Before starting therapy, we take time to understand your child, build trust, and assess their communication abilities. This includes a comprehensive speech and language evaluation that may involve reviewing a case history form, conducting caregiver interviews, and utilizing dynamic assessments and standardised assessment. For children who are gestalt language processors, we may also request home videos to observe how they use delayed echolalia and scripting in their communication. After the evaluation, we will provide you with detailed feedback, discussing your child’s communication strengths and areas for growth. Together, we will collaborate to set meaningful therapy goals tailored to their needs
A Neurodiversity-Affirming, Play-Based Therapy Approach
At Spectraspeech, we create treatment sessions based on your child’s unique strengths, challenges, and sensory preferences. Our goal is to make therapy enjoyable by offering natural communication opportunities aligned with their interests! We incorporate movement activities to keep children engaged, as we know they learn best when they feel regulated and comfortable. You won’t see us doing monotonous speech drills at a desk! Our therapy methods are grounded in the latest research and clinical practices to ensure your child achieves their full potential. We collect data throughout the therapy process, making informed decisions based on their progress. Parent involvement is highly encouraged, as family participation is crucial to your child’s success.
Language Development in Autism Echolalia – Gestalt Language Processing
Many children with autism are gestalt language processors, which means they rely on echolalia and scripting as a way to communicate during the early stages of language development. With specialized training in the Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) framework, we support your child by modeling communication in natural and inuitive ways.Through the Natural Language Acquisition framework, we guide your child in developing the following skills: Learning new scripts for communication, Combining scripts to create unique phrases, Using spontaneous, self-generated language, Feeling understood and forming meaningful connections with others.
