CONTACT
P. 405. 603. 6622
F. 405. 722. 3244
E. [email protected]
LOCATION
8007 NW 122nd St.
Oklahoma City, OK 73142
HOURS
Monday – Friday
7:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Month in Review
April 2023
Patient Spotlight
We have so many patients at Speech Pathway who have long journeys that require incredibly hard work from their entire family and we want to start recognizing them for the effort they put in daily! Each month we’ll be highlighting a few of our patients who have shown so much improvement throughout their marathon in speech therapy. See our amazing patients below!
Nash R.
Nash is an awesome five year old who has been in therapy for over three years. He uses his speech-generating device like a pro! On his device, he can identify shapes, colors, people, animals, and tell you what movie or TV show he wants to watch. Naturally, he can also navigate his Braums order on his device! Verbally, Nash answers yes and no questions, and loves to joke around using his device. He loves The Lion King and his knowledge of the movie is extensive. Nash can point out and tell you every character’s name. If he wants to watch the movie or read the book, he will go around chanting, “The Lion King”! Miss Kylie loves getting to work with Nash each week. “Nash is an extraordinary young boy who has made tremendous progress since meeting him almost a year ago. He is able to independently come into the therapy room and attend for the whole session. He can navigate and use his AAC device like a pro, and is not afraid to speak his mind! He LOVES all things Disney and Pixar,” (which Miss Kylie loves too, so it’s a match made in Heaven)! “We love reenacting scenes from his favorite movies like Lion King and Toy Story. His laugh is contagious and he can make anyone smile!” We’re grateful for all that you bring to therapy, Nash! You’re awesome!
Spotlight on Autism
April is Autism Awareness month, so we couldn’t miss the opportunity to provide you with information about our friends who rock the spectrum:
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Delays in social communication and social interaction
Severity is determined by:
Who can be on a team for someone with autism spectrum disorder?
How can a speech-language pathologist help?
What is Autism Spectrum Disorder?
Note: all of the following may not apply, as each person is different. This list is not comprehensive or all-inclusive. This is meant only as a guide to raise awareness and promote education.
What do we know about autism spectrum disorder?
What do we know about autism spectrum disorder?
- 1 in 54 children are diagnosed with ASD.
- Boys are 4 times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with ASD.
- There is not a blood test to diagnose for autism. Instead, a multidisciplinary team makes a diagnosis based on standardized assessments specific to diagnostic criteria for ASD. These people can include a child neuropsychologist, speech-language pathologist, child psychologist or psychiatrist, developmental pediatrician or a pediatric neurologist.
- Each person with ASD/autistic person is different. If you’ve met one person with autism, you’ve only met one person with autism.
“Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 6 Jan. 2018, www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/autism-spectrum-disorder/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20352934.
Delays in social communication and social interaction
- delays in social reciprocity – difficulty with back and forth conversations; reduced sharing of interests spontaneously; absent emotions or affect; lack of initiation for requesting or commenting; absence of response to social interactions
- delays in nonverbal communication used for social interaction – poorly integrated verbal and nonverbal communication; difficulty with eye contact, body language or gestures; lack of facial expression or nonverbal communication
- difficulties adjusting behavior for different social contexts, sharing appropriate and imaginative play or lack of interest in peers
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.
Severity is determined by:
- The presence of social communication impairments and restrictive, repetitive patterns of behavior
- Stereotyped or repetitive motor movements, use of objects or speech (lining up objects, scripting from movies, simple motor stereotypes, flipping toys, echolalia, etc.)
- Insistence on sameness, inflexible adherence to routines, or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behaviors (extreme distress at small changes, difficulties transitioning, rigid thinking patterns, greeting rituals, need to take the same route or eat the same foods daily, etc.)
- Highly restricted, fixated interests that are abnormal in intensity and focus
- Under or over reactive to sensory stimuli or seeking sensory input in increased amounts (indifference to pain/temperature, adverse responses to sounds and textures, excessive smelling or touching of objects, visual fascination with lights or movements, etc.)
American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders. 5th ed. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Association; 2013.
Who can be on a team for someone with autism spectrum disorder?
- Medical team (doctors, nurses, neurologists, etc)
- Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)
- Occupational Therapist (OT)
- Physical Therapist (PT)
- Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)
- Registered Behavioral Technician (RBT)
- Teacher
- Special Education Team
- Advocates
- Family members, coaches and friends
- Life coach
- Aides
- …and anyone who helps them succeed academically or functionally
“Data & Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 25 Sept. 2020, www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/data.html.
How can a speech-language pathologist help?
- Provide intervention targeting social communication, including joint attention, turn-taking in play, eye contact, imitation, conversational reciprocity, requesting, commenting and much more.
- Assist in determining the most functional method of communication, whether that be a speech-generating device, verbal language or sign language.
- Guide the growth of verbal and non-verbal language for more effective and functional communication.
- Assist in understanding and following directions, processing and answering questions and understanding the nuances of language.
- Provide feeding and swallowing intervention pertaining to motoric delays to assist in adequate nutritive intake
“Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology.” American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 1 Jan. 1970, www.asha.org/policy/SP2016-00343/.
Thank you to everyone who joined us for movie day! The soft drinks were abundant, the popcorn was buttery, and we loved watching Toy Story 4 with you! Get ready for our next event: Oklahoma Autism’s Piece Walk!
Spotlight on: Camp Communicate
We’re excited to announce that the applications for Camp Communicate are OPEN! We’re rolling out a few new camps this year on top of our classic Intense Academy. Head over to our Camp Communicate page to check out information about Speech Spot and Kid Connect. We’d love to have you join us for some summer fun! If you are not interested in attending camps but know someone who is and would benefit from financial support, check out our option to gift a camp!
Intense Academy is the most intensive camp we offer! Each camper is guaranteed 2-3 individual sessions per day, 2-3 group sessions, and a 1:1 camper to staff ratio! For complex communication needs, Intense Academy targets functional communication, oral motor planning, and articulation over the course of two weeks. This camp is perfect for any families looking for intensive intervention for their child in order to help them communicate basic wants, needs, feelings, and emotions. With a staff of Speech-Language Pathologists, Speech-Language Pathology Assistants, graduate student interns, and undergraduate student volunteers, we believe in our ability to assist your family in increasing communication while decreasing frustration.
Speech Spot is an intensive week of therapy. For children 4 and up, we offer at least one individual intervention session per day. If you’re looking to take advantage of the summer vacation to advance your child’s speech and language skills, this is the PERFECT opportunity! Our highly trained staff knows how to target speech and language development while also having summer FUN. This would be fantastic for patients who no longer need the intensity of Intense Academy, but aren’t yet ready for Kid Connect. Talk with your therapist about whether Speech Spot would be a good fit for your child! If you’re interested, head over to our Speech Spot page to check out the times and enroll!
Kid Connect is an extension of our social groups. We offer a 1:3 adult to child ratio with specialized intervention for peer to peer interaction. Each week is a new set of games, crafts, and fun for each child involved and we can ensure we do everything we can to make sure your child is successful with us. In pairing with you to provide the best summer experience, we can provide a fun, social experience for your child to flourish among friends!
Happy Mother’s Day!
Happy Mother’s Day to all of our Speech Pathway moms! From our employees to the amazing mothers that shuttle their children to all activities (including speech and ABA of course), our hats are off to you! We love to celebrate mothers, mothers-to-be, mothers to angel babies, and all women who wish to be mothers on this very special day. Thank you for all that you do!
