Seeking a Speech Therapist

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Speech therapist for stuttering?

Mar 2012

My six year old son has a stutter. I'm looking for a really good speech therapist who specializes in stuttering. Any recommendations? He has speech therapy at his school, but I don't feel the therapist is dealing with the issue adaquently. Thanks for any help. anon

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All the speech therapists at Word Works are wonderful. Gage Herman in particular is a shining star and she can also help you get the most out of the speech therapist you're working with through the school district. www.wordworkstherapy.com Lisa

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Your prayers have been answered - see link A Teen's Painful Stuttering Ends - ABC News abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=125601=1 - Similarto A Teen's Painful Stuttering Ends - ABC News A Teen's Painful Stuttering Ends. Nov. 14. Share. Email. Comments. Print. Single Page. Font Sizes. The story Dr. Joe Kalinowski shared with ABCNEWS' Good Morning America..

I lived next door to Tony Kalinowski growing up in the Boston area and know first hand of his struggles with stuttering. His struggle prompted him to become a successful doctor and inventing a device that helps 90% of stutters imediately after inserting the device. I hope your son is one of the 90% that have experienced this miracle. Good luck ej

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Alternatives to school district's 30 min/week?

Nov 2011

Hi, my son has special needs, and this semester he started receiving speech therapy from the school district. He is only getting 30 minutes a week. When we go for his sessions, it feels like as soon as we get there its time to leave. I understand the financial strain that the school district is under, but I feel that 30 minutes a week is just not enough. Does anyone know of any other alternatives for speech therapy. Thank You anon

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I have posted here several times that I think that Faltz Associates on Piedmont (Oakland) has been an important support for my grandson who has serious speech processing problems. He goes once a week and his therapist helps him work on strategies for learning. She also attends his IEP meetings and helps his parent advocate for him because it is difficult to get adequate support through the public schools. anonymous

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Hi- Anon- Do you have medical coverage? If so, you may be able to use your health insurance to supplement your child's current speech services. Please feel free to email me for more information. I work for a local nonprofit (Easter Seals Bay Area) and we take many private insurances and work with many families who are also receiving therapies through their school district. You should look into your policy.

Also, I saw your question about getting a diagnosis for your child... There are two options of places you can contact: Regional Center of the East Bay (www.rceb.org) or a local developmental pediatrician. There are several in the area. Feel free to email me if you have other questions. Take care, Annie

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Fun and effective speech therapist for 1st grader?

Nov 2011

We're looking for a fun and effective speech therapist for our daughter, age 6, entering 1st grade. Our daughter needs to work on word recall and expression, and articulation issues. We've had a few recommendations and are wondering if anyone knows any of these therapists. We're open to other ideas as well. We'd really appreciate any thoughts --

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My grandson, who is 13, has been tutored by Amy Faltz for the last two years. Her identification of his speech processing issues and intervention has raised his academic level significantly. The other associates in the Piedmont office seem to see the younger children--I'm not sure who Hilda is, but the two associates whom I see when I wait for my grandson seem to have very good rapport with the children. The very young children seem happy and comfortable while waiting, entering the tutors office or leaving. Anonymous

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Experience with speech therapist Gerry Fabella?

August 2011

Does anyone have any experience with Gerry Fabella as a ST for their child? anon

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I am hugely grateful for Gerry Fabella's work with my child. She was engaging and attentive to my kid, who made great progress with her, and Also a resource to me about child development overall. I highly recommend her. Mom of a talker

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Gerry Fabella is awesome! She worked with my apraxic toddler for the better part of a year and helped him go from making monosyllabic utterances to speaking real words. It was a long process, and my child also has the benefit of working with another very good therapist at Communication Works in Oakland. Still, when Gerry became part of my child's team, I believe that her firm approach was the catalist for us to begin experiencing break through after break through. She is throughly knowledgeable and capable of providing excellent speech therapy. In my opinion, your child would be very lucky to work with Gerry. I only have praises for her! I am happy to talk with you about my experiences further if you are interested. Just ask the moderator for my email address. Happy mom of a talker

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Speech therapy for 20-year-old?

