Speech Therapy

Imagine being a child who is vocal but has no words, who doesn’t comprehend that there is communication, let alone how to do communication. A child who learns from their speech therapist to communicate through PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System), and then very gradually, with much instruction, repetition, and reinforcement, starts learning to verbalize words. Think of the courage, effort, and patience it takes on the part of the therapist as well as the child.

Children with speech and language delays benefit from Speech Therapy services. Our team of Speech and Language Pathologists work with children individually and in groups to develop communication programs that help them to communicate their needs and wants to other people.

Amy Ezekiel Speech-Language Pathologist

Melanie Yanni Speech-Language Pathologist

Brittany Fountain Speech-Language Pathologist

Sarah Cerone Speech-Language Pathologist

Recently in Speech Therapy

10.24.24

B, one of our school-age students, has made amazing progress with his speech and language goals. His speech therapist, Amy, knows just how to make sessions motivating, often choosing settings that her students love. For B, that means heading outside for a quick pickup basketball game! This relaxed, active environment helps B engage fully, using his communication skills naturally as they work on vocabulary, sentence-building, and turn-taking during the game. It’s a fantastic example of how creativity in therapy can make all the difference in a student’s growth and confidence. Plus he makes an impressive swish which wins him the game.

9. 12.24 Bright and determined school-age student “B”, is learning to play hide and seek with her speech therapist—a milestone that reflects both her progress and the dedication and creativity behind her learning journey. While many children master this game at a younger age, for B, the process has required extra care and individualized attention. Her speech therapist, Brittany, started with simple concepts, teaching B how to understand basic rules like taking turns, identifying hiding spots, and practicing patience while seeking.

Step by step, B has been guided through the language and social skills necessary for the game. First, there were goals for communication and she worked with picture icons to exchange her ideas with others. Only recently has vocabulary like “hide” and “seek,” been brought into her world pairing the words with visuals and actions. She’s been practicing comprehension, such as following clues and understanding phrases like “it’s your turn to hide.” These elements are reinforced using engaging techniques and a lot of positive reinforcement to help her feel confident and excited about the game.

Playing hide and seek is more than just a fun game for B—it’s a way to develop social interaction, problem-solving, and the use of language in a natural, enjoyable setting. Click to the FB video; watching her engage with this classic game shows the power of persistence, creativity, and tailored support in helping her achieve such meaningful growth.

7.17.24 Maintaining Skills During the Extended School Year: A Crucial Focus for Speech Therapy

In the summer months of the Extended School Year (ESY), our focus shifts to maintaining the skills that our children have worked so hard on during the regular school year. This period is particularly important for our speech therapists, who play a vital role in ensuring that progress made in communication skills is not lost over the summer session.

For children with speech and language challenges, continuous practice and reinforcement are essential. Skills such as verbal expression, use of language, and use of assistive communication are hard-won as well as highly susceptible to regression if not consistently practiced. The ESY provides a structured environment where these skills can be maintained and even strengthened.

Speech therapy during the summer months helps prevent the “summer slide,” a phenomenon where children lose some of the progress they made during the school year due to a lack of regular practice. For children with speech and language needs, this regression can be more pronounced and harder to recover from without continuous intervention. Our speech therapists work diligently to create engaging and effective therapy sessions that keep children motivated and focused.

Maintaining skills requires repetition, consistency, and continuation of the same level of support and challenge experienced during the school year. Our speech therapists use the summer months to reinforce previously learned skills, introduce new concepts in a gradual manner, and provide individualized attention that helps each child stay on track with their communication goals.

Here we can peek in on three students during their sessions, each working on different skill sets. J is working on using language to communicate, while M is practicing verbal language after success with a PECs book. D is using verbal skills to answer yes/no questions. The three students are offered exciting reinforcers, and the therapists incorporate fun and engaging activities, making therapy sessions enjoyable while still being highly effective.

Assistive Technology: Empowering Non-speakers in Speech Therapy Sessions 4.18.24

In our speech therapy sessions, assistive technology plays a pivotal role in empowering non-speakers, offering them vital tools for communication beyond articulation. Beyond the traditional focus on speech sounds, our sessions delve deeper, encompassing a comprehensive approach to communication. We go above and beyond to instill in children the fundamental concept of communication and equip them with the skills to effectively convey their thoughts, needs, and desires. Through innovative assistive technology solutions, we provide non-speakers with alternative means of expression, fostering independence, confidence, and meaningful interaction in their daily lives.

