldn’t be at this point today had it not been for Michelle and everything she has done to help my boy. She was able to guide me and give me the information I needed to work with my son at home. She always answered my questions and never made me feel like I didn’t know what I was doing. I can say a million things about how amazing Michelle is and how great she is with kids. But her knowledge and her skills speak for themselves. We will forever be grateful that we had the opportunity of meeting Michelle and working with her.”
— The Rendleman Family“Over the 2+ years that Mrs. Michelle worked with our son, we have seen such improvement in his articulation and overall understandability. Diagnosed with apraxia of speech at 2 years old, we have worked with several therapists & Mrs. Michelle stands out because of her kindness, compassion, & expertise. Lincoln has made great strides & continues to improve because of the great foundation that was established by Mrs. Michelle. He always looked forward to the time he got to spend with her, as she made their time together fun and enjoyable for him. We are incredibly grateful for everything Mrs. Michelle has done for Lincoln and our family.”
— The Lee Family
At Pediatric Connections, your child’s privacy matters deeply. I want every family to feel supported, respected and safe when sharing information with me. That’s why I use Spruce, a secure communication platform designed specifically for healthcare. Click below to learn more information.
Pediatric Connections: Privacy & Communication Guide
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Spruce is build with healthcare-level security, which means:
• Your messages are encrypted
Anything you send through the Spruce app - messages, photos, videos, documents - is protected while it travels and while it’s stored
• Only you and I can see your messages
No one else has access to your child’s information.
• You can safely share photos and videos
Many families send feeding videos or communication samples. Spruce keeps these private and secure.
• Everything stays in one protected place.
No scattered texts or emails - just one organized, secure space for your child’s care.
• You can switch from regular texting to secure messaging anytime.
If you text me from your phone, Spruce will invite you into the secure app with one tap.
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I want communication to feel easy, warm and predictable. Here’s how we’ll stay connected:
TEXTING: (Quick Questions & Scheduling)
You can text me for:
• Scheduling
• Quick Updates
• General Questions
If a message includes personal health information, Spruce will guide you into the secure app.
SECURE MESSAGING: (Anything Private)
Use Secure messaging for:
• Feeding Questions
• Developmental Concerns
• Photos/videos
• Evaluation results
• Care Plans
• Insurance Information
This keeps your child’s information protected.
PHONE CALLS:
You can call anytime during business hours. If I’m with a family, leave a message and I’ll return your call within one business day.
AFTER HOURS MESSAGES:
You will receive and automatic reply letting you know I’ll respond the next business day.
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• Warm, clear communication
• Respect for your time and your' child’s privacy
• A safe space to ask questions
• Thoughtful guidance and support
• Secure handling of all information
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• Use secure messaging for anything private
• Keep your Spruce app notifications on
• Share videos/photos through Spruce instead of regular text
• Reach out anytime you have questions - I’m here for you and your family!
How it All Works
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A brief, welcoming conversation where we learn about your child, answer your questions, and help you determine the best next steps. This is your chance to share your concerns and get a clear sense of how we can support your family.
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A referral from your pediatrician or physician is required before scheduling evaluations or treatment if you plan to use insurance to cover therapy costs. Private pay patients do not need a referral; however, we encourage you to consult with your pediatrician so that we can work together as a team to appropriately support your child’s overall needs.
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Your child’s evaluation includes a thorough, developmentally informed assessment of communication, feeding, or oral‑motor skills. We take time to understand strengths, challenges, and daily routines so we can create a plan that truly fits your child.
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Therapy sessions are individualized, relationship‑based, and tailored to your child’s age and needs. We work collaboratively with families, offering strategies you can use at home to support progress between sessions.
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As your child grows, we celebrate progress, adjust goals as needed, and ensure you feel supported every step of the way. Our focus is on meaningful, lasting gains that help your child thrive in daily life.
