Speech therapy is an intervention service that aims at improving an individual’s speech and abilities to understand and express language (including nonverbal language), and communication skills. Speech – Language Pathologists (SLPs) are the professionals who assess and treat speech disorders and communication problems. They are supported by Communicative Disorders Assistants (CDAs).

At LSCTS, the SLP will complete an assessment which considers the individual needs of your child. An assessment may include: an interview with you and your child, completion of tests or questionnaires. Depending on your child’s needs, an assessment may range from 30 minutes (to screen speech and language skills) to several hours (to complete a full language – learning assessment). All assessment results are kept confidential.

Upon completion of the assessment, we determine if therapy is needed and create a treatment plan. This plan will outline goals, frequency and duration of the therapy sessions. We will also make a recommendation regarding who would be the best person for your child to work with – the SLP or CDA.

SLPs and CDAs strive to make every therapy session feel like play. To target a child’s receptive and expressive language goals, a therapist may engage the child in a scavenger hunt for objects or pictures of various nouns, verbs, etc. Parents are encouraged to ask therapists what goals and strategies can be carried over into the home environment to improve speech and language skills. They are provided with handouts and home practice materials, so that they can carry over the same strategies implemented during therapy sessions at home with the child.

We work with children of all ages – from toddlers to teens. We help children with articulation and phonological difficulties, developmental delays, Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), dysfluency, language and learning delays and disorders. Common communication difficulties that SLPs assess and treat include:

• problems pronouncing words
• delayed language development
• difficulties with social communication skills
• difficulties following directions
• stuttering
• learning problems at school
• delayed reading or written expression
• word finding difficulties

Options for SLP consultations are as follows:

• Articulation Assessment (includes report) – 30 minutes
• Pre-school Assessment (0-2 years; includes documentation) – 30 minutes
• Language Assessment (2-6 years; includes documentation) – 1 hour
• Language Assessment (7-18 years; includes documentation) – 2 hours

Follow-up treatment sessions are as follows:

45 minute SLP treatment session
60 minute SLP treatment session

45 minute CDA treatment session
60 minute CDA treatment session

Goal Update Sessions (CDA with SLP supervisor; includes goal sheet) are priced as follows:

45 minute goal update session
60 minute goal update session