{"id":98460,"date":"2023-04-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-05T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/?p=98460"},"modified":"2026-02-02T15:21:24","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T21:21:24","slug":"finding-hannahs-voice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/","title":{"rendered":"Finding Hannah\u2019s Voice"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\tEach spoken word is a triumph when childhood apraxia traps them inside.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tT<\/span>he<\/strong>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute\u2019s RiteCare Clinic in Hastings is teaching a 5-year-old girl the speech skills to match her outgoing personality \u2013 and highlighting the importance of that therapy to central and western Nebraska.\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t

Share<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\ttwitter<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tfacebook<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tbluesky<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\temail<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tprint<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t

Related Links<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\n

Explore the Munroe-Meyer Institute services<\/a><\/p>\n\n

Learn more about RiteCare speech and language clinics<\/a><\/p>\n\n

Intensive therapies keep Bently on his toes<\/a><\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\"Five-year-old\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tFive-year-old Hannah Buntin rushes from the family vehicle to greet her speech therapist at the UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute\u2019s RiteCare Clinic in Hastings, Nebraska. With her are her grandmother, mom and older sister.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\n

Hannah Buntin arrives in Hastings, all smiles and energy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She\u2019s got her voice communicator in hand from the car ride \u2013 the one she keeps pressing on repeat to express her excitement at going to see the speech therapist she loves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSydney. Sydney. Sydney.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah is an outgoing 5-year-old, a bubbly kid whose brightness lights up the world around her \u2013 but also a young girl whose voice is too often trapped inside her. She has Childhood Apraxia of Speech, a neurological speech disorder in which her brain struggles to create motor plans for speech and can mask Hannah as a quiet kid she\u2019s not.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah\u2019s attitude can\u2019t be contained when she flashes her bright smile and walks with a bop in her step. But her speech can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s all inside the little ball of sunshine. Now, the task is to bring it out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She came 250 miles from Ashby in Nebraska’s Sandhills to Hastings one wintery Tuesday to press toward the goal everyone has rallied around: Finding Hannah\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is the place where it\u2019s happening \u2013 the Munroe-Meyer Institute\u2019s RiteCare Clinic.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\"Hannah\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHannah's eyes light up whenever she encounters her speech therapist, Sydney Norton. The chemistry between them is helping Hannah become stronger in the basics of speech with each therapy session.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\n

The Buntin family’s journey started at 2 a.m. this day. So Hannah is raring to go when her grandmother\u2019s silver Ford Fiesta arrives at the clinic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Hannah\u2019s favorite blue T-shirt sprinkled with colorful stars says it all. It might as well be her motto:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I know<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

   more than I say <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

   more than I speak <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I notice<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

   more than you realize <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah communicates a lot \u2013 it just comes out in different ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She knows more about operating her touchscreen communicator than the adults who come across it. She mixes in sign language. Hannah has mastered the skill of flashing her smile to express what she\u2019s thinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The spoken words are coming out more and more, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This morning, when the family stopped at a Hy-Vee grocery store on the way to Hastings, Hannah dropped a casual \u201cexcuse me\u201d and \u201cdirty\u201d \u2013 both new words for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSydney\u201d on Hannah\u2019s communicator is Sydney Norton, one of two speech-language pathologists at the clinic.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\"Therapist\n\n\"Therapist\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tSydney Norton and Hannah head into a therapy room of the pediatric clinic in the lower level of the Hastings Masonic Temple. For the next hour, the two will work on some new words for Hannah.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\n

When they get to the clinic\u2019s door, Norton steps out to greet Hannah and her family \u2013 grandmother Caleta Lewis, mom Ame Buntin and sister Ashly. And Hannah loves it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Norton has something special planned for Hannah \u2013 an exercise with Bluey, a cartoon character that Hannah adores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah\u2019s voice can\u2019t be contained any more. No communicator. No sign language. No unspoken cues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah speaks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhaaaat!?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s time to find Hannah\u2019s voice.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\"Hannah's\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPlay video<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t

"It's everything for someone to have a voice."<\/p>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\n

Hannah and her family may have a long journey, some four hours, to get to Hastings. But it\u2019s a trip they gladly make every Tuesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The clinic is located inside the Hastings Masonic Temple, a municipal-looking building that greets visitors with RiteCare\u2019s message once inside. Colorful wall paintings of animals and nature scenes draw people downstairs to the pediatric clinic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s a humble space \u2013 a small front office with desks for Norton and fellow speech-language pathologist Krislyn Althouse and two therapy rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you see Miss Sydney?\u201d mom Ame asks Hannah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou get excited for your Tuesdays, don\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\"Hannah\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPlay is an integral part of Hannah's intensive therapy. A spinning toy is a reward at the close of a good day.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\n

