What makes Help Me Speak’s speech/oral-motor/eating evaluations for children unique?
Our speech-language pathologists are trained to evaluate clients based on Help Me Speak’s approach which combines PROMPT, Talk Tools hierarchies, an eating analysis, Beckman stretches, standard articulation tests (as appropriate), the Kaufman Speech Praxis Test, &/or the VMPAC (Verbal Motor Production Assessment in Children).
The next step is a detailed assessment of the stability, control/grading, coordination, dissociation (separation of movement), and strength of the jaw, lips, tongue and cheeks through the analysis of eating skills with a variety of food textures and through the examination of the client’s oral motor skills on the Talk Tools hierarchies.
What makes Help Me Speak’s clinic state-of-the-art?
Our clinic location is NEW!! It has 4 therapy rooms with large observation windows—so you can observe your child in his/her session if being in the room is not best at this time or use our video monitors to observe. We have a sensory– motor room with swings, a trampoline, a tunnel, a ball pit, therapy balls, & many other sensory activities. Your child may spend part or all of his/her therapy session in this room. Our swing can accommodate adults up to 300 lbs. We offer a large kitchenette—-which we can use for Help Me Eat sessions and for language experiences with individual and group sessions. Our entire clinic is ADA compliant & is on the first floor. We have a dedicated client bathroom—no waiting. You can bring your child’s sibling(s) who can play in our waiting room during therapy sessions—under parental supervision. Our administrative assistant is available in person on Monday – Thursdays or via email to answer your paperwork, billing, etc. questions. Also, we have changed our credit card billing—-bring your card please, so that we may swipe it onsite and give you your receipt. We continue to accept VISA, MasterCard, and Discover, as well as checks and cash.
What do the SLPs do during a therapy session?
Our licensed and certified SLPs use a structured yet child-centered approach to improve your child’s speech production, articulation, eating, &/or language difficulties. Sessions are offered in 50 min & 30 min increments, but may be longer upon request. In a 50 min session, 45 minutes is spent in direct therapy with your child and 5 minutes is spent in indirect therapy via parent/family teaching/training. In a 30 min session, 25 min is direct and 5 min is indirect.
During direct therapy, your child may play at the table or on the floor. Often, we use visual picture/word schedules so that your child can see what will happen next. We utilize our sensory-motor room as needed at the beginning or in the middle of therapy. As needed, we employ Beckman stretches, Talk Tools, and PROMPT during the structured play part of the session. We may use a variety of other traditional and state-of-the-art therapy techniques as well to help your child improve his/her skills.