July 2011

Our now 20-year old daughter has always had problems speaking clearly. Both my wife and I can only understand her maybe 50% of the time. Part of this is just because she speaks quickly but she also has severe articulation problems. We were hoping that when she went away to college that this would get better, but it hasn't. We think she's now becoming aware of how serious this is and how it will effect her future. We're looking for recommendations for a speech therapist who specializes in teenagers and older, and who has dealt with problems like this before. Concerned

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While the conventional advice is for children to get speech therapy as soon as possible, I have seen quite a number of students, high school age and older, who were finally ready to address their speech issues and to put in the practice it takes to change longstanding habits. After an assessment to determine just what it is that's getting in her way, this would be the key to your daughter developing clearer speech. Please feel free to email me if you are interested in her working locally or in how to find resources near her college. Carol

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Lamorinda Speech Therapist for 5-year-old

April 2011

I have a five-year old son who has been in speech therapy since age two. He will be starting kindergarten in the fall. His current therapy is provided through the school district, but they do not offer the option of continuing through the summer. I hate to lose the progress that we've made throughout the year and would love it if he could progress out of needing therapy before school starts. I am looking for a private speech therapist to carry on his therapy through the summer break. Can anyone recommend a speech therapist in the Lamorinda area? Speechless for the Summer

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My grandson lives in the Lamorinda area but his speech therapist is on Piedmont in Oakland. Check Amy Faltz Associates Inc's site: www.faltzassociates.com or call 510-654-3381. Anonymous

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I would recommend the Speech Pathology Group in Walnut Creek. Pamela Bloch there is excellent. anon

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Private pay or Cameron School for 3 y.o. ?

Feb 2011

My son just turned 3. He was in Early Intervention through LIFT program at Cameron school due to a mild expressive speech delay. He also had mild hearing loss due to fluid in his ears. His adenoids were removed and ear tubes put in 11/10. He is cogitively ''normal'' and has caught up in terms of expressive language. He is at or above age level for everything but articulation, for which he is moderatly delayed. He was made eligible for group speech therapy twice a week through WCCUSD/Cameron School in El Cerrito. However, I have concerns about going through WCCUSD for speech therapy, as I was told that they are over-loaded and may not necessarily have an appropriate group for him right away. Also, while they try to make a good match, he may not necessarily be grouped with children who are at his level developmentally or behaviorally. Services are not available durning the school breaks. I am therefore concerned about the quality of the therapy he will be getting.

Is group speech therapy as good as 1:1 therapy for speech articulation problems in a 3 y.o.? Has anyone had experience with WCCUSD/Cameron school group speech therapy for pre-schoolers? Are we better off paying for therapy privately? What does individual speech therapy cost for something like an articulation delay? If we don't pay now will we pay later?

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Our child received speech therapy through Cameron School from age 3-5 and it was excellent. For a few months prior to starting at Cameron he had received private speech therapy, and we were pleased to learn that the therapist he had at Cameron was contracted through the same clinic he had previously attended. It is true that the therapy is in small groups (I think we had a group of 3 one year and a group of 4 another year) as opposed to one-on-one, but an added benefit is that if your child still needs services in kindergarten, they prepare a complete transition plan with you and it helps immensely once your child enters elementary school. My suggestion would be to try it, and if you feel that you need to supplement with private therapy, you can always do it then. Cameron School is a real gem in the district! former Cameron parent

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My son attended Cameron School for the 2009-2010 school year. He was 3 and also being treated for articulation issues. I would recomend that you give the school a try-- it did wonders for my son. At the end of the year, he had imporoved so much that he was no longer eligible for services. He was placed in a group for 3-4 other kids, and I think that they were all a bit more delayed than he was, but that didn't seem to slow down his progress at all (and as I'm sure you know, in many preschool settings, kids of different ages and abilities are deliberately grouped together).

It was distressing that there were so many days that the school was not open, but two times a week is a pretty significant amount of time when the school is in session.

I wil also tell you that when he ''graduated,'' our Cameron teacher suggested that he get private therapy to give him that last nudge to complete mastery. We saw Frances Grahamjones in Albany (510-524-0350), who I've recommended elswhere on BPN. She was wonderful; her rate was $100/hr.

If you want more info, feel free to ask the moderator for my contact info-- good luck! Susan

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Our experience with Cameron School & speech for our 3 year old was mediocre. This was 8 years ago, but with budget cuts in schools . . . I am not sure what insurance will pay for now, but we got a referral from our primary physician and our HMO paid for speech therapy 1:1 sessions and the improvement for our child was really amazing. Unfortunately this was through Children's Hospital, but this department has been eliminated through budget cuts. I imagine your child's primary physician will know who to refer to for your insurance. I know that at times you have to push & speak up to get what you want, but it is worth it as our son does not have any problems with speech now. Children who wait until they are older have a much harder time in correcting speech problems, so I am so glad you are on top of it now. If you have to pay private, it is worth it, but try for a referral first. Parent who has been there

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Speech Therapy in El Cerrito, Richmond, Albany

Jan 2011

My three year old son has been evaluated as having an expressive language delay. He is eligible to attend Cameron School, but the times available are during his nap time. If you are a parent of a toddler who has had a positive experience with a speech therapist in the El Cerrito, Richmond, Albany area please respond and include contact details. Getting Beyond Delay

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My son saw a wonderful speech therapist, Frances Grahamjones. He had problems with his articulation and attended Cameron School from 2009-2010. He was then assessed as being ineligble for further services but his teacher privately told me that he would benefit from further therapy. I found Frances through BPN and he saw her for about 8 months-- until just after Christmas 2010, when she told us that he is now right where he should be in terms of his speech.

