Our clinic is known as a family-based treatment center, with the family considered an essential part of the treatment team. It is our philosophy that the child and their family are integral parts to habilitation or rehabilitation. Assessments and treatment plans include feedback from parents and/or primary caregivers. The parents are primary decision-makers in the development of a treatment plan and in the child’s actual treatment. They will also be guided in understanding their child’s issues and in how to assist with their child’s intervention to carryover goals and new learning at home, school and in the community.

We also work as a team with all the members of your child’s education and care, as decided by the family and therapist. We use assessments, reports and observations from other professionals in the child’s life, including, for example, physicians, teachers, aides, psychologists, psychiatrists, educational therapists, tutors, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. We will also participate with other team members to coordinate goals and provide feedback and education, as appropriate. We welcome other team members to educate us in their various disciplines and in their specific work with your child.

All our therapists are specialists in pediatric speech/language therapy. They are well educated in a number of treatment interventions and techniques which will assist them in treating your child’s particular issues or disability but also in meeting the needs of your child’s personality and learning style. We do not believe in a “one size fits all” approach. This is the reason for the therapists being well versed in a number of techniques and types of intervention for various problems. Techniques include, but are not limited to, direct teaching and skill building with table top activities, floor play and play-based therapy, use of a naturalistic language approach, computer activities, and reading and writing for older students, as appropriate.

Therapy is always a mixture of learning and enjoyment. There are a number of different strategies and materials that can teach your child and make it a good and fun learning experience.

Our philosophy also includes integrating learning and skill building into functional activities, which will facilitate growth and generalization. These may include play activities for the younger child. We consider the concept that one can “map a child’s language (or speech) onto their play,” as play is what is meaningful to the younger child and represents their developing world. Incorporating their newly acquired skills into such play activities will give them a chance to communicate meaningfully and give them opportunities for multiple practice. Functional activities for the older student may include use of school materials, books and literature of interest, writing, computer activities, hobbies and interests or other aspects of their daily routine. This type of application will enable them to apply strategies immediately into activities where they will need to use their new skills.

One aspect to stress is that we believe that therapy needs to include a dual purpose of addressing your child’s ability level (strengths and weaknesses) as well as their personality and learning style. It is our strong belief that one must give children respect and be a good listener for them as well as a good teacher. When we first meet your child, we will adapt to their level, physically as well as linguistically, and try to get a sense of who they are and how to approach the interaction. We will also ask you to fill out a survey of their interests so that we may bring those interests into the learning experience. This also guides us in making decisions about treatment materials, and we will buy, as needed, specialized tools to suit your child’s needs and interests.