Speech Therapist

What does a pediatric speech therapist do?

A speech therapist supports a child’s pre-language development (use of gestures, imitation skills, and joint attention), comprehension of language (understanding words, spoken commands, simple questions, and conversation), and verbal expression (producing sounds, words, and sentences). Speech therapists also help children who have difficulty eating and/or swallowing. In addition to identifying communication and feeding disorders, the speech therapist designs treatment plans, provides direct treatment, models strategies and techniques for the child’s family, and coaches caregivers.

Our Speech Therapists work with the Infant Teacher, families, and other professionals in the home or other designated environments that are natural and comfortable to the child, to assess development and to provide hands-on instruction as needed.

Our Speech Therapists assess and provide instruction in the following areas:

1. Language curriculum
2. Language Learning Strategies
3. Behavior Shaping strategies
4. Presentation and use of language-based materials
5. Language/Speech development sequence
6. Alternative/augmentative communication systems, including picture exchange and voice input communication aids (VOCAs)
7. Positioning during direct intervention
8. Oral motor training through playful exercises based on Sara Johnson-Rosenfeld’s model
9. Timely consultations, observations, and or monitoring by the SLP as needed, requested by parents, teacher, PCS Inc. director, or the Service Coordinator
10. Parent education through consultation sessions
11. Appropriate language-based materials created and provided to all Infant Teachers by PCS

PCS provides consultation reports dire