I can't say enough good things about Frances-- she is patient, thoughtful, and determined. She was also very flexible with our schedule. I feel that she tailors her approach to the interests and personality of each child she sees. She was also very helpful in giving us things to work on at home, which I think contributed to my son's progress.

Frances is on Solano Ave just off of San Pablo in Albany; her phone number is 510-524-0350. Ask the moderator for my info if you have any further questions.

PS: You might also try being persistent with Cameron School re schedule. We had only a few days/times that would work for us and they were able to accommodate us after some back- and-forth. I did think it was helpful for my son to be in the group/class setting. Susan

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2010 - 2009 Reviews

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Speech Therapist for 18 Month Old

Dec 2010

I am looking for a speech therapist for my 18 month old that is covered by United Healthcare. Ideally I'd like someone who could do home visits. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated! Sarah

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I highly recommend Shannon Kong of Spencer and Kong. She is excellent. She has been working with my daughter for a few months. Originally we were using a different therapist who was very good, but for some reason my daughter would not open up with her and was never comfortable. We switched because of this and had the good fortune to meet Shannon. My daughter looks forward to seeing her and playing games with her. She has really come a long way with Shannon. She can be reached at: ofc 415-469-4988, cell 925-708- 9020 and shannon [at] spencerandkong.com Best of luck to you. Roger

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Speech therapist for 3-year-old

Aug 2010

Hello everyone. My wife and I are proud parents of 3 year old twins. Our little boy has been diagnosed with ''A Language Disorder with Social Pragmatic Component''. It has been made abundantly clear that he needs speech therapy training as soon as possible. We've just been told that our insurance will not cover this treatment however. So we are anxious to find an exceptional speech therapist with expertise in this area that provides these kinds of services at a reasonable cost. We are in the Rockridge section of Oakland. Many thanks in advance for your thoughts and suggestions! A Concerned Pop

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I would try the professionals at Communication Works in Oakland. I am in an allied field and have been very impressed with their knowledge base and their committment to helping kids develop social thinking. They offer workshops periodically and consult with some east bay schools. Elizabeth Sautter is one of the directors of the group practice. www.cwtherapy.com An east bay educational therapist

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You probably already know this, but your school district has an early intervention program that will diagnose and help your child. The reason I mention this is because I had no idea this resource existed in CA. My first child had speech problems and I didn't know the help was free and located in my own community. My second child also has some speech issues, and I got in touch with my school district and was referred to The Cameron School in WCCUSD. I was and am delighted by the teachers and the class. My child improved a lot. Good Luck

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Speech therapy at BUSD

April 2010

My 3.5 year old recently had a speech therapy evaluation and it was recommended that he receive therapy. He has also had vision/hearing exams. I am looking into our options for therapy would like to hear if anyone has experience (good/bad) with the services provided through BUSD. I'm also interested in information on other facility's that could provide speech therapy. A mom who wants to understand

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I would strongly advise against BUSD's early childhood services. My child was recently assessed through BUSD and I have opted to figure out how to pay for services myself rather than deal with the condescending and developmentally inappropriate case manager and specialist with whom I met in BUSD. I was shocked by the condescension and lack of professionalism I encountered and, while I am sure that there are great individual speech therapists in the district, I was again so surprised by how poorly my child and I were treated that I am considering moving to another school district if my child attends public school. I know that I could legally file a complaint and just don't have the energy. My advice: don't do it. Paying out of pocket to avoid BUSD

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If you want to supplement by going the private route, I would highly recommend The Speech Pathology Group in Berkeley. I've been extremely happy with my son's experience there and am watching him make great improvements. There website is www.speechpathologygroup.com Mary

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Good Speech Therapist who takes Medi-Cal

Feb 2010

I'm looking for a speech therapist to help my about-to-turn-three-year-old continue developing articulation, and I need someone who takes Medi-Cal. We have had a GREAT speech therapist through East Bay Regional Center, but my kid will age into the school district this spring at birthday #3. BUSD does not offer speech therapy in the summer, and I'd love to continue. Any ideas? Children's Hospital has cut its formerly excellent speech therapy program. worried mama

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Did RCEB provide year round services? Can you get documentation from them that your child needs service throughout the summer? If so, the district is legally required to offer a program that fits your child's ''unique needs,'' which would require them to pay for it. It wouldn't be *easy*, but IEPs are supposed to be data-driven and if you have the data (i.e., evidence of clinical need), it's *possible*. It's good you're asking now. Dana

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Speech therapist thru BUSD for private school kid?

