Services Overview
Speech Therapy - Language Services - Dyslexia Services - Accent Reduction Services

This is well-researched and documented. Many children and adults suffer with language delays. It is important to help those who have deficits related to communication or language learning disabilities. Speech and language deficits do interfere with later academic learning, particularly in learning to read, write and spell. They can also hinder an adult from rising to their full potential within their chosen career. Early intervention is key to later success, however it is never too late to seek  intervention.

Services offered in my private practice:

1. 1:1, individualized, specialized, multisensory, structured, cumulative, language based therapy for children and adults diagnosed with Dyslexia or reading, writing and spelling learning disabilities using the Wilson Language Program.
    
   The Wilson Language Program is also very successful for students that have English as a second language when they might be experiencing difficulties learning to read and write. This is also considered a good option/alternative to consider when there is a diagnosis of ADD/ADHD with or without medication, if there is a coinciding issue with reading, writing and spelling.
    
2. Baseline Testing to determine if a child or an adult is appropriate for this type of treatment. This data also serves as a way to compare progress at specified intervals.
    
3. Individual Speech Therapy and Assessment for children and adults. This is the measurement of a person's sound system and how clearly they speak, and how to improve intelligibility to listeners. An example would be a lisp or an "r" problem (saying 'wabbit' for rabbit).
    
4. Language Therapy and Assessment for children and adults. There are five areas of language:
    
   Phonological Language is how a person processes sound for both speaking and learning to read and write. Having a weakness in this area will often result in having dyslexia or difficulties learning to read and write. Children who have English as a second language and are experiencing difficulties in reading, writing and spelling also might have a weakness in physiological language.
    
   Semantic Language has to do with how well a person can understand, comprehend and use words for listening and speaking.
    
   Syntax Language is how the words are formed into sentences. This is also known as grammar skills.
    
   Morphological Language has to do with the understanding of how individual sounds blend together to make word pars that in turn make full words that in turn are used to make complete sentences. A person who has difficulties learning to read, whatever the reason, usually has a very difficult time understanding this kind of language. THere are specific techniques that are used to help someone overcome these issues.
    
   Pragmatic Language is a person's social language skills. This language skill involves understanding body language, gestural communication such as how different faces convey different meaning to the listener, awareness of other's personal space, awareness of voice volume, use of eye contact, etc.
    
5. Academic Achievement Testing. (This is not to be confused with intellectual testing. Only a psychologist can do this type of testing.) Standardized academic testing is a comparison of where the person being tested compares with other students across the USA on any given skill or subject area such as math calculation, reading comprehension, knowledge of sight words, etc.
     
6. Accent Reduction Therapy: This is for an adult who speaks English as a second language. People who can benefit from this type of therapy are those whose profession lives are impacted when their clients or listeners are not able to understand what they are trying to convey. Particularly professions where it is imperative that clear communications be used include: physicians, business personnel, live reporters, radio and TV personalities, politicians, public speakers, teachers, telemarketers, sales personnel, and consultants, among many others. It is imperative in many professions to have clear and understandable communication skills.
    
7. Individual or Small Group Language Enrichment for ages 3 to 4. We know that a child's language development from ages birth to 6 years form the foundation for all other learning experiences. Research has proven that if a child is language delayed by age three to five, it can significantly effect his or her success throughout their academic career and into adulthood successes.

If you have questions regarding speech and language development, issues related to reading, writing and spelling, dyslexia or accent reduction for any age please contact me .

Dawn Werts Philbin, MA/CCC/SLP and Dyslexia Specialist, Director of:
THE SPEECH LANGUAGE DYSLEXIA CLINIC, P.C.
Serving the Metro Des Moines area and Central Iowa region
Waukee, Iowa
(515) 987-6532
Email:

Copyright 2006-2008 Dawn Werts Philbin, MA/CCC/SLP, Waukee, Iowa

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