Norton, part of the department of speech-language pathology at the Munroe-Meyer Institute, has been recognized for the care she offers at the RiteCare Clinic. She started her career working in rehab with nursing homes but joined MMI in 2019 after deciding she wanted to work with children.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For MMI and RiteCare, Norton works with kids with severe speech disorders, often children diagnosed with autism. She brings a love for augmentative and alternative communication, like Hannah\u2019s touchscreen communicator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norton diagnosed Hannah last spring after the Buntins had met frustration elsewhere throughout Hannah\u2019s young life. Norton offered the game plan for Hannah\u2019s care \u2013 one visit to Hastings per week and two virtual sessions to train Hannah in the basics of speech.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\"Mom\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAme Buntin watches through the glass as her daughter embraces her therapy session.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\n

On the surface, Norton plays with Hannah throughout her appointment. But it\u2019s also an intense, tiring speech therapy session.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, Norton will use blue tape to stick toy figures, including Bluey, on a mirror wall in the therapy room. If Hannah follows direction \u2013 and sounds out the words correctly and completely \u2013 she can take down the toys from the wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norton gets down on the floor at eye level with Hannah so the little one can see every vocal movement and facial stretch, and the mirror is there to offer a complete view. To overcome Hannah\u2019s apraxia, Norton is teaching her brain the very mechanics of speech, the physical moves to sound out a word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Woody and Buzz Lightyear are two of the toys taped up. And they need to get \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOut,\u201d Norton directs Hannah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOu,\u201d Hannah tries, with only part of the word.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norton urges her on, \u201cPut your end on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah understands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOuT,\u201d she says, punctuating the \u201cT\u201d. \u201cOuT.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before long, the words are out, and the mirror wall is clear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norton cheers on Hannah, \u201cLook, our basket is full!\u201d So, then the toys need to \u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGoooo up,\u201d Norton says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah follows. \u201cGo up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTell me again,\u201d Norton says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUp. Up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah is talking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the hallway right outside, mom Ame is touched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI just want to cry because we\u2019re getting somewhere,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\"Young\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHannah's condition wasn't diagnosed until the Buntin family received a referral from a stranger with first-hand knowledge of MMI's RiteCare Clinic in Hastings. It's supported through the Scottish Rite Masons of Nebraska.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\n

Hannah and her family have had a difficult journey to get here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until they started at RiteCare last April, the Buntins had no diagnosis, no answers, no plan to help Hannah, grandmother Caleta Lewis said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the very first test after she was born, Hannah failed her hearing exams \u2013 and her speech lagged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All along the way, Lewis said, the family received assurances about the failed tests. That\u2019s normal after a C-section, they were told, or it\u2019s because of fluid in her ears. Over and over, they were reassured, Hannah was not deaf and even had normal hearing in her right ear, Lewis said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Hannah\u2019s voice wasn\u2019t coming out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After early speech therapy, a hearing aid and regular appointments at a clinic in Omaha, Hannah spoke only about 10 words, and fewer than that reliably. With kindergarten fast approaching, Buntin and her mom cried after one last appointment.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\"Hannah's\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t"Hannah has always had a voice. It's just been trapped inside," says speech therapist Sydney Norton.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\n

On the trip across Nebraska back to Ashby on that day last April, the family stopped in Grand Island at a Sam\u2019s Club for groceries, Lewis recalls.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As they walked through the aisles, they talked with Hannah using sign language, Lewis said. In the crowd of customers, a man who knew sign language noticed and stopped to meet the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He signed with Hannah and asked Buntin and Lewis if she was deaf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lewis recalls telling him that Hannah has normal hearing in one ear and a hearing aid for the other. Her issue is speech, she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, she has apraxia,\u201d the man said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All this time, Lewis said, the Buntins had never heard a full explanation of Childhood Apraxia of Speech, sometimes called CAS or verbal apraxia. Nor had they received that diagnosis for Hannah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The visitor in Sam\u2019s Club told them he helped raise money for the Scottish Rite Masons and the RiteCare clinic they support in Hastings, Lewis said. He wrote down the contact information, she said, and moved along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was Hannah\u2019s first angel, as the family calls him now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They consider Sydney Norton their second.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\"Hannah\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tHannah uses a touch-pad communication device to augment conversations with others, including her therapist.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\n