Jan 2010

My six year old is in need of speech therapy. She was evaluated in the first percentile thru Herrick, and for the last two months I've been getting the run-around from the BUSD regarding any services that she might be entitled to. We are Berkeley residents but attending a private school. Are we eligible for services, and if so, how do I negotiate the BUSD to get them. Thanks for any help.

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If you can afford private school, you can afford a speech therapist if your child really needs one. The amount of money it would cost BUSD to fund a speech therapist for your child off-site is ridiculous. That money comes straight out of the budget for kids who can't afford private school. When our schools are struggling under slashed budgets with astronomical special ed costs, you should be ashamed of yourself for even considering it. Try supporting public education instead. Shocked Taxpayer

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I am not sure about speech therapy but I wanted to respond to shocked taxpayer: Dear Shocked Taxpayer, the person who posted is also a taxpayer who lives in Berkeley. They are paying the same taxes as you, possibly more, yet they are not receiving any benefit from the education system like you are, because their child doesn't go to public school. Why shouldn't they use the special education services offered by the school district that they pay for?

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I didn't respond at first, because my information about speech and language services through the BUSD is a few years old. Having seen the one judgmental non-answer you received, I'll try to help. Several years ago, public school districts were responsible for serving children in private schools. Since then the law has changed, and I've heard inconsistent opinions about the current situation. You should be able to get a definitive answer from the special education advocates at DREDF: www.dredf.org/programs/PTI.shtml. Even if it's possible to get speech therapy through the public schools, it could take a long time to arrange. Speech and language services are accessed through the special education process, and although laws or regulations dictate how quickly this is supposed to proceed, in our personal experience the process tended to drag on for many months. Things seemed to happen more quickly when a teacher or administrator initiated the process based on their experience with the student, rather than when a parent initiated it on the basis of a outside (non-district) evaluation. When we were dealing with the BUSD, I heard there weren't always enough speech and language therapists and that some students had to wait for promised services, although we never had to. Sorry I don't have more recent information, but DREDF could probably offer advice here, too. Depending on what type of support your child needs, there may be waiting lists to see someone privately, but if it were my child I'd start looking for private speech therapy. good luck

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Sliding scale or university clinics for speech therapy?

Jan 2010

I am wondering if anyone knows of any sliding scale or university clinics where I might get more speech therapy for my daughter. She started speech therapy last year in April (through regional center) and had it once a week up until this December. It was cut due to the fact that she has speech therapy through the George Miller Center (which she and I LOVE!), but it's broken into two 1/2 hour sessions, and it's with one or two other children. She's 2 yrs 7 months, and her only words are ''apple'' and ''up'', and these are recent developments. She was diagnosed by regional center as being autistic, but I think that it is a misdiagnosis, as does our pediatrician, our O.T., her teachers, our former speech therapist and friends that have kids on the spectrum. Whether she is in fact autistic doesn't matter to me in terms of acceptance- I accept who she is, and wouldn't change a thing about her! I just want her specific needs to be addressed, and I'm running into dead ends everywhere I look. I do think that she has apraxia, as well as sensory integration disorder. I know that apraxia requires intensive, one on one speech therapy, but Alta Bates has a waiting list until July, and I don't feel that this can wait that long. We can't afford private sessions. Any advice on where to find more speech therapy would be greatly appreciated! proud mama of my special needs child

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You can try Cal State East Bay or San Francisco State for reduced fee therapy in their graduate school programs. I don't know what their waiting lists are like, but since their semesters must already be underway, and since it sounds like you want something now to cover you until the school district kicks in at age three, then I would look into that option quickly. Otherwise, have you checked yet if your insurance will cover you? With the diagnosis of autism your child has been given it might be easier to get coverage, though that can take some time to determine. I know you said you can't afford the private route, but I did want to let you know that private therapy doesn't necessarily have to mean paying $100+ per session: I'm a speech therapist at The Speech Pathology Group Clinic in Walnut Creek and Berkeley, and we have started offering 30 minute sessions for $65 for children under age three. This was in direct response to recent Regional Center budget cuts which have resulted in many children no longer qualifying for services, and families suddenly having to face paying out of pocket until the school district can take over. Good luck to you and your daughter- Pamela

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2008 - 2007 Reviews

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Speech therapist for 4-year-old

