Hi Sara,
I am a speech pathologist in Illinois who attended a Talk Tools conference last
year. I was excited to try the approach, and I have been using it with a 5th
grade boy with Down's Syndrome. We've been thrilled with the results. For the
first time in his life, he is able to drink from an open-lipped cup and is expanding
upon his phoneme reportoire!
With his success, my principal has approved purchasing some product to try with
another student. This is a third grade boy, who has mastered all of his articulation
goals but who continues to present with a significantly hyper-nasal speaking
quality. I need to attempt an oral-motor approach for velo-pharyngeal closure.
I was planning on purchasing a horn kit, the bubble hierarchy, and a nose clips
kit. He also has underarousal to sensory stimuli, so I planned on purchasing
the vibrating bug.
I realize that this is minimal information, but is there anything that you feel
I wouldn't need or anything else that you would recommend purchasing to start?
Thank you for your input.
~Nicole Zaccaria
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Evan was pretty much nonverbal at age 5. He could say "Mom, no and uh
oh" maybe, --sometimes. He was evaluated by Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson (SRJ)
who said that he might be apraxic but that the good news was that the tools
used to work on his low muscle strength and tone would also help apraxia if
he had it. He immediately (within 2 weeks) started being able to make sounds
which he had never been able to make before --I had been instructed to practice
"A-ah-apple, B-buh, banana, etc." and had worked on those forever
(with no results) but within a couple weeks of those bite blocks, straws, bubbles,
horns, etc., he was making the sounds and holding on to them.
A couple years later both SRJ and his regular ST agreed he was not apraxic
--it was the muscles. He has been improving at speech ever since although we
have been very lax with the talk tools lately. We did them several years quite
religiously though. I still get them out some. He can say things like --well
he gave a toast at his big brother's wedding (he was best man) and said, "I
love you Jared and Katie. God bless you." Of course, that was rehearsed
but he is saying spontaneously 4 and 5 word sentences now. The people at our
church were surprised that they understood every word. They've heard him as
he has grown up. The longer the string the more he may lose clarity but the
main thing is that now he can communicate with us and we mostly can understand.
Awhile ago he had just gotten out of the bathtub and his dad asked him, "Well
do you stink now?" and he replied, "No. I am clean."
I highly recommend SRJ and her talk tools --you have to get an eval though
or you won't do them right. She's pricey but I learned more from her for $600
than I had learned from slews of other "professionals" down thru the
years.
And yes, you definitely have my permission to use this letter to tell any and
all, especially those with kids with Down syndrome or low muscle tone, that
they really should try an SRJ evaluation if they are having problems with speech.
Priscilla Kendrick,married 32 years to Darrel and Mom of 9 including Evan,
13, born with Down Syndrome and Spina Bifida
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Sara and Renee,
I have wanted to do this course since the first encounter I had with the program
in a one day overview about 3 or 4 years ago. I’ve worked toward it since
that time.
I loved the course. I greatly appreciated that both of you were very in tune
with all of our different personalities and clearly recognized the manner in
which we needed to be addressed and taught in order to get the best out of the
experience. The stress level was high for me because of my personality and because
I wanted to succeed in this so very much. It is my opinion that the two of you
in no way made this stressful.
Your manner of questioning to arrive at needed answers and/or interventions
was excellent. It took a while to get used to, but I think it was very effective.
It was the key to learning to think outside of the box and integrate--put together
the knowledge that we already have. I find myself silently asking similar questions
when I'm working with my children since I've returned to my own caseload. Since
I am very comfortable with the children and am in my own element here, I find
that I can think in this manner easily as I am not putting stress on myself.
When I returned, it was so exciting to look at every child with "new eyes"
and apply what I have learned.
I liked the combination of DVDs, observation, working on each other, observing
and working with clients. I think it worked very well. I was very appreciative
of being given the opportunity with the first child I had to just move in and
go for it with Sara there to take over when needed. It was also wonderful to
be given information regarding the syndrome of this child since I had never
encountered a child having this syndrome.
One of the most exciting things that has happened since I've returned and applied
some of the approaches that I learned:
I have a little girl with autism who I have been unable to facilitate volitional
speech. I also have been unable to get her to do bite and hold or chewing as
she seeks such strong input and she chomps on the chewy tube and won't or can't
follow directions for biting. The first week back, I used the apraxia shapes
with vibration in the manner that was completed with one of the children we
saw while in AZ. She loved it, you could just see her come together and the
motor plan take shape. By the end of the session, she had produced several /m/s
and /b/s. She also said "more" twice and then "bye bye".
You should have seen the light in her eyes. To make this experience even sweeter,
the autism specialist was observing. I'm not sure who was the most excited,
me, the child, or the consultant. It was truly a wonderful experience. This
past week, I was able to get her to do a chew with pretzels and then added the
pretzel to the chewy tube so we are off and running with that as well. Friday,
she blew bubbles for the first time. Needless to say, I'm very encouraged! She
appears to be as well.
I also have a little girl with C.P. who I have worked with for many years. I’ve
worked on the horns with her, but I have held her lips on the horn for closure.
This past week, I was able to use the vibrating toothette with her and she was
then able to round and close her lips on the horn without my help. She is a
fifth grader and extremely bright. She was thrilled and also able to tell me
a bit about how it felt physically and what she thought about it.
I could go on with lots of other triumphs, but I know that you two are swamped
and like shorter messages. I thank you for such a wonderful experience. I'm
even more excited to use these techniques than I ever have been (which didn't
seem possible).
