A History of Service

Board certified and licensed speech-language pathologists

Speech & Feeding Support
The Therapy Center at Abilis has board-certified and licensed speech-language pathologists who support individuals from birth throughout adulthood.

Communication with our Clients
Communication is an essential part of life. The therapists at the Therapy Center at Abilis are dedicated to finding the right tools and techniques to enable individuals to communicate at all ages. Bilingual speech therapy in French, Italian and Spanish are available to make sure that language is not a barrier to communication for non-native speakers.

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The Abilis Team

The Abilis team of board certified and licensed speech-language pathologists support individuals from birth through adulthood. A wide range of issues from receptive and expressive language to articulation and phonology (the ability to recognize and produce clear sounds) to fluency (the ability to speak at a smooth and comfortable rate) are areas addressed.

Individuals with Limited Verbal Skills

Just as gestures and movements convey meaning, speech is not essential for communication. For individuals with limited verbal skills, Abilis has therapists trained to use Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS) and assistive technology. Programs such as Pragmatic Organization Dynamic Display (PODD) with an array of words, pictures, and symbols, have been successful in helping children as young as 12 months communicate with parents and caregivers.

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Individuals with Oral Motor Issues

Oral motor issues can create different barriers to speech. For individuals with apraxia and dyspraxia, Abilis' team approach includes therapists trained in PROMPT, a tactile-kinesthetic approach to helping individuals coordinate the muscles and movements needed to produce speech. Therapists use their hands to help manipulate the jaw, lips, and tongue so that individuals can form recognizable sounds and words.

Feeding Support

  • Experience with Feeding and Swallowing Problems

    The Abilis team of professionals have extensive experience and training in evaluating and treating pediatric feeding and swallowing problems, including:

  • AEIOU

    An Integrated Approach to Feeding

  • SOS

    Approach to Feeding

  • SOFFI

    Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants

  • Management of Pediatric Aerodigestive Disorders

The Abilis therapists are trained to support individuals from birth throughout adulthood with feeding challenges.

Through assessments, the reasons why individuals don’t or can’t eat are determined, then the use of sensory, oral motor and behavioral strategies are implemented to help make meals more enjoyable and nutritious.

Abilis therapists work in homes, schools, and other natural environments, so that parents, families, caregivers and other professionals can be educated and trained to carryover feeding techniques.

If there is a medical issue involved, Abilis consults with and works in tandem with medical professionals.