Oct 2009

Looking for a good speech therapist for my almost 4-year old. This person must be willing to come to her preschool, located in Dublin. anon

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We used Kim Scott in San Francisco. She worked with my daughter in pre-school as well as elementary school. My daughter made lots of progress with her. We went through four different therapist who did not make very much progress. Even now, the school speech therapist doesn't do as well with my daughter as Kim so that we are considering going to back to her on our own. She came to my child's school to work with her and that was in El Cerrito. Kim has offices in the Marina, her number is (415) 713-9011. Good Luck Juliet

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My son saw Louise Fender for two years. She is azmazing, and I can't recommend her highly enough. At the time, Louise was part of the Berkeley School District's special education team. My son't preschool teacher told us that he will need to be in special ed for good. He's in 3rd grade now, and is one of the top students in his class - and language/writing is his strength.

We all thank Louise for that. Not only she helped him with his speech, but at the same time prepared him for kindergarten. She also taught us, parents, to continuously develop his language skills. It's one thing to drop your kid off to a therapy session and then go on with your usual routine. I sat through many sesions with my son and Louise, and learned some invaluable lessons from her, just by watching her work. I believe that a therapy lesson doesn't end with the child leaving the office. It's up to a parent to continue on with it by weaving the lessons learned into the daily routine. Regards, mother of a non-stop talker:)

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Lisping 7-year-old

June 2009

My 7-year-old first-grader has had a lisp ever since he could speak; otherwise he has no other speech issues. In kindergarten last year, we asked the school speech therapist about the lisp, and she suggested waiting until first grade to see if it would correct itself (apparently the head and jaw are still changing in kids of this age). We waited, but the lisp is still there, seemingly unchanged. He still has all but two of his baby teeth, so I imagine there is still more jaw-change to come. I imagine the speech therapist could validly make the same argument as last year. However, I'm wondering if we should be pursuing a speech therapist outside of the school at this point. I personally find the lisp really endearing and will be sad to see it go, but I am reluctant to keep waiting indefinitely because it seems likely that it will be even harder to correct the older he gets. Any BTDT experience with this? Should we be seeking another opinion, or just keep waiting it out? Anon

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Our daughter had a lisp when she was young too, and it seemed endearing to me, however I imagined her as a 35 year old woman with a lisp and knew we needed to take care of it. I asked the speech therapist at our school to see her and I think they met 2 or 3 times over a couple of weeks. It was corrected so quickly and she was about your child's age. lark

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I love that you love the lisp! Very cute! I was raised in the 70's with a ''why be normal?'' attitude but my poor sibling suffered terribly with his lisp by the 4th grade. Kids are cruel when they get into their tweens, so I would encourage you to positively pursue therapy when appropriate. BTW, my sibling's lisp--gone within months upon starting therapy. Sibling of lisper

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As a former speech therapist, I would like to encourage you not to delay getting help in correcting your child's lisp. Even though it seems ''cute'' to you now, a lisp is conspicuous and unattractive in the speech of an older child or adult. The longer you delay, the harder it will be to correct. The length of time needed to correct it is hard to predict and will be a function of the nature and severity of the lisp, your child's responsiveness to therapy, and your support of the therapist's efforts (including having a positive and cooperative attitude). I hope you can abandon the idea that the lisp is ''cute.'' Sometimes a child who persists with immature articulation has a parent or grandma who thinks it is ''cute,'' which makes a therapist's job much harder.

The good news is that it is the beginning of the summer and you have an opportunity to accelerate progress by concentrating more attention on it than might be possible during the school year. Jane

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Speech therapist for 3-y-o who's not extremely expensive?

May 2009

Can anyone recommend a good speech therapist that is also not extremely expensive in Walnut Creek/San Ramon area? Looking to supplement the school district therapy. Most of the places I called were charging 100-120/hr, and no one can afford that. They also want to do their own evaluations, which run $200-$300. There has to be something less expensive! A little frustrated

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If you don't mind going to Cal State Hayward, you could check out their clinics: http://class.csuhayward.edu/commsci/howgetsl.htm. I believe they are free, but you would work with a different student clinician (under supervision, of course) each quarter. Good luck! anon

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I would recommend The Speech Pathology Group. They have offices in Walnut Creek and Berkeley. Pamela Bloch is great and works in both offices. I also know that they will waive the eval. if you have had one (by the school, I am guessing) within the last year. You can reach them at 925-945-1474. Mary

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Stuttering Help needed for 3-year-old

May 2009

My almost 3 year old son has been stuttering for more than 6 months. We talked to a speech pathologist who gave us some suggestions for helping him -- slowing down our speech, repeating back what he said, etc. -- which has helped some, but he's still doing it. Initially the speech pathologist suggested waiting to talk to someone but now its been long enough that he says we might want to find a pathologist who specializes in stuttering. Has anyone gone to a speech pathologist they liked? Worried for my son