Did you know that it’s estimated that 40% of children with autism are nonverbal? Did you know that approximately 40% of our students with autism are nonverbal, at least when they come to us? Or that other struggles are far more complex than articulation? Communication deficits lead the way with what makes life with autism and other developmental diagnoses so challenging. That’s why it is essential that our students receive the services and supports they need to learn to communicate. Here’s the blog spot to share our Speech and Language stories with you.

Leprechaun Traps, 3.15.24

Mrs. Brittany writes, “We made leprechaun trap snacks in speech groups this week.” Groups embarked on this creative culinary adventure by crafting leprechaun trap snacks. Each delightful treat was meticulously constructed using graham crackers, pretzels, and marshmallows, transforming group time into an opportunity for the children to engage in communication skills and collaboration as they worked together to design and construct their leprechaun trap snacks. Students used language skills to request and describe their ingredients and designs, and to share their excitement for the activity.

Toys and Device Go Hand In Hand 3.4.24

Rosie and her student sit side by side at a table in a favorite therapy spot. Rosie is working on directions and prepositions – put the truck on, put it behind, in, in front of, and so on.

The truck and the garage, among other items, are of high interest to this child, and in learning to use an assistive technology device to understand these placements, using high-interest materials is of utmost importance.

Don’t miss out on Brittany’s articles to improve your understanding of how Augmentative & Alternative Communication works. She is working with students, staff, and volunteers to decrease fear and stigma around AAC, and increase acceptance of individuals who use it.

Communication Rights, by Brittany Countryman Fountain 2.27.24

Communication is an essential part of our lives. We communicate to express who we are, build relationships, and contribute to our daily lives. The right to communicate is a basic human right. Whether born nonspeaking, lost the ability to speak, or need support to be understood, communication is everyone’s right. Not being able to speak does not mean you don’t have something to say.

To participate in conversations, each person has these fundamental communication rights:

• The right to interact socially, maintain social closeness, and build relationships

• The right to request desired objects, actions, events, and people

• The right to refuse or reject undesired objects, actions, events, or choices

• The right to express personal preferences and feelings

• The right to make choices from meaningful alternatives

• The right to make comments and share opinions

• The right to ask for and give information, including information about changes in routine and environment

• The right to be informed about people and events in one’s life

• The right to access interventions and supports that improve communication

• The right to have communication acts acknowledged and responded to even when the desired outcome cannot be realized

• The right to have access to functioning AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) and other AT (assistive technology) services and devices at all times

• The right to access environmental contexts, interactions, and opportunities that promote participation as full communication partners with other people, including peers

• The right to be treated with dignity and addressed with respect and courtesy

• The right to be addressed directly and not be spoken for or talked about in the third person while present

• The right to have clear, meaningful, and culturally and linguistically appropriate communications

#CrossroadsChallenge #ImpactCOMMUNICATION #communityimpact #SLP

Increased Opportunities, by Brittany Countryman 2.20.24

AAC provides more opportunities to participate in conversation and activities. Using a SGD provides a consistent and immediate verbal model, giving the individual ownership of their own voice. Voice output helps the user communicate even when their communication partner isn’t looking. Just like when we speak to someone who isn’t looking at us. This is different from picture exchange in which the individual relies on their communication partner to provide the verbal model (e.g. the person gives or points to a picture of a swing, you say “swing”).

From P’s parent- “The part that the speech generating device has allowed is for us to talk while I’m driving, a lower tech AAC device like PECs (picture exchange) would be nearly impossible, but there are many times she’s been very clear about what specific song she wants, or who she wants to call over bluetooth and talk to, or that she wants Dunkin. My favorite story is her cracking jokes, asking to use the elevator at home before walking up the two steps it takes to get into our house and then throwing her head back, laughing at herself. The device has truly changed her world and our lives.”

These devices are life-changing for everyone. Imagine you lost your voice and needed to have a conversation with someone. It’s easy to get into a routine of picking up on the way an individual communicates and “knowing” what they want, need, or feel. But providing them with the independence to make these needs known is a powerful thing.

Here are just a few Crossroads student examples of how a SGD has promoted independent communication:

P counts with her peers during calendar time at school

T was able to say trick or treat on Halloween last year

J asked for “more window” when she wanted to look outside

T asks his parents for french fries when they drive past a Burger King

A made animal sounds during “Old Macdonald had a Farm”

P talks to her doctor and nurse during checkups.

