Areas of Interest

Augmentative and Alternative Communication

My primary area of interest and expertise is the field of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). AAC encompasses techniques, strategies and equipment that are used to help people of all ages to communicate effectively.

I have experience working with children with many different physical and cognitive conditions that make it difficult for them to communicate with speech. Some of these conditions include:

• Cerebral Palsy and other neuromuscular conditions
• Autism
• Developmental Delay
• Down’s Syndrome
• Apraxia of Speech
• Muscular Dystrophy

I am very interested in how AAC can be used in early intervention with young children (ages 2-6) who have complex communication needs, in conjunction with traditional speech-based intervention. I am also interested in developing parent training programs to encourage communication and interaction between parents and their young children with complex needs.

Feeding

I am trained in the Sequential Oral Sensory Approach to Feeding (SOS). This approach focuses on slowly and systematically introducing feeding to children who are picky or problem eaters. By making feeding fun and safe, children develop internal motivation to eat and enjoy eating.

I am also trained in Talk Tools’ Sensory-Motor Approach to Feeding (pdf) which targets the motor movements needed for feeding in a hierarchical and developmental approach.

Parent Training

I am a Hanen Certified Speech-Language Pathologist and am trained to run two programs for parents: It Takes Two to Talk(R) and More Than Words(R).

These programs provide parents with practical, relevant strategies that they can use every day to help their children develop language, speech, and communication.

Previous Work Experience

I have previously worked at Holland Bloorview Children’s Rehabilitation Hospital in Toronto, Canada. I worked as an S-LP in the Communication and Writing Aids Service.

I have also had clinical practicum experiences in AAC and more traditional speech and language therapy at the John McGivney Children’s Centre in Windsor, Canada and the Sudbury Regional Hospital Children’s Treatment Centre in Sudbury, Canada.

Professional Affiliations

• American Speech, Language and Hearing Association (ASHA)
• Speech-Language Pathology, Audiology, and Hearing Aid Dispenser’s Board of california (CSLPAB)
• Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (CASLPA)
• College of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists of Ontario (CASLPO)
• International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ISAAC)
• Ontario Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (OSLA)