Speech / Language Services

Evaluation of Communication Skills

Evaluation of communication skills may include assessment in any of the following areas:

• Preverbal Communication
• Receptive Language: Comprehension
• Expressive Language
• Articulation: Pronunciation of words
• Phonology: Knowledge of "rules" governing use of speech sounds in relation to one another
• Social Language: Using language / communication skills in a variety of social contexts through verbal interactions with others
• Oral Motor / Feeding
• Respiration
• Phonation: Vocal production
• Fluency: Stuttering
• Play Skills
• Problem Solving Skills
• Augmentative Communication: low to high technology systems.

We use of variety of formal and informal assessment tools and strategies. Evaluation includes careful observation and measurement of the child's speech and language abilities. From these observations and measurements, recommendations are made. If therapy is recommended, a specific treatment plan is developed. Evaluation reports are written and provided to parents and others, as requested by parents.

Therapy for Communication Disorders / Delays

Therapy approaches are individually designed for the child's needs and developmental level. Therapy may include floor play, table top activities or a combination. Sessions are typically 1:1 child/therapist. Small group therapy may be offered to work on social-communication skill development.

Our therapists regularly update clinical skills through continueing education and collaboration with coworders and with other professionals. Each therapist has specific areas of clinical interest, training and expertise. In therapy, she might include strategies from any of the following philosophies/methods:

• Hanen — It Takes Two to Talk – The Hanen Program for Parents
• Hanen — More Than Words - The Hanen Program for Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
• NDT — Neurodevelopmental Treatment
• The Alert Program for Self-Regulation
• Floortime — Developmental Individual Difference Relationship Model (DIR)
• PROMPT — Prompts for Restructuring Oral Musculature Phonetic Targets
• Beckman Oral Motor Assessment and Intervention
• Kaufmann Speech Praxis Treatment Approach
• Programs to develop literacy skills, including the Wilson Reading Program, Linguistic Remedies, Living Linguistics, See & Learn, and others.