At Bornhava, we provide a variety of services including: speech/language evaluations; audiological testing provided by a licensed Audiologist; audiological screenings provided by speech-language pathologists; home and community based intervention; and a combination of pull-out and push-in therapy in our center based classrooms. Speech/language therapy is also provided at our integrated daycare classrooms at "Ripen with Us" on Kenmore Ave and the "University at Buffalo Child Care Center" on Bailey Avenue, as well as at our integrated preschool classroom at Windemere Elementary School in Amherst.

We use a total communication approach and encourage all methods of communication including: oral, use of signs, augmentative and facial expressions/body language. During speech and language sessions, we work on the following aspects of speech and language: attending to tasks, following directions, requesting, commenting, communicating with peers, increasing vocabulary and comprehension of linguistic concepts and improving articulation skills.

Some of our speech-language pathologists have been trained in the PROMPT therapy technique. PROMPT is a motor speech treatment that focuses on eliciting specific phonemes, or speech sounds. PROMPT trained therapists touch the childfs mouth and under the chin to help him/her produce targeted sounds. This touch stimulates specific muscles to guide oral motor movements. We are excited to have this technique as an additional therapeutic tool to use with our children.

We also have an Otoacoustic Emissions (OAEs) audiometric instrument to screen our childrenfs hearing regularly. Our speech-language pathologists are trained and able to perform hearing screenings. This screening instrument examines cochlear functioning at various frequencies in both ears as well as middle ear functioning. Hearing is vital for speech and language development, and we are happy to have this technology readily available to monitor any hearing concerns.

Listed below are some useful speech and language websites:

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

Apraxia-KIDS

Signing Time

The PROMPT Institute Home

"FIRST WE LEARN LANGUAGE, THEN WE USE LANGUAGE TO LEARN."