SGDs

By Brittany Countryman 2.11.24

High-tech AAC devices, or speech-generating devices (SGDs), can help individuals with complex communication needs express wants, needs, and ideas more effectively. There are six main communication functions: requesting, protesting, describing, making comments, asking and answering questions, and expressing feelings. Using low-tech options, such as picture exchange or communication boards are difficult to achieve all functions. High-tech options, such as SGDs, can be used to complete these communication functions and more.

There are many different types of SGDs ranging from tablets to computers to eye gaze devices. At Crossroads, we typically use tablets with a communication program that’s appropriate for the student’s needs and abilities. Some programs may have large grid sizes (with multiple, small icons on a page) while others may have smaller grid sizes (with larger icons). Most programs have multiple pages and folders (e.g. pressing “School” brings you to a page with school vocabulary, pressing “Food” brings you to a page with food options) so the individual has access to a wide range of vocabulary. The program is carefully chosen by an SLP based on the student’s needs. A few common software/applications include TouchChat with WordPower, Proloquo2go, Speak for Yourself, TD Snap, and LAMP Words for Life.

Sometimes SGDs are dedicated devices, where the software is only for communication. So, while a student might have an iPad as their communication device, its use is often restricted to the camera, settings, and communication apps, not allowing the student to download games or use the internet.

By Brittany Countryman, SLP

Understanding AAC

By Brittany Countryman 2.5.24

AAC (Augmentative & Alternative Communication) is a term referring to all communication other than verbal speech. This includes communication methods that supplement a person’s natural speech and language. This is often used by people who, some or all of the time, can’t rely on verbal language to express themselves. This includes children and adults with physical or cognitive disabilities, Autism, cerebral palsy, downs syndrome, aphasia, or apraxia. It also includes adults with speech and language difficulties due to stroke, traumatic brain injury, throat cancer, and neurologic or degenerative diseases like Parkinsons.

But methods of AAC are also used by all of us, everyday. This might be sign language, gestures, facial expressions, body language, or pictures. It’s also written words, typing, technology like computers, phones, or iPads. The students we serve at Crossroads often use picture exchange (PECS), communication boards, and speech generating devices in addition to gestures, sign, body language, when they are limited in verbal language. All classrooms utilize AAC through visual schedules, choice boards, and pictures to give directions or label items and places.

Imagine you lost your voice tomorrow; how would you communicate with everyone around you?

She Spells Shells! 2.2.24

Meet, C, one of our incredible young communicators! Despite being non-verbal so far, she fearlessly navigates her communication device. When she couldn’t find a PEC for “shells” to adorn the fish tank, she took matters into her own hands. With determination, she referred to the menu on the wall and spelled out the word “shells.” Her ingenuity and resourcefulness showcase the power of alternative communication methods. Every step forward is a victory!

Brittany’s Crusade to Educate on AAC | 2.1.24

Communication deficits pose significant hurdles for our students, making it crucial for them to receive tailored services and support to learn and enhance their communication skills. Recently, Ms. Brittany, one of the speech therapists here, is not only guiding children with autism but also began a course of educating their peers without autism on understanding Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to foster inclusivity and understanding.

Finding His Voice | 11.6.23

In a touching triumph of communication, a young boy has discovered the transformative power of his Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) device. It’s a remarkable tool that has opened doors to his desires and the joy of expressing them.

One day last week, he surprised his therapist when he navigated his AAC device and requested a “jelly donut.” When informed that there were no donuts but an abundance of jelly and bagels, he didn’t falter; instead, he requested a “jelly bagel.” With determination, he embarked on a culinary adventure, accompanied by his devoted therapist.

Together, they gathered the ingredients, spreading jelly onto a fresh bagel with precision and care. Then, this young explorer arranged a picnic on the floor, the perfect setting for his delectable creation. With every bite of his self-made jelly bagel, he savored not only the flavors but the sweet taste of newfound independence and the power of communication. It’s a story of resilience, innovation, and the incredible achievements made possible through the gift of technology and supportive guidance.

Cultivating Communication Through Play | 10.5.23

In the bustling world of Crossroads, a young boy’s journey to improve his communication skills is unfolding through playful exploration with his dedicated speech therapist. Together, they embark on an enchanting adventure with a Little People treehouse, where “V” practices the skill of describing spatial relationships. With every figurine placed carefully in, on, under, or beside different parts of the treehouse, he not only refines his ability to express himself but also unlocks the doors to better understanding his environment.

Communication Resources for a Happy Halloween | 10.27.23

Thanks to our speech therapists for 2 resources that you can use to give your child access to the communication skills they need for trick-or-treating. Print them out, or use them electronically, it’s up to you!