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- Nicole
- Dawson
- In-Home Therapy
Lakewood
Colorado
80227
United States - Small Talk Therapy, Inc.
Lakewood
Colorado
80227
United States
As a pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist with over 25 years of experience, I specialize in helping toddlers, preschoolers, and early elementary-age children develop their speech skills—especially those with motor speech challenges such as childhood apraxia of speech.
My approach is built on the belief that young children learn best when they feel confident, successful, and supported. Therapy should gently challenge a child to grow while always protecting their self-esteem and sense of worth. I carefully adjust the level of difficulty based on your child’s progress so they are challenged—but never overwhelmed.
For toddlers and preschoolers, movement, play, and short breaks are an important part of therapy. These help children stay engaged and motivated while allowing us to practice speech many times. Repetition is essential for learning new speech movements and I make sure those repetitions happen in a fun, meaningful way.
In therapy, I use evidence-based approaches specifically designed for children with speech motor planning difficulties. These include:
• DTTC (Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing) with visual supports to help children learn accurate speech movements step by step
• PROMPT, which uses gentle touch cues to guide the lips, jaw, and tongue
• Prosody work, which helps children learn natural rhythm, stress, and intonation in their speech
My goal is to help your child communicate more easily while feeling proud, capable, and confident along the way.
Parent involvement is a key part of success. I work closely with families to help them understand how to support their child’s speech at home, once skills are becoming accurate in therapy. This teamwork helps children use their new speech skills confidently in everyday situations.
For some children, especially those with childhood apraxia of speech, using additional ways to communicate can be incredibly helpful. I have extensive experience using Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to support speech development.
AAC can include simple, natural tools such as gestures and sign language, as well as picture-based systems like picture boards, low-tech picture menus, and picture tiles. I also use child-friendly iPad apps, including TouchChat, when appropriate.
These tools give children a way to successfully communicate while their speech skills are still developing. This reduces frustration, supports language growth, and often helps children make faster progress with spoken words. AAC is always chosen carefully based on your child’s needs and abilities, and speech remains an important focus of therapy.
My goal is to give your child a strong voice, whether through words, pictures, signs, or a combination, so they can communicate confidently at home, at school, and in the community.
