SLP Categories: Recognized by Apraxia Kids for Advanced Training and Expertise in Childhood Apraxia of Speech and Apraxia Kids Speech-language Pathologist Directory Member
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- Elizabeth
- Burke
- Yes
- 10 Sycamore Circle
Windsor
Connecticut
06095
United States - Well Said Speech Pathology, LLC
Windsor
Connecticut
06095
United States
I have learned that I MUST get to know the child and find their specific areas of interest and then use that to develop my sessions. For example, I have a child with ADHD who lacks attention during the session unless I give her a clipboard and our practice items printed out, followed by spaces where she can check off her performance. When I do this she attends for the full hour and works like a trooper. She often proclaims, "I did it!" I target 5 productions. I use simultaneous practice when she struggles, and precede that with, "look at me" which is essential. I then back off, allow a delay (time for her to process) and then work to get the response. I talk about "fixing your speech" and name "apraxia" directly. I talk about how it is hard but we will get it. I talk about being "brave" when she is frustrated.I target vowels, often with gestures for the long vowels. More and more I am introducing multisyllabic harder words for the older kids because it seems like both prosody and accuracy improve overall when they get them. For two of my clients I write out the words phonetically (men-ee-apple-us) "Minneapolis" and then we put it in a sentence. I also address vocabulary and functional phrases. I stress the correct number of syllables because even if accuracy is off intelligibility improves. (I completely misunderstood "wah-pop". When we got to "wah-wee-pop" everyone understood "lollipop".) I use singing a great deal with the printed lyrics and also ridiculous poems that I write to stress the targets I am after. One child simply never got /nd/ in any context and so the poem stressed "sand" and she mastered it. I want connected speech, not single words. This is the most individually tailored work that I do. Preparation is essential and so is ongoing assessment and observation.
I have attended the national conference twice, taken courses on the Apraxia Kids website, donated to the organization, supported and attended walks. I have also presented to college classes at UConn, the teachers in the Greenwich, CT schools and most recently, to the CT. Congress on Down Syndrome on CAS.
Parents usually sit in on the sessions. They participate and they are given practice work after every session to take home. They receive a detailed note after each session describing exactly what we addressed and successes and problem areas noted. We have begun to do some telepractice with two clients and parents are directly involved in that as well.
I completely believe in it to alleviate frustration, but as importantly, to build language skills. I have created notebooks with pictures but also worked with Proloquo2go and Proloquo4text. I have shown families My First AAC app (not too impressed) and have encouraged them to watch the webcast with Janice Light on AAC and young users on the AAC-RERC website.