Speech Therapy

Our speech language pathologists address speech, language, social communication and feeding services. They work with families to help their child communicate to the best of their ability by creating and implementing therapy plans, collecting accurate and reliable data, and consulting and training the family. Our staff is trained in using augmentative assistive technology, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) and sign language in order to facilitate communication.  We have worked with children with Autism, Intellectual Disability, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Apraxia of Speech, Dysarthria, Traumatic Brain Injury, Muscular Dystrophy, Cerebral Palsy, Behavioral/Social Disorders, Articulation Disorders, Stuttering, Hearing Impairment and Processing Disorders.

*Our speech therapists and special instructors also have advanced training with hearing loss related to chronic ear infections, use of hearing aids, cochlear implants, and use of sign language.  

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Behavior Therapy

A behavioral interventionist assists individuals to eliminate or replace disruptive, harmful or negative behaviors with positive actions. Because behavior intervention is aimed at modifying negative behaviors through treatment plans, such interventions often rely on family members, daycare workers and/or support systems to assist with monitoring, implementation and adjustment.

 

Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapy is about helping people of all ages to be independent with everyday activities (ie. occupations).  A child's occupation is everything he or she does throughout the day.  Our Occupational Therapists help children live life to the fullest! We can help with all routines such as feeding, self-care, playing, engaging with others, participating in the community and in various environments. We encourage families to be involved because they have the biggest impact on their little ones and set the best examples. We help children with developmental disabilities, learning difficulties, sensory processing disorders, physical disabilities, autism, attention disorders, and many more. Again our goal is to help each child succeed!

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Special Instruction-Hearing

Our Special Instructors and Speech and Language Pathologists have years of experience working specifically with young children who are deaf or hard of hearing. These skilled professionals can provide parents with the necessary information and support to make difficult decisions about their child's amplification needs (ex. cochlear implants, hearing aids, bone anchored devices or fm systems).  They are skilled at teaching parents how to engage their child in everyday activities while working hard to achieve speech, language and auditory goals.

 

Expertise from a specialist in the area of hearing is sometimes needed to assist families in navigating through the routines of everyday life when they care for a child who is deaf, hard of hearing or when the child’s spoken communication is delayed.  When this is the case, Happy Hearts can provide families with a special instructor who is additionally qualified by their knowledge of hearing challenges, technology and resources.  This special instructor who is a Teacher of the Deaf may use sign language as per the goal or communication choice that families desire for their child.  The teacher works with the families to guide them regarding language attainment, strategies to reach family goals, considerations when a child has a limited hearing ability, assistive technology and any resources that may be needed to further enhance the family’s capability to support their child.  An ongoing relationship with the special instructor grows a family’s confidence in their own abilities to meet the needs of their child.    

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Special Instruction

Our instructors address the child’s overall growth and development, working with families to improve the child’s play skills, behavior management, cognitive development, social interactions, and motor and language development. 

 

Physical Therapy

Our Physical Therapists help to maximize a child's physical abilities with a hands-on approach. Our focus is to help those children who demonstrate delays or deficits in gross motor development, strength, mobility, posture, and gait. Our goal is to help parents learn how to best maintain the improvements they see in their children.