EVALUATION & THERAPY SERVICES
SPEECH LANGUAGE THERAPY
INITIAL EVALUATION
In order for speech therapy sessions to be personalized and meaningful, our services begin with an evaluation.
We will gather information about your insights as a parent, learn about your child's strengths and challenges,
and collect a sample of their current speech and language skills.
Articulation & Phonological
Speech Sound Disorders
Does your child have difficulty making certain speech sounds or speaking clearly so that others can understand? We address speech sound errors through a variety of individualized approaches within play-based activities. Articulation and phonological therapy will help your child:
- Use all age-appropriate speech sounds in words and sentences
- Clearly express themselves when talking to other children and adults
- Reduce frustration from not being understood
- Gain confidence in their speech and reduce feelings of self-consciousness
Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC)
When children aren't able to communicate through spoken words, it can cause frustration and barriers in life. We bridge that gap through the use of AAC to establish a reliable communication system - whether gestured, signed, or selected on a device. AAC therapy will help your child:
- Use meaningful vocabulary
- Successfully relay their wants, needs, ideas, and questions
- Participate fully in daily decisions and interactions
- Build confidence as an independent communicator
Childhood Apraxia of Speech
(CAS)
Children with CAS often need support to coordinate the muscle movements between sounds and syllables. We use a motor-based approach called DTTC (Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing) during motivating and child-led activities to improve motor speech skills while having fun! Speech therapy will help your child:
- Add new consonants and vowels to their speech sound inventory
- Say words that are meaningful to them with higher accuracy
- Speak clearly so that others understand them
- Confidently communicate their needs, wants, and ideas
Natural Language Acquisition
(NLA)
We specialize in working with children who use echolalia and scripting to communicate. During child-led play activities, we acknowledge and honor scripts while modeling new language to help children move through the NLA stages - from echolalia to original language! Speech therapy will help your child:
- Feel affirmed and connected when communicating
- Express themselves clearly in their own words
- Use language that is better understood by others
Parent involvement is key in gestalt language therapy. Family members are always encouraged to join in, learn, and participate!
What is Echolalia / Scripting / Gestalt Language?
How do I know if my child is a Gestalt Language Processor?
Gestalt language processing is a natural way to learn language. At least 85% of autistic children learn language this way - moving from repeating things they hear (song lyrics, catchy phrases, movie lines) to using more original and spontaneous language.
While some children will make their way through the language learning stages with ease, others may get stuck at the early stages of their language development. Our goal is to support your child in moving through the stages to eventually start using novel, self-generated language!
Your child may be a gestalt language processor if they:
- Repeat lines from movies and TV shows
- Use rich melody and intonation when they speak, even if the words are not clear
- Seem to be "stuck" using single words
- Don't speak yet, but sing or hum rhythmically
- Use a limited inventory of words and phrases and/or repeat words and phrases over and over in the same way each time
- Make pronoun "errors" or talk in the 3rd person
- Have difficulty answering questions
As your child's most frequent communication partner, we will teach you about gestalt language processing, answer your questions, and help you confidently use language strategies at home.
To make sure that sessions are as personalized and meaningful as possible, our services begin with an evaluation. We will gather information about your insights as a parent, get an idea of your child's strengths and challenges, and collect a sample of their current language skills. The evaluation process often includes the following:
- Parent Interview
- Parent Questionnaires
- Language Sample Analysis
- Standardized Assessments (when appropriate)
Once the evaluation is complete, Bluebird Speech and Language will work with your family to write goals and make a plan for therapy.
Bluebird Speech & Language
Located in the DragonTree Reading Center
269 Route 31 South, Suite 4, Washington, NJ 07882
(201)874-8861
sandra.bluebirdspeech@gmail.com
© Copyright 2023 Bluebird Speech & Language. All rights reserved.
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