Speech Therapy

The speech therapy department at Helping Hands Center is dedicated to providing evidence-based services for their clients with communication needs. The nationally- and state-licensed speech-language pathologists provide include treatment for articulation, phonology, expressive/receptive language and social/pragmatic deficits. Speech therapy sessions are conducted in the 1:1 setting, small groups or dyads, classroom-based settings and in co-treatment sessions with occupational therapy and music therapy.
The speech-language pathologists at Helping Hands Center are dedicated to identifying and providing access to the optimal augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) options for their clients who have limited verbal speech. The speech department uses sign language, the Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) (Bondy & Frost, 1994), static picture boards and high-tech speech generating devices to ensure their clients have access to communication.

After much research and training, the speech department at Helping Hands Center has adopted the Center for AAC & Autism’s Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP) principles of device programming and therapy. The LAMP program has been shown to increase the ability of nonverbal children with autism to communicate spontaneously across environments by building their own phrases. Recently, Helping Hands Center was named a LAMP Center of Excellence and the clinicians are working toward becoming LAMP Certified Professionals. See www.aacandautism.com for more information, or contact the speech department at Helping Hands Center.

The speech-language pathologists are dedicated to their professional development; they frequently attend trainings and conferences and participate in weekly research discussions. Many of the members of the speech team have presented at conferences about social skills groups, autism, AAC and LAMP.