Cara Kennedy Email and Phone Number

We are three speech-language pathologists with a love and passion for helping babies, toddlers and little ones develop language, communication and social skills.We offer classes that incorporate language-rich play, literacy, and sensory exploration to promote language and social development.Our mission is to provide families and caregivers with the knowledge and tools to help grow their child’s language in a fun and meaningful way.

PROMPT Certified TherapistSpeech-Language Pathologist and Assistive Technology Consultant Evaluate and treat students in Pre-K through 5th grade in a collaborative push-in or pull-out model in general education, co-taught, self-contained, and ABA classroom settings. Target articulation/phonology, receptive/expressive language skills, literacy, and fluency goals through evidence-based approaches such as PROMPT and Social Thinking. Serve as chairperson on sub-CSE IEP meetings, Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) Committee and member of Child Developmental Study Team.

Served as Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Coordinatorand Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding Coordinator.Evaluated and treated children ages 0-7 with complex medical needs and diagnoses including; Autism Spectrum Disorders, Cerebral Palsy, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, developmental delays, Down syndrome, feeding/swallowing disorders, and neurological disorders. Provided Early Intervention (EI) services and multidisciplinary evaluations in the home, outpatient and school setting. Use of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), oral motor/ behavioral feeding therapy, PROMPT, and Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) approach to feeding. Supervised graduate students from local universities and provided ongoing training and professional development to therapists, teachers, assistants, and aides.

Completed Clinical Fellowship (CF) for a private practice contracted by the New York City Department of Education in public and charter school settings, as well as home care. Provided individual and group therapy for children ages 3-14 in the preschool, elementary and middle school settings. Performed screenings and treatment for children in the areas of articulation, auditory processing, expressive and receptive language, fluency, oral motor, pragmatics, reading skills, and voice. Participated in report writing and re-evaluation for students’ Individualized Education Plans (IEP’s) and meetings, and provided constant collaboration with families, teachers, learning support staff, principals, and special education coordinators.I hold certifications in Certification of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP), New York State Licensure, Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities (TSSLD), State of Pennsylvania Teaching Certification, Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Feeding Certification, and Physical and Psychological Management Techniques (PMT) Certification.

Maintained and programmed AAC equipment and iPads, developed handouts for low and high tech devices and performed assessments of graduate students enrolled in course. Evaluated new applications for iPad to develop a comprehensive list of effective applications for use in the pediatric and adult settings in the areas of articulation, cognition, language, fluency, Aphasia, Apraxia of Speech, visual impairments, and voice. Provided workshops to teach faculty, therapists, and students about new technology to facilitate multisensory therapy planning and promote carry-over activities.

Performed diagnostics and treatment for children with developmental and neurological disorders in the areas of inpatient, outpatient, radiology, neonatal intensive care unit, and pediatric intensive care unit. Performed modified barium swallow studies and co-treated with occupational, physical therapists, pediatricians, and nutritionists in Feeding Clinic and Cerebral Palsy Clinic, and Cleft and Craniofacial Clinic. Provided diagnostic and therapy services for articulation and phonological disorders, language, fluency, oral motor, feeding and swallowing for newborns and pediatrics.

Inpatient: Evaluated and treated individuals in Dysphagia group therapy, provided therapy and educated patients on oral care and oral motor exercises. Diagnostic and treatment services for patients with low and high level cognitive skills, use of low and high tech AAC. Treated patients with Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, Aphasia, Apraxia, Dysarthria, Parkinson’s and Dementia and educated families on functional tasks. Participated in patient and caregiver support group and attended medical staffings. Outpatient: Assessed and treated patients with low and high level cognitive functioning. Designed and implemented various attention, memory, motor-cognitive, and executive functioning tasks. Evaluated and provided voice therapy to patients to include oral-motor exercises, articulation and breathing tasks. Performed diagnostics, therapy, and troubleshooting for individuals using low and high tech AAC devices.

LEAP) Learning Experiences: An Advanced Program for preschoolers and parents utilizes a behavioral and developmental approach to teaching children with autism through interactions and exploration with typically developing peers. Performed screenings, diagnostics and therapy for children with autism and Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) in the areas of articulation, language, augmentative and alternative communication, and oral motor skills. Utilized Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Errorless Teaching, Verbal Behavior, low and high tech AAC devices in an inclusion classroom setting.