Norton grew up in Hastings and said it\u2019s an honor to serve the community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI know the people. I know the community. I know the culture,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd it\u2019s just a great honor that they trust me with their children, especially with their children who are in such a time of crisis in their lives.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norton knows the special importance of the RiteCare Clinic to Hastings and the broader community in outstate Nebraska.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Started in 1976, the clinic operates through MMI in partnership with the Scottish Rite Masons of Nebraska to provide pediatric speech and language therapy services. Thanks to the Masons\u2019 fundraising, families whose children get therapy there receive no bill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The clinic represents one example of MMI\u2019s outreach across Nebraska \u2013 part of the hub and spokes of services that reach out to the state from the Munroe-Meyer Institute\u2019s main facility in central Omaha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norton calls the clinic \u201csmall but mighty.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many families in the region drive hours to access the Hastings RiteCare Clinic\u2019s services, Norton said. Even though the services are so vital for the clinic’s clients, she said, it\u2019s not feasible for those families to drive all the way to Omaha or Lincoln for regular appointments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt means everything to our area,\u201d she said. \u201cHaving an option here in central Nebraska just opens the door for all of these people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\"Ame\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tAme Buntin calls MMI's RiteCare Center a godsend for not just her daughter but the entire family. Between trips to Hastings, they re-enforce what Hannah is learning and check in with Norton via video chats.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t

\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\n\n

Having seen \u2013 and heard \u2013 Hannahs\u2019 progress, the Buntins believe the road ahead has opened for Hannah.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The words are adding up, and becoming phrases. Hannah speaks some \u201cghost words\u201d \u2013 words that Hannah hadn\u2019t practiced before that just come out but maybe don\u2019t become regulars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Norton said she knew from the moment she met Hannah that she would need to \u201cbe on my A-game to get this kiddo some help.\u201d Norton said she\u2019s proud to see Hannah\u2019s progress and grateful to be part of her journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s come an extremely long way,\u201d Norton said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah is happier now because people can understand her, her mom said. The outgoing young girl can go up to other kids \u2013 and not get strange looks when she doesn\u2019t talk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buntin said she considers RiteCare and MMI a blessing from God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSydney has opened several doors for us. Hannah\u2019s just blooming \u2013 just blooming so much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hope is that Hannah\u2019s speaking skills keep growing, either through the RiteCare Clinic or a classroom or in her everyday life. In addition to her other therapy, Norton has taught Hannah\u2019s family direct therapy skills to carry on the learning at home.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Back at her grandma\u2019s house, Hannah often will sneak behind grandma\u2019s couch. In hiding, she\u2019ll practice the words she\u2019s been learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hannah is finding her voice. She\u2019s learning the tools to use it.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\t\n

