We treat a wide range of concerns that your child may be experiencing, including:
Articulation Difficulties
Expressive Language Difficulties
Comprehension Difficulties
Autism
Social communication skills
Down Syndrome
Apraxia of Speech
Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC)
Behavioral Difficulties
Tongue Thrust
Early Literacy
Pre-Writing & Writing Abilities
Reading & Writing Difficulties
Fine & Gross Motor Skills
Social-Emotional Regulation
Executive Functioning
Self-Regulation
Sensory Integration
Plagiocephaly (flat head)
Cerebral Palsy
Poor Coordination & Motor Planning
A thorough assessment is conducted to determine the best therapy
plan for your child. Depending on the age and needs of your child,
formal (standardized) and informal assessments will be used to
acquire a complete picture of your child's skills. A written
report will be compiled from the assessment, case history form and
other professionals if needed.
A to Z Therapy Clinic aims to begin therapy as early as possible
in order for goals to be implemented at the clinic and at home.
Assessment and therapy takes place in the clinic room with the
therapist and your child. Parents (or caregiver) are encouraged to
be present in order to understand the assessment and therapy
process. Our professionals will be reviewing your child's goals
and needs throughout the therapy process as well as provide
updates.
Activities and games selected each session are
designed to be fun and rewarding for your child while also
complementing their interests. Research supports that children
learn best through play; which is why we implement a
child-centered, relationship based approach to our therapy.
We believe that home practice is the key to success for your child to transfer skills from the clinic to outside of therapy. The therapist will provide specific advice, ideas or handouts to incorporate into daily activities. At the same time, we do understand the demands of everyday life therefore the therapists will help establish a realistic plan for home practice.
Group therapy promotes peer learning in an environment that is
interactive, motivating and supportive for your child.
At
A to Z Therapy Clinic, group programs are evidence-based and are
carefully planned to help with carryover of your child's current
therapy goals or supplement the learning your child is currently
doing (i.e. at school, home, or in individual therapy). Most
importantly, these groups encourage children to learn from one
another while building confidence to apply new skills outside of
therapy with their peers. Group therapy is a reliable and
affordable way to maximize your child's exposure to learning.
In these sessions, children are given the opportunity to naturally
form friendships in a fun and interactive way as they choose the
activities. Social communication skills are developed as they
collaborate on shared tasks with their clinicians.
Our workshops at A to Z Therapy Clinic are carefully programmed, designed by a Speech-Language Pathologist
and Occupational Therapist for children who may benefit from extra support with reading, writing and
spelling skills. Speech-language pathologists are recognized experts in school-age literacy, while
Occupational Therapists are experts in developing fine motor skills that coincide with school tasks (pencil
grasps, printing & cursive writing).
Joint therapy services consist of a Speech Therapist (SLP) and Occupational Therapist (OT) who collaborate both their goals to optimize your child's therapy sessions. For example, many OT tasks and activities can incorporate speech and language goals; therefore making therapy functional and effective.
Speech-Language Pathologist
Occupational Therapist
Pediatric Psychologist
Pediatric Physiotherapist
Speech Pathology stems from two key words. Speech, meaning communication, and pathology, meaning someone who
studies cause and effect. Together, these words refer to someone who provides therapy for communication as
well as swallowing disorders. A pediatric speech-language pathologist supports children from 18 months to 18
years of age.
A type of language development in which children process early
language in “strings of sounds” or “chunks” of language, rather
than processing single words. Children processing language this
way may echo back words, phrases and sentences other people say
-also known as echolalia (e.g. “to infinity and beyond”).
This
repetition of words or chunks of language may be stored in a
child's memory after the child has heard it (e.g. from song,
people, tv shows, books, etc.).
Did you know?
Gestalt Language Processing
is a type of language development
that is often seen in Autistic children. An estimated 75 - 90% of
autistic children learn language this way.
Why is this important?
Children
who are gestalt language processors require a different
approach for assessment and intervention in comparison to
traditional therapy. This approach is based on the Natural
Language Acquisition Framework by Marge Blanc (Speech Language
Pathologist and Author of Natural Language Acquisition on the
Autism Spectrum).
How can we help?
The speech-language pathologists and
team at A to Z Therapy
Clinic are proud to recognize the importance of customizing
therapy to each child's unique needs and language development.
They will work alongside you and your child to create a therapy
approach that best suits your child's style of language
development and effectively continue to support them using the
Natural Language Acquisition framework.
Occupational Therapists are trained to help individuals better
perform the everyday activities (or occupations) that they need
to, want to or are expected to perform. At A to Z Therapy Clinic,
a 'neurodevelopmental' approach is taken to work with children.
This means that many skills that develop for children at various
ages such as writing your name, tying your shoelaces or getting
dressed, develop in an organized sequence based on skills that
have been developed at an earlier stage. For some children these
stages are underdeveloped, which can often have a domino effect on
other areas. At A to Z Therapy Clinic, we aim to help to develop
these skills in an enjoyable way through a play based approach.
Psychology is the study of human behavior in relation to their thoughts, emotions and interpersonal
relationships. The psychologist is a health professional whose role is to offer an individualized, neutral
and confidential space wherein a person can express themselves and be heard by another. Given that
psychologists are authorized to make mental health diagnosis, the professional can carry out psychological
assessments. These assessments incorporate the analysis of an individual's psychological functioning,
identify disorders and dysfunctions as well as provide recommendations aimed at promoting the well-being of
an individual. Other assessments can investigate a child's intellectual skills and learning abilities in
order to determine the nature and origin of their academic difficulties. The impressions concluded by an
assessment allows the identification of the type of specialized services a child may require, as well as the
means that will facilitate their academic progress.
Sometimes, babies and children need physical therapy as well. As
we grow, we learn to walk up the stairs or throw a ball. For some
children either developmental delays or injuries can prevent them
from accomplishing what we consider simple tasks. A pediatric
physical therapist helps children improve their range of motion,
strength, flexibility, balance, and movement patterns.
When a child comes to Physiotherapy, the sessions are most often
organized to look like play. We encourage fun and age-appropriate
games and activities all while working towards their intended
goal. Children should be happy and motivated, but physical therapy
is also hard work! So let's get moving!
Pediatric physical therapy works on improving gross motor skills
(such as walking, jumping and throwing). We encourage kids to
play, run, hop and explore while working towards what has been
limiting them.
Give us a call if you have any questions or would like your child to be seen for any of the following issues:
Specialized tutoring is an individualised, one-to-one service that is tailored to meet the needs of students who struggle to learn or would simply benefit from additional support in academics. The tutor at A to Z Therapy Clinic specializes in tutoring children with Neurodevelopmental disorders such as Autism and ADHD as well as those with Specific Learning Disabilities. Additionally, she has experience working with children with speech/language delays and social communication difficulties.