Specialized Therapy Techniques/Interventions
Our therapists have specialties in a number of different areas and may use the following specialized treatment approaches and or interventions as part of your child's care:
AEIOU Systematic Approach to Feeding
The AEIOU approach acceptance, exposure, independence, observation and understanding offers a new and highly successful method for integrated treatment of infants and young children with challenging feeding disorders using sensory, oral motor, biomedical and environmental strategies. Five factors in this holistic approach emphasize active participation, independence and shared control. The focus is on functional outcomes designed to improve quality of mealtime, manage tube dependency and transition to eating solid foods, treat sensory aversions, improve oral-motor skills, achieve home carryover, and more.
S.O.S. Approach to Feeding
Sequential Oral Sensory (S.O.S.) Approach to Feeding program integrates sensory, motor, oral, behavioral/learning, a medical and nutritional factors and approaches in order to comprehensively evaluate and manage children with feeding/growth problems. It is based on, and grounded philosophically in, the "normal" developmental steps, stages and skills of feeding found in typically developing children. The treatment component of the program utilizes these typical developmental steps towards feeding to create a systematic desensitization hierarchy of skills/behaviors necessary for children to progress with eating various textures.
Lidcombe Program of Early Stuttering Intervention
Lidcombe Program of Early Stuttering Intervention is an evidence-based behavioral treatment program for children younger than six years of age; however, there is research that indicates that it may be efficacious for school-age children. Caregivers present the treatment to the child in everyday environments. The cornerstone of treatment is weekly visits between the parent, child and clinician, who facilitates, supervises, and tracks progress during the course of the therapy program.
Clincian-led behavioral treatment intervention, is also available.
Picture Exchange Communication System
PECS is a unique augmentative/alternative communication intervention package consisting of six phases for individuals with Autism Spectrum disorder and/or related developmental disabilities. functional verbal operants are systematically taught using prompting and reinforcement strategies that will lead to independent communication. Some learners using PECS may develop speech while others may transition to a voice output system.
Language Acquisition through Motor Planning Approach
Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP) is a therapeutic approach using motor learning principles and a voice output communication aid to give non-verbal individuals with autism and other developmental disabilities a method to develop independent and spontaneous communication. Individuals using the LAMP approach learn to use words and build sentences to communicate their wants, needs and ideas by pressing buttons on a speech generating device.
Interventions currently in use with individuals with autism tend to focus on the perceived strengths associated with autism such as visual learning and the desire for structure. While LAMP utilizes these strengths, it also addresses core deficits affecting language delay such as impaired motor skills, engagement, and auditory and sensory processing to improve spontaneous, generative communication.
Behavioral Modification Approach to Feeding
A feeding approach that aims at increasing appropriate actions or behaviors, including increasing compliance, and reducing maladaptive behaviors. Behavioral interventions include such technqiues as shaping, prompting, modeling, stimulus fading, antecedent manipulation, alternative behavior, and differential reinforcment, as well as implementation of basic mealtime principles (e.g., scheduled mealtimes in neutral atmosphere with no food rewards).
This approach can be given in lieu of a sensory approach depending on a child's recommendations.
Treatment for CAS*
Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing (DTTC)
DTTC is a treatment method designed specifically for children with severe CAS, especially those who were not successful with more traditional forms of therapy, and has been used successfully with moderate CAS as well. DTTC is a motor-based approach, meaning it is designed to improve the brain’s ability to plan and program movements for speech, which most experts believe is the underlying cause of CAS. The goal of DTTC is to improve the efficiency of neural processing for the development and refinement of movements. The incorporation of a number of principles of motor learning helps the child maintain accurate movement over time. In DTTC, the therapist selects specific word targets to shape movements of the mouth that are necessary for speech.
Additional Interventions
We also offer:
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Char Boshart, M.A., CCC-SLP Articulation Techniques
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Pam Marshalla, M.A., CCC_SLP Articulation Techniques
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Hodson's Cycles Approach for Remediation of Phonological Patterns
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SCERTS Model (Comprehensive Approach to Autism Treatment)