ABOUT US
We are a team of dedicated Speech-Language Pathologists. We provide comprehensive speech and language services throughout the Greater Toronto Area.
Services include speech and language assessments, therapy, consultations, parent education, parent-and-toddler workshops and teletherapy.
Our qualified therapists are experienced in the following areas:
· Articulation/ Speech clarity
· Motor Speech
· Stuttering/ Fluency
· Late Talking
· Receptive Language
· Expressive Language
· Early Literacy
· Phonological Awareness
· Tongue Thrust
· Proper Oral Resting Posture
· Early Intervention
Members of our team have specialized training in the following areas:
· PROMPT
· The Fluency Plus Program
· The Lidcombe Program
· The Palin Parent-Child Interaction Program
· Hanen Programs
· Orofacial Myology
Our clinicians provide therapy at schools and daycares within the GTA. We also provide home-visits in Thornhill, Toronto and surrounding areas. We work with clients face-to-face and via tele-therapy.
Programs Include:
· Individual Therapy
· Group Therapy
· Parent Education
· Early Language Development Workshops
OUR TEAM
Haley Libman
Founder and Clinical Director
Speech-Language Pathologist
M.Cl.Sc., Reg. CASLPO
Georgina Hajiyianni
Speech-Language Pathologist
M.Sc., Reg. CASLPO
Summer Pasternak
Speech-Language Pathologist
M.H.Sc., Reg. CASLPO
Laura Katz
Speech-Language Pathologist
M.H.Sc., Reg. CASLPO
Dasha Tecson
Speech-Language Pathologist
M.Cl.Sc., Reg. CASLPO
OUR SERVICES
Speech Difficulties
(Speech Clarity)
Many children have trouble producing certain sounds, which makes their speech difficult to understand.
These speech difficulties may consist of articulation errors, phonological errors, motor speech issues or Apraxia.
Stuttering
Stuttering is characterized by breaks in the flow of speech, including stops/ blocks, repetitions of sounds or words, and prolongations of sounds within words.
You may notice facial tension or signs of stress when speaking. Many children go through a period of developmental stuttering as they are learning to speak. If your child is stuttering, early intervention is best.
Tongue Thrust
(Myofunctional Disorder)
A tongue thrust may affect your teeth, causing an overjet or open-bite, and it may affect your speech, causing interdental sounds (e.g. lisp).
Parent Workshops
(Baby Groups)
Are you interested in learning ways to promote language and communication in your baby/ toddler? We provide group workshops for parents and their young children.
Select from our three programs:
(1) "Baby Stars", for babies 0-12 months
(2) "Shooting Stars" for toddlers 12-18 months
(3) "Starbursts" for toddlers aged 18 months- 2 years
Delayed Speech and Language Development
(Late Talker)
If you are concerned about your child's language development, we can help. Your child should have about 20 words by 18 months.
By age 2, your child should have a vocabulary of at least 50 words and combine words together (e.g. "more juice", "mommy up").
Voice Disorders
Many things one does on a daily basis can injure the voice, such as screaming, smoking, making silly noises, or clearing ones throat.
Other causes of voice disorders include acid reflux, and infections. These factors can lead to swollen vocal folds, or nodules. If you are concerned about your hoarse vocal quality, speech therapy can help.
Language Delay
Expressive language refers to the ability to communicate in words, sentences or gestures. An expressive language delay will affect your child's ability to express himself.
Receptive language refers to the ability to understand spoken words. A receptive language delay can lead to difficulties following directions or behavioural problems.
DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOPS
Do you want to learn ways to enrich your child's speech and language skills? Speech Stars provides Infant and Toddler Communication Workshops. Workshops are geared toward parents and their children. Topics Include developmental milestones, speech skills, language skills, play skills and strategies to stimulate speech and language development at home.
Contact us to find a workshop near you.
LANGUAGE MILESTONES
Does My Child Need Speech Therapy?
By 12 Months Does Your Child...
· Have one word?
· Babble, make different sounds?
· Imitate sounds and actions?
(e.g. banging blocks together)
· Follow simple directions?
By 18 Months Does Your Child...
· Use around 20 words?
· Connect strings of sounds together sounding like speech?
· Recognize the names of a few body parts?
· Point to pictures?
· Engage in pretend play?
· Use a variety of consonant sounds such as p, b, m, n, t, d, and w?
By 2 Years Does Your Child?
· Use about 50 words?
· Start using short two word sentences (e.g. "more juice")?
· Follow two-step directions?
(e.g. "pick up the toy and put it in the basket")
· Use pronouns (e.g. "me", "mine")?
· Enjoy being with other children?
· Have the ability to be understood 65% of the time?
· Use a variety of words including nouns, verbs,
pronouns and prepositions?
By 3 years Does Your Child...
· Speak using two-to-three word sentences?
· Use about 150-500 words?
· Have the ability to be understood about 90% of the time?
(Speech sounds should be getting clearer)
· Understand location words (e.g. "in", "on", "under")?
· Recite nursery rhymes?
· Use plurals to indicate more than 1 object?
· Follow three step directions (e.g. "give me the straw, cup and plate")?
· Use some adjectives?
(e.g. "big", "little", "wet", "dry" and "dirty")
By 4 Years Does Your Child...
· Use four-to-five words in a sentence?
· Ask "wh" questions?
(e.g. "who", "what", "where", "when", "why" and "how")
· Use sentences with "and"?
· Identify a few colours?
· Speak using past tense?
· Enjoy looking at books and listening to stories?
· Use "is+(verb)-ing" consistently (e.g. "he is going to the park")?