Take care. Thank you for the gift of teaching us. It was wonderful and I plan
to continue on and spread the word!
New Way Communication Therapy
Ann O. Walker, MA, CCC-SLP
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BIGGEST THANKS
There is a buzz of excitement going on in a local elementary school here in
Los Angeles that I wanted you to know about. You see, a four year-old girl diagnosed
with Cerebral Palsy Spastic Quadriplegia and developmental delays is saying
her first words. The buzz started about a month ago when Lila went to preschool
and during the lunch hour asked her teacher Marina for 'milk." While this
seems like an ordinary request, Marina was shocked, rendered speechless, because
for the two years that she has known Lila as a student, Lila was non-verbal,
never uttered a word except for babbles and pointing when she wanted to express
something. Marina, curious asked Lila further to name objects in the room and
Lila expertly told her what each object was with clarity and confidence. The
teacher began to cry and she called her mother. In that conversation she expressed
that Lila was doing a great job in preschool in fact,she says "today she
asked for milk." "Really, well great she's talking to you now."
Lila's mom was not at all surprised because she knew that for the past year
she has been utilizing oral stimulation programs from TalkTools, a company that
she found while desperately searching the internet for anything that would help
her daughter.
Starting with Horn Therapy, Straw Therapy, and just recently adding the Vibrator
with the Toothettes and Ice Sticks, Lila is strengthening her oral muscles and
forming words at record speed. The event that brought down the house and even
garnered her a personal visit from the Principal was going to school and singing
the "ABC Song" and "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star." And now,
every day Lila's mom gets a telephone call from someone at school (today it
was the school speech therapist) wanting to know "WHAT" she is doing
with her that has produced such amazing results. I simply say "It's TalkTools."
What TalkTools has done for Lila is immeasurable. It has given her the gift
of communication, the ability to effectively communicate her wants and needs,
the freedom to express her thoughts and her hilarious personality. Because of
you, Lila will start Kindergarten with a firm foundation to begin her academic
education. Thank you can never fully express how grateful we all are-her family,
her teachers and everyone in between. Everyone is amazed and excited and always
I give credit to Sara Rosenfeld Johnson and TalkTools.
Thank you very much for your wonderful products.
Warmest Regards,
Staci McDonald
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sara and Renee
Well you asked for our opinion on the Level 3 training so here it goes……
The process of applying and communication with Beth was so positive and efficient.
The only thing I would have changed would have been more dialogue as far as
coordinating hotels, timelines, and the other people attending the class. I
would have enjoyed staying closer to the other ladies.
I think the fact that we have to apply for the Level 3 is wonderful. I perceived
it more as an honor when I was accepted versus a conference where I am choosing
to go.
Your interaction with us was extremely positive and clinical. The first day
of observation was excellent. The last 2 days of video was extremely helpful
and being able to stop the video and discuss was great. I felt very confident
by Wed. afternoon and Thursday in my ability to analyze and choose therapy techniques
and goals.
Overall, I can’t recommend this training enough. I have been using your
techniques for years. After taking the Level 3 training and learning the hierarchies
in depth I am confident in my skills as a clinician and confident I can help
my clients. Thanks to this course my eye is now well trained and I feel I can
diagnose any oral placement or feeding difficulties in my clients. I am able
to now establish therapy goals and effectively implement these techniques. I
am also well equipped with knowledge and understanding to be able to explain
to my families how and why this type of therapy will help their children/family
member.
Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to Oral “placement”
and feeding therapy. Your work has truly changed my professional career.
Discovery Therapy, LLC
Whitney B. Pimentel, M.A., President
Speech-Language Pathologist
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Hi Sara,
"I recently attended your conference in August @ DDI. I am thrilled that I was
able to attend your conference-I feel like the information you provided was
missing from my career!"
Thank you,
Jessica Erario
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I recently received an e-mail about Sara coming to Denver in Feb., 2009 and
that you needed a host. I can't do that but I had an idea for you. Yesterday
(9/23/08) in The Denver Post newspaper, there was an article on "Grandparents
launch Down Syndrome institute." They committed $34 million for research and
treatment. It it will called the Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome at
the University of Colorado Denver's Anschutz Medical Campus in Aurora, Colorado.
I have no idea what their phone number is. When I read this article, I immediately
thought that Sara should move to Colorado and get this clinic on the right foot.
She has so much to offer. I doubt she wants to move here but perhaps she might
want to consult with them or have them host something for her. So, I am sending
you this information in case it is of interest to you."
"I learned so much from her just by watching her tapes a bunch of times and
attending a workshop. She is such a gifted therapist and I hold her in such
high esteem. She is my miracle worker and should be canonized a saint!"
Beth
Speech-Language Pathologist
Child Find--Eagle Ridge
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dear Sara,
I have just finished Annabella's 2nd Oral-Motor session for the day, and have
been implementing your new program for over a week now. I wanted to wait until
now, after I had been repeating the sessions before getting back to you. I now
feel well-equipped to say how fantastic your Program is. I marvel each time
I do it with her, how she responds. SO much better than the previous Plan I
had been given. I just implemented that previous Plan but never really saw pre-planned
responses like we have with your program. The Treatment Plan was also so very
thorough and detailed, which made implementing it so much easier. Many Thanks!
Many Thanks, and warm regards,
Carmen
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
|