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Kris Baines is a speech therapist who has made stuttering therapy her specialty for years. You'll find her very experienced and knowledgable. I'm sure she's in the yellow pages/you can find her online. Also, I know that Brittany Struve, with the Speech Pathology Group (Berkeley and Walnut Creek offices) has a lot of experience doing fluency therapy and has a fun and gentle approach...www.speechpathologygroup.com has her bio. Good luck! Anonymous

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Speech therapist for 4-year-old

May 2009

Our 4 yr old son stutters or elongates the first syllable of his words, especially when he is feeling anxious or in a new situation. It can get pretty frustrating for him and other kids are starting to tease him. His vocabulary is good and he forms complex sentences; it just takes a long time to get them out. We were evaluated by the OUSD and did get an IEP for speech but it will not start until this fall. In the meantime, we are paying out of pocket for someone but it does not seem like a good fit. Her technique seems very repetitive and not creative or exciting for him (he usually is not interesting in going). Any recommendations for a good speech therapist who is not super expensive and is very engaging for this particular speech problem? Thank you.

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I have been really happy with Pamela Bloch at the Speech Pathology Group. My daughter sees her in the Berkeley office but they also have an office in Walnut Creek. Pamela is experienced and has been so effective. She is extremely engaging with kids as well. I don't think you could go wrong with her. Their number is 925-945-1474. anon

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My son has been going to Faltz Associates on Piedmont Avenue for language therapy for almost two years and we have been very happy. In addition to language therapy they do speech therapy. pleased parent

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Childhood Apraxia Specialist in Bay Area

April 2009

Our 3-year old son has been diagnosed with Apraxia, and I am interested in finding a specialist in the Bay Area with extensive experience in evaluating and/or working with apraxic children. He is not on the autism spectrum, and it appears at this point to be an expressive speech issue only. Does anyone have a recommendation? Any advice/leads would be greatly appreciated. Thank you! Concerned Mom

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My 3-year-old has extremely severe apraxia and we worked with two speech therapists before we found somebody who specializes in it--Gage Herman at WordWorks in Oakland. Her decades of experience have made a huge difference. You don't say where you're located but if it's Marin, I can connect you with somebody there as well. If your child's delay is significant enough, your school district is required by law to provide you with services which do not come cheap, particularly because best practices for the treatment of apraxia are 3 to 5 one-on- one sessions a week. If you're looking for a preschool where your child will feel supported, check out Sunshine Preschool in Berkeley. They offer a bilingual program in sign language and spoken English and I believe one of the speech therapists they have on staff is also an expert in apraxia. The Signing Time DVDs have also been wonderful for our son. Good luck! Lisa

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Speech therapist for 6 year-old

April 2009

Our 6yo has been diagnosed with articulation problems. He is receiving speech therapy through OUSD, although I'm not sure how effective it is. We are doing the drills daily which I understand is key to progress. The problem is that I'm not so sure we're so effective either at helping him learn the physiologically correct way of articulating. And the speech therapist hasn't been able to give us any tricks to help with the drills. The teacher even suggested that we seek treatment privately.

Does anyone have any recommendations? We did do an eval with Alta Bates (Meredith Trowbridte) a while ago although I'm not sure she connected w/my son and he's not so eager to go back.

I've also heard about Faltz and Assoc. on Piedmont Avenue. Has anyone had any good/bad experiences with them? anon

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I highly recommend Gerry Fabella (510)684-7659. She has worked for years with children, both privately and with many agencies including Children's Hospital, RCEB, and school districts. All of her therapy is done in your home...good luck! anonymous

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Cameron School in El Cerrito is a gem! 7140 Gladys Ave. El Cerrito, CA 94530 510-233-1955

My son--now 6 years old--was referred to Cameron when he was in preschool for ''bumpy'' speech. They are truly an amazing school with tremendous resources, and well known throughout Contra Costa County as a leader in childrens' speech issues. Love, love Cameron School

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Speech therapy for 3 year old - weekends?

