What's new?

Assessment of Speech and Language of Internationally Adopted Children

Our speech-language pathologists provide comprehensive assessments and intervention services for internationally adopted children who have speech and language delays as well as feeding difficulties.

Click here for more infomation.

Smith-Magenis Day

Liz Runge and Emmett Mulrooney helped Associated Speech celebrate World-Smith Magenis Day on 11/17/10. The glow sticks we handed out to honor our friends who have significant sleep disorders were a "glowing hit."

Smith-Magenis Syndrome (SMS) is due to an abnormality in short arm of chromosome 17. Developmental disorder affects many parts of the body. Major features include mild to moderate:

• distinctive facial features
• sleep disturbances
• behavioral problems
• significant speech and language problems
• oral motor and feeding difficulties

The speech-language pathologists at Associated Speech place a strong emphasis on speech sound production and sequencing of speech sounds in order to form words. Treatment also emphasizes comprehension of language, increase in vocabulary and eventually (inferences, double meanings, idioms, etc). We have found that sometimes these children are early readers so we use the written word to help them produce words correctly.

If you have questions about speech and language treatment for children with Smith-Magenis Syndrome, please contact one of our offices. More information about Smith Magenis Syndrome can be found at prisms.org.

Walk for CASANA

Staff from Associated Speech participated in the walk for CASANA (Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America) on Saturday, October 2nd, 2010 in Bloomington, MN. Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a neurologically based speech sound production disorder. Young children with CAS are typically very quiet as infants, do not babble, make car or animal sounds and may be close to their second birthday before they produce any words. Combining of words is also significantly delayed (beyond 3rd birthday) when they attempt to imitate their word productions are frequently off target.

CAS can occur with other disorders such as Down Syndrome, Autism, cleft palate, etc. Acquisition of intelligible speech by children with CAS requires systematic, intensive treatment with emphasis on speech sound production.

The speech-language pathologists at Associated Speech emphasize a multi-sensory approach to speech sound production. The children hear the speech sounds and feel how they're produced in the mouth. Visual cuing is used to help them see how the speech sound is made. Treatment begins immediately with functional words (ex: NO, ME, UP, HI, BYE) so the children can have success in their home or daycare. Treatment is individual and is scheduled for at least 2 half hour sessions per week.

If you would like more information regarding Childhood Apraxia of Speech or our speech and language treatment. Please contact us. Additional information regarding CAS is available at apraxia-kids.org.

Visits!

Kerry and Matt Ebert with Evan and Lucas stopped in the Arden Hills office to visit. Kerry was a speech-language pathologist at ASLS for several years but now lives in Washington, D.C. Although she chases after 14 month old twins everyday, she is still completing her Ph.D in Communication Disorders from the University of Minnesota.

ASLS Summer Picnic

We had our summer picnic on July 25th at the Foundation Shelter in Roseville, MN. It was a great success and a fun time was shared by all!

Recognition

Congratulations to Sarah Hanson and Lynn Henigin who have been with Associated Speech for 10 years or more! Their hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed! Thank you for your service to Associated Speech!

Melissa Neslon is awarded ASLS' Flying Pig Award in recognition of her work and effort in making the move to the new Maplewood office a smooth transition. Our new Maplewood Office is open. We are next door to Children's Theraplay so children can recieve speech and language therapy, occupational therapy and physical therapy all in one stop. Appointments available by calling 651-773-3208.

Congratulations!

Congratulations to Kerry Ebert and her husband on the birth of their twin boys! Evan Danahy Ebert (6 lbs., 13 oz. and 19.25 inches long) and Lucas Frederick Ebert (6 lbs., 5 oz., and 18.25 inches long) were born on April 30th, 2009. Mom and babies are doing well!

Hellos and Goodbyes

ASLS welcomes Kylee Williamson to our staff. She will be providing speech and language services to our clients after school and on Saturdays at the Arden Hills office. Kylee received a Bachelor of Arts degree in French and English from North Dakota State University and a Master of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from Northwestern University, Evanston, IL.

We are sad to announce Kerry's departure from the Practice. She moved to Washington, D.C. to join her husband, Matt, who has a new position at the U.S. Justice Department. Matt and Kerry will welcome twin boys in April, 2009. Best wishes!

Enhancing Speech & Language Skills in Children with Down Syndrome

Janet presented in October at the 2008 State Conference for the ARC of Minnesota. Her presentation, Enhancing Speech & Language Skills in Children with Down Syndrome: Preschool to Adolescence stressed the need for intensity of speech and language therapy. Janet also reported on research showing that speech intelligibility and language skills of individuals with Down Syndrome continue to improve with speech therapy through adolescence and young adulthood.

Awards and Honors

Janet Jacobs, Co-Ownder of ASLS, was recently awarded the Alumni of Notable Achievement Award from the College of Liberal Arts, University of Minnesota.

Congratulations to Kerry Ebert! Kerry received a New Century Doctoral Scholarship at the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA) annual meeting in November. Kerry is working on her Ph.D. in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Minnesota.

Maplewood Office Expanding!!!

We opened our new Maplewood Office on Monday, March 26th.
The address is 1707 Cope Ave. East, Suite C-D, Maplewood, MN 55109.
Our phone number is the same: 651-773-3208, but our fax number has changed. It is now 651-783-5612.

Steps of Hope

In January, Associated Speech &Language Specialists participated in the 7th annual
Steps of Hope, a fundraising walk for the Autism Society of Minnesota.