#EyeGaze #AAC Evaluation Completed by SLP Team
#EyeGaze #AAC Evaluation Completed by SLP Team
Yesterday, we experienced a remarkable event at our center, where a child gained access to communication through a device that uses eye gaze technology. With permission from Shannon Shanahan, Riley's mother, we are excited to share Riley's story and feature him on our website.
During the evaluation, Shannon expressed that for 8 years, Riley has not had a voice. Thanks to a specialized assessment that identified the most suitable AAC system for Riley, he now has two devices to trial, allowing him to use his eyes to activate a button and speak through the device. Riley will begin weekly therapy to learn how to use the device, and our therapists will closely monitor his progress in using eye gaze to communicate.
The family is particularly excited for Riley to use his device to make his first communion in May. He will be able to look at a picture of the Host to activate the appropriate verbalization on the device, enabling him to communicate his faith aloud. Follow Riley’s story on Facebook at Riley Shanahan’s Story.
At Aurora Pediatric Therapy and Integrative Health, we take pride in supporting caregivers and their children by developing treatment plans and interventions tailored to the unique values of each caregiving unit and child. We are deeply grateful for the opportunity to support Riley and his family, and we look forward to sharing future success stories as he grows and learns to use his voice with this device.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to our speech-language pathology team, particularly Gabby and Taylor, for their innovative approach in meeting Riley's complex communication needs. We also appreciate our partnership with @rmspeech for conducting the AAC assessment that determined the best communication device for Riley.
🎉 Congratulations and Thank You, Rachel Eriksen, OTR/L! 🎉
We wanted to extend our heartfelt congratulations and gratitude to Rachel Eriksen, OTR/L, for her recent presentation at the Early Childhood Education Business Advisory Meeting at Waubonsee Community College . This meeting focused on equipping Early Childhood Educators (ECE) with practical tips in areas such as fine motor skills, gross motor skills, sensory regulation, and executive functioning within a developmentally appropriate timeline.
Educators left the meeting equipped with tips and tricks to immediately enhance classroom pedagogy, with a special focus on student emotional and sensory regulation.
Presenting at this advisory board meeting was also meaningful for Rachel. Reflecting on her time at the meeting, she said, "It was great to collaborate with early childhood educators to learn how OTs can further embed principles of Occupational Therapy into daily classroom routines. I frequently collaborate with school teams for Individual Education Plan (IEP) support and I will use this experience and knowledge gained to further support collaboration between our office and school teams.”
Thank you, Rachel, for embodying our Value of Advocacy in the community and bringing awareness to this important topic for area early childhood educators. Your dedication and expertise are truly making a difference! 🌟
#Advocacy #EarlyChildhoodEducation #CommunityImpact #ThankYouRachel #OccupationalTherapy
🎉 Congratulations to Gabby Mikolkay, MS, CCC-SLP! 🎉
We are incredibly proud to announce that our Lead Speech Language Pathologist, Gabby Mikolkay, has been named to the Apraxia Kids Speech Language Pathology Directory! 🌟 This directory highlights clinicians of excellence from the United States and Canada, and Gabby is one of only 63 clinicians in Illinois to be recognized for her exceptional skill in evaluating and treating children with apraxia of speech.
This is a HUGE accomplishment and a testament to Gabby's dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to helping children with childhood apraxia of speech (CAS).
Join us in celebrating Gabby's outstanding achievement and thanking her for the incredible work she does every day! 👏
Our therapeutic space was highlighted as an Office Revolution Project due to the elements of design embedded into our clinic which support sensory regulation and create a space where all children can feel welcome upon entry including principles of biophilia, use of l.E.D and natural light throughout the practice, Use of color scheme and multiple textures throughout clinic and waiting room space. This space was specifically Curated to support the unique and diverse needs of our clients.
Learn more about our feature here: Aurora Pediatric Therapy & Integrative Health - Office Revolution