Jan 2009

I am looking for a speech therapist for my 3 year old son who has has a speech delay. Unfortunately since I work 9 to 5 M thru F, my schedule is limited and I'm looking for SLP that might be able to do visits to his school, our home or has office open on weekends. We live in El Cerrito and his school is in Kensington, we would appreciate any recommendations. We have looked into the school district and prefer to go privately. Thanks! anon

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Geri Fabella, gerfab [at] mac.com, is a great speech pathologist. She has worked with many children with various speech issues in our infant toddler center and preschool. She comes to the school for therapy sessions and meets with the parents periodically. I recommend Geri highly. Liisa

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Speech therapy for 2 year old

Jan 2009

My two year old son is speech delayed. We have had him tested with The Regional Center and he qualifies for speech therapy paid by them but they have no therapist available to see us during a time that works. I was going to Alta Bates, but I am very unsatisfied with the quality of care there and am looking for an alternative. Does anyone know of another speech therapist group for very young children. One of the things that was bad about ALta Bates was the room were the therapy was done was tiny, and the toys were old and broken. Kids are smart, they don't want to sit in a tiny room and play with a car that has three wheels. I am looking for a happy fun environment for him to learn in. help please

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Speech Inc has an office in Oakland and they are very good. My 2 yo son recently began ST in their SF office. I know they work with the Regional Center because we went through them to get him qualified. Good Luck! Jill

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First of all, kuddos to you as a parent, for pursuing services for your child at such a young age. Many families have not been informed or do not realize the importance that early intervention services can have on their child and thus, tend not to pursue them until later in the developmental process. We, at Communication Works (CW), which is a speech pathology private practice in the Oakland Hills, have a long history of working with very young children to provide quality services. Not only do we identify and work with each child's individual strengths to facilitate growth in the areas in which a child exhibit challenges, but we also work with parents/family members to provide a natural environment in which generalization of skills can occur. We teach the best ways to incorporate communication strategies into a child's daily routine. We utilize therapy materials that are not only in excellent condition, but are current, many of which have been highly rated as top picks in parent magazines. CW is an exclusive provider of speech and language services for various public and private center-based early intervention programs in the East Bay and surrounding areas, so we are more than familiar with types of materials and intervention methods that should be used with a young population. Additionally, we are affiliated with training programs which bring in cutting-edge methodologies and concepts throughout the field of Speech Pathology. If you are interested in finding out more about our services for your son, do not hesitate to contact us at 510-639-2929 or visit our website to fill out an intake form: www.cwtherapy.com. Audra

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Speech therapist for 3-year-old

Dec 2008

Does anyone know of a good speech therapist in the East Bay? I have a 3 year old daughter who seems to be meeting all of the development milestones, but isn't talking as much as her peers her age. I'm worried. Any advice? Anon

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Angela Korpela & Meredith Trowbridge at Herrick Hospital/Alta Bates Pediatric Speech (located on Dwight at Milvia in Berkeley) are both excellent, 510-204-6729. My child completed a successful course of speech therapy with them, and I was very impressed. I talked to a number of speech therapy outfits in the area and thought Herrick was the best. They also do evaluations, which is the place to start. Ask your pediatrician for a referral/authorization for the initial evaluation, your insurance should cover it. If you are with Kaiser, they likely have in-house pediatric speech evaluation. Do the evaluation, and the evaluator will give you a detailed explanation of what's going on & where to go from there. been there, got through it.

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Pediatric speech therapist for 4 year old

Oct 2008

Our 4 year-old daughter was recently diagnosed with a mild-to-moderate language delay. We would like a recommendation for a speech therapist who is warm-hearted and cheerful and can attune to our daughter's playful personality. We are particularly interested in feedback about Angela Korpula at Alta Bates Herrick and about Amy Faltz at Faltz & Associates. Thank you! Anon

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Both of our exeriences were productive and positive below: Angela Korpela treated our son for 3 years. She's very enthusiastic (eg. high energy) and experienced. We also spent 2 years at Word Works in Oakland http://wordworkstherapy.com until our therapist left the practice. *SPT Lifer*

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I highly recommend Faltz & Associates. Our daughter, who has an auditory processing disorder, worked with Amy Faltz and Hilda Mann (another specialist in the office). We began when she was first diagnosed in the fifth grade, and continued with them through her senior year in high school. They are both warm, knowledgeable, and easy to work with.

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I can speak to your question about Angela Korpela. My elder son had a speech delay and he was with Angela Korpela at Alta Bates/Herrick for a year. She diagnosed him with Chilhood Apraxia of Speech, and came up with a plan to help him learn to develop his oral motor skills. My son, husband, and I all really liked her (and still do!), and we only left her care because my son turned 3 and his speech therapy became the responsibility of our school district. Angela is intelligent, forthright, and direct. She is wonderful at answering questions and messages ASAP. When my son turned 4, his speech therapist at the local school wanted to terminate his therapy. We asked Angela for a second opinion, which she gave, along with a thorough report and recommendation for follow-up before kindergarten. She is great with kids, but not incredibly touchy-feely with adults. Best of all, she will work with you, your insurance, and your pediatrician to come up with the best plan for you and your ! child. Fan of Angela

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Speech therapist for 7-year-old

May 2008

My son has some speech issues - pronouncing R's and L's and some other things. He has been in therapy in school this past year, but I do not think it is wise to leave him fallow for the summer. Can someone recommend a therapist for summer visits? North Berkeley/El Cerrito location ideal, but not necessary. Thank you.

