Dr. Maureen Casper, Ph.D., lead author of “Speech Prosody in Cerebellar Ataxia”, completed training in the field of Speech and Hearing Sciences at the City University of New York, US. As a fellow at Mt. Sinai Medical Center, Dr. Casper investigated the brain-behavior relation in patients with neurodegenerative disease states. She was granted a US Patent,:“Method of Rating Motor Dysfunction by Assessing Speech Prosody”and awarded;the ASHA 2002 award: “Moving Science and Research into the 21st Century”, Dr. Casper has presented extensively on the diagnosis and treatment of neurodevelopmental disorders and her clinical practice increasingly evolved to support children across the spectrum.
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Frequently Asked Questions
The goal of speech therapy is to help your child communicate effectively with other people across all environments. This may take the form of using gestures, simple signs, verbal speech, and Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC).
Some other common things speech therapists can help with:
Nonverbal skills, such as signs or gestures
Forming speech in a clearer way
Communicating thoughts and feelings clearly
Understanding and responding to questions
Discerning facial expressions and their corresponding emotions
Noticing and understanding body language
Feeding and swallowing
Stuttering
Your pediatrician might be able to administer screenings, but most general doctors are not trained to formally diagnose autism. They might refer you to a qualified diagnostic clinician which include:
Developmental Pediatricians
Child Psychologists
Child Psychiatrists
Pediatric Neurologists
Pediatric Neuropsychologists
Your experience might look different depending on the type of clinician you choose. Many families prefer working with developmental pediatricians. Others might work with a psychiatrist or another specialist to get a different perspective.
A formal ASD diagnosis, or a medical diagnosis, helps you get the support your family needs, especially within the context of accessing medically necessary therapies and services.
Insurance Coverage for Therapies: Medically necessary therapies for ASD are often covered by insurance including, but not limited to, speech therapy, ABA therapy, and occupational therapy.
Financial Support: A diagnosis is required when applying for social security or disability benefits.
Plan for Care: A diagnosis helps identify your child’s support needs. For example, your child might need to develop social communication and self-regulation skills.
Future Research: The more data we gather through evaluations, the more we can improve services for autistic children and adults.
All ages
In-office
English