\n\t
\n\t\t
\n\t\t\t\n\"Hannah's\n\n\"The\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\tThe Buntin family travels 500 miles round-trip each week so that Hannah can have one-on-one speech therapy at MMI's RiteCare Clinic. The progress that Ame Buntin sees in her daughter makes every mile worthwhile.\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute\u2019s RiteCare Clinic in Hastings is teaching a 5-year-old girl the speech skills to match her outgoing personality – and highlighting the importance of that therapy to central and western Nebraska. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":75,"featured_media":103269,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"51427,61479,63913,53963,50169,72400","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-98460","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","topic-outreach","topic-patient-care","department-multimedia-stories","department-munroe-meyer-institute","department-unmc-today-todays-headlines"],"yoast_head":"\nFinding Hannah\u2019s Voice<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute\u2019s RiteCare Clinic in Hastings is teaching a 5-year-old girl the speech skills to match her outgoing personality - and highlighting the importance of that therapy to central and western Nebraska.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Finding Hannah\u2019s Voice\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"The UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute\u2019s RiteCare Clinic in Hastings is teaching a 5-year-old girl the speech skills to match her outgoing personality - and highlighting the importance of that therapy to central and western Nebraska.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Newsroom\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/unmcedu\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2023-04-05T05:00:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-02-02T21:21:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hannah-mirror-900x600-1.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"900\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jeffrey Robb\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@unmc\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@unmc\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jeffrey Robb\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jeffrey Robb\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/person\/6c55382c243ff55b6c4dee62262b6a5c\"},\"headline\":\"Finding Hannah\u2019s Voice\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-04-05T05:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-02T21:21:24+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/\"},\"wordCount\":1712,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hannah-mirror-900x600-1.jpg\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/\",\"name\":\"Finding Hannah\u2019s Voice\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hannah-mirror-900x600-1.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2023-04-05T05:00:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-02-02T21:21:24+00:00\",\"description\":\"The UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute\u2019s RiteCare Clinic in Hastings is teaching a 5-year-old girl the speech skills to match her outgoing personality - and highlighting the importance of that therapy to central and western Nebraska.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hannah-mirror-900x600-1.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hannah-mirror-900x600-1.jpg\",\"width\":900,\"height\":600,\"caption\":\"Leaning against a mirror, Sydney Norton, left, works with Hannah..Photographs of Hannah Buntin, 5, of Ashby, Neb. in a speech therapy session with Sydney Norton, a speech-language pathologist with MMI\u2019s RiteCare Clinic in Hastings, Neb. on Tuesday, January 24, 2023. Hannah\u2019s treatment is for apraxia and hearing loss in one ear.\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Finding Hannah\u2019s Voice\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/\",\"name\":\"Newsroom\",\"description\":\"\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#organization\",\"name\":\"University of Nebraska Medical Center\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/overview-1.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/overview-1.png\",\"width\":500,\"height\":153,\"caption\":\"University of Nebraska Medical Center\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/unmcedu\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/unmc\",\"https:\/\/instagram.com\/iamunmc\",\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/UNMCEDU\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/person\/6c55382c243ff55b6c4dee62262b6a5c\",\"name\":\"Jeffrey Robb\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/author\/d09bf41544a3365a46c9077ebb5e35c3\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Finding Hannah\u2019s Voice","description":"The UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute\u2019s RiteCare Clinic in Hastings is teaching a 5-year-old girl the speech skills to match her outgoing personality - and highlighting the importance of that therapy to central and western Nebraska.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Finding Hannah\u2019s Voice","og_description":"The UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute\u2019s RiteCare Clinic in Hastings is teaching a 5-year-old girl the speech skills to match her outgoing personality - and highlighting the importance of that therapy to central and western Nebraska.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/","og_site_name":"Newsroom","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/unmcedu","article_published_time":"2023-04-05T05:00:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-02-02T21:21:24+00:00","og_image":[{"width":900,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hannah-mirror-900x600-1.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Jeffrey Robb","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@unmc","twitter_site":"@unmc","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jeffrey Robb","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/"},"author":{"name":"Jeffrey Robb","@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/person\/6c55382c243ff55b6c4dee62262b6a5c"},"headline":"Finding Hannah\u2019s Voice","datePublished":"2023-04-05T05:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-02T21:21:24+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/"},"wordCount":1712,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hannah-mirror-900x600-1.jpg","inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/","url":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/","name":"Finding Hannah\u2019s Voice","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hannah-mirror-900x600-1.jpg","datePublished":"2023-04-05T05:00:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-02-02T21:21:24+00:00","description":"The UNMC Munroe-Meyer Institute\u2019s RiteCare Clinic in Hastings is teaching a 5-year-old girl the speech skills to match her outgoing personality - and highlighting the importance of that therapy to central and western Nebraska.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hannah-mirror-900x600-1.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/hannah-mirror-900x600-1.jpg","width":900,"height":600,"caption":"Leaning against a mirror, Sydney Norton, left, works with Hannah..Photographs of Hannah Buntin, 5, of Ashby, Neb. in a speech therapy session with Sydney Norton, a speech-language pathologist with MMI\u2019s RiteCare Clinic in Hastings, Neb. on Tuesday, January 24, 2023. Hannah\u2019s treatment is for apraxia and hearing loss in one ear."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/2023\/04\/05\/finding-hannahs-voice\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Finding Hannah\u2019s Voice"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/","name":"Newsroom","description":"","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#organization","name":"University of Nebraska Medical Center","url":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/overview-1.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/08\/overview-1.png","width":500,"height":153,"caption":"University of Nebraska Medical Center"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/unmcedu","https:\/\/x.com\/unmc","https:\/\/instagram.com\/iamunmc","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/user\/UNMCEDU"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/#\/schema\/person\/6c55382c243ff55b6c4dee62262b6a5c","name":"Jeffrey Robb","url":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/author\/d09bf41544a3365a46c9077ebb5e35c3\/"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98460","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/75"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=98460"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98460\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":129505,"href":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/98460\/revisions\/129505"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/103269"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=98460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=98460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.unmc.edu\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=98460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}