Rehabilitation

At the American Center for Special Abilities we provide a wide range of services to children with developmental, psychiatric, and emotional conditions.  These services are provided by our team of highly qualified Occupational Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists, Educational Psychologists, Special Educators, and Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) Therapists.

Speech and Language Therapy services 

• Initial Evaluation of patients attending Speech and Language therapy out-patient service in order to determine the need of Speech and Language therapy intervention and to set treatment goals. 
• Developing treatment plan including long and short-term goals.
• Speech Therapy – Focusing on improving the articulation of the child.
• Language Therapy – Focusing on improving the receptive and expressive skills of the child.
• Fluency Therapy – focusing on maintaining the accurate rate of speech, improving the breathing mechanism.
• Voice Therapy – Focusing on improving the quality of voice of an individual.

Treatment Modes/Modalities for Speech and Language Therapy
The treatment modes/modalities described below may be used to implement various treatment options. 

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)—supplementing or replacing natural speech and/or writing with aided (e.g., picture communication symbols (PECS), line drawings, Blissymbols, speech generating devices, and tangible objects) and/or unaided (e.g., manual signs, gestures, and finger spelling) symbols.

Computer Based Instruction—use of computer technology (e.g., iPads) and/or computerized programs for teaching language skills, including vocabulary, social skills, social understanding, and social problem solving.

Facilitated Communication—use of a "facilitator" who provides physical and other supports in an attempt to assist a person with a significant communication disability to point to pictures, objects, printed letters and words, or to a keyboard and thereby communicate.

Video-Based Instruction (also called Video Modeling)—use of video recordings to provide a model of the target behavior or skill. Video recordings of desired behaviors are observed and then imitated by the individual. The learner's self-modeling can be videotaped for later review.

Language Interventions 
Some language intervention programs target specific language skills (e.g., phonology, semantics, syntax, morphology), while others are more holistic in nature, targeting a broader range of language and communication skills (e.g., expressive language interventions and receptive language interventions). Language intervention approaches can include the following.

Clinician-Oriented—the clinician selects the goals and the treatment setting and determines the stimuli to be used and the type and schedule of reinforcement for accurate responses. These approaches utilize operant procedures and are often used to teach language form (e.g., syntax and morphology).

Child-Oriented—the clinician utilizes indirect language stimulation techniques and follows the child's lead in more natural, everyday settings and activities in an effort to stimulate language growth. These approaches are typically used with young children but can be modified for use with older children.

Diagnoses seen by Speech and Language Therapist: 

Speech Disorders

• Childhood Apraxia of Speech 
• Dysarthria
• Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders 
• Speech Sound Disorders: Articulation and Phonological Processes 
• Stuttering 
• Voice

Language Disorders

• Preschool Language Disorders
• Language-Based Learning Disabilities (Reading, Spelling, and Writing)
• Selective Mutism

Medical and Developmental Conditions

• Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder 
• Autism (Autism Spectrum Disorders)
• Cleft Lip and Palate 
• Right Hemisphere Brain Injury 
• Traumatic Brain Injury

Genetic Syndromes and Language Disorders

• Down’s Syndrome – this syndrome often causes an individual to have speech, language and cognitive difficulties.
• Fragile X – this syndrome often presents with speech and language delay, learning difficulties
• Velocardiofacial syndrome – children with this syndrome may display speech and language delay, specific learning difficulty and sometimes a cleft palate.
• Angelman Syndrome – this syndrome will usually present with speech and language delay, learning difficulties.
• Autism Spectrum Disorder – There is now more evidence that this disorder sometimes has a genetic link, and associated communication difficulties.