Therefore, a speech language pathologist is a necessary and vital part of the evaluation and treatment team for many families living with Autism. Haugland offers speech therapy in Columbus/speech pathology in Columbus.
The speech pathology department at Haugland is comprised of speech pathologists who are dedicated to providing evidence-based services for children with communication disabilities.
Each nationally-certified and state-licensed speech-language pathologist provides evaluations and interventions for receptive and expressive language, as well as pragmatic language/social skills, play skills, articulation, fluency, voice, oral motor skills and eating/feeding skills deficits.
Speech therapy sessions are conducted in a one-on-one setting, in the classroom, or in collaboration with other Haugland staff such as social workers.
The Haugland speech pathology department uses a variety of techniques to help children on the spectrum develop communication to their fullest potential.
Each plan of treatment for every child will follow a developmentally-appropriate sequence so that children are being properly challenged without becoming frustrated.
Some children with Autism do not talk (non-verbal), others are able to use gestures or point (early communicators), while some repeat everything they hear (echoing), and others still are able to speak quite clearly but have difficulty with the social aspect of communication.
A speech pathologist addresses all of these by utilizing a structured plan and principles of applied behavioral analysis.
With the help of speech therapy and speech pathology, the child will be taught an alternative form of communication.
This communication may take the form of sign language, PECS (Picture Exchange Communication System) or a communication device. Through the use of this alternate form of communication, the child is able to focus on core words, that can be used in many situations (go, want, play, me) and fringe words, that may be situation specific, (cookie, ball, DVD) to express themselves.
As the child learns to communicate, their frustration and any unwanted behaviors will decrease.
If children are able to gesture or point to communicate, the speech pathologist will build on those skills and trial different techniques to determine if the child is ready to work on verbal skills or alternate forms of communication.
As with all children that receive speech pathology services, the goal is effective and functional communication – no matter the form.
In instances where a child repeats everything they hear or lines and scenes from a movie, the speech pathologist will use that behavior to shape what the child is saying into a meaningful statement.
The best way to do this is through play. It is important to remember that play is a child’s work and children on the autism spectrum have a difficult time learning to play.
The skill of playing goes hand-in-hand with communicating and is a great way to help children develop in all aspects of their development.
In addition to focusing on communication, a speech pathologist provides treatment for children whose speech may be difficult to understand.
Additionally, the Haugland’s speech therapy and speech pathology Columbus program will treat children with voice disorders (to loud, too soft, monotone), fluency disorders (stuttering) and feeding disorders – especially when parts of the mouth, teeth, tongue, and/or jaw are not moving correctly.
In both one-on-one and group settings, the speech language pathologist can evaluate and develop the necessary skills in a child with social skill deficits.
The team of speech-language pathologists at Haugland will work with each family to prioritize goals, explain needs, and incorporate activities for use at home in order for each child to be the most competent and successful communicator they can be.
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