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Meredith Trowbridge or Angela Korpela at Herrick Pediatric Speech (Associated with Alta Bates), located on Dwight Way. They are both fantastic. My 7 year old completed a successful course of articulatory therapy for a difficult issue with Meredith in only 4.5 months, mostly over the summer in fact (better time to concentrate, less distraction from school). The phone # of their scheduler is 204-6729. (One tip: work hard on the daily homework drills, that's where most of the progress takes place.) Been there.

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Speech Therapist for Auditory Processing

Feb 2008

Hi, After the exam by an audiologist she recommended a few speech pathologists for an evaluation. I do not see any reviews so if anyone has experience with the ones listed below I would appreciate the feedback. Speech Pathology Group WC, Jakubowitz Associates San Ramon , Joan Chomak Orinda , Mary McPherson Orinda , Thank you in advance

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I would go with Walnut Creek Speech Pathology Group. They are very experienced therapists and work very well with kids. I would not recommend Jakubowitz. They have a few good therapists but they have a high turn over rate and are not consistent. I am not familiar with the other therapists you listed. Good luck. anonymous

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Speech Therapist for pre-teen

May 2007

Our daughter had been receiving speech therapy thru OUSD, but due to budget constraints, they have ''cut her loose'' (her speech issues were not 'affecting her ability to learn', so they felt she did not qualify for their limited resources). Yes, I can challenge this thru the District, but I wanted to also pursue other options.

Do any of you have reommendations/suggestions for speech therapists who work successfully with classic lisping, among other, related speech issues? My child dreams of being on stage, and while she is not inhibited by her speech issues, she really does need help w/ her enunciation. I would certainly foresee this being a much bigger issue as she hits her teen years, so I'd like to be proactive NOW. Thanks! Concerned Mom of lisp-er

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Have you looked into Cal State University East Bay Speech Langauge and Hearing Clinic. Your daughter sounds motivated and that is a key factor in what they look for in new clients. A plus is that it is much more affordable then traditional speech therapy, but you should consider that you are working with students (grad and undergrad). Good luck! anon

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I really liked Hilary Kissack. She does individual speech therapy and does groups as well for some kid's needs. You can email me for particulars if you'd like. Her phone number is 925-324-0158. Her email is hilary[at]cwtherapy.com and her website is cwtherapy.com.

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Speech therapist for 7-year-old's lisp

Feb 2007

Our 7 year old son needs some speech therapy for a lateral lisp due to a short frenulum at birth. He has some anxieties about the therapy (''What if I won't like the way I sound when it's done?''). Since the success of the speech therapy depends greatly on his cooperation and motivation, we sense that the personality of the therapist will matter a great deal. We're looking for someone he would click with - he's an extremely bright and creative/imaginative boy who would need someone who would make the therapy games interesting on an intellectual level and engagingly imaginative. He would also respond well to someone with a very cheerful demeanor and a lot of patience. If you have experience with any of the following, could you comment: Katie Pengilly (and any other therapists at Speech Inc.), Amy Faultz, Patricia Dodd, Nicole Karvalo (at Faultz Associates), Herrick Speech, Children's Hospital speech therapy on Clarement Ave, Word Works, Communication Associates (Alameda), Susan Diamond (Alameda). Thanks for any help.

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To the parent looking for speech therapy, I would absolutely stay away from all practitioners at Faultz Associates. We took our son there for a short time and were horrified at how he was treated. One example- he was chastised for not having his homework done and he was only four years of age. Additionally, the therapist would meet with my son for about 12 minutes of the 30 minutes. She spent the rest of the time letting him play or bringing him into the waiting room 7 minutes early. For $50. per/ 30 minutes I expected a lot more. Anon

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I missed the original post but I had to write after reading a review of Faltz & Associates. My son (then age 5) saw Amy Faltz for several months because he was repeating many syllables & words. Amy is extremely professional and engaged and I believe that she truly cares about my kid. My son loved spending time with Amy; he knew she was really listening to him and present for him. I am so grateful for her efforts to help my family-- she observed my son & talked to him about his ''bumpy words'' and she helped my husband and me support him at home. In fact, just today, a few months after my last visit, I got an e-mail inquiry from Amy asking how my son was doing. Amy Faltz is a gem. I recommend her wholeheartedly!!! Anon for the sake of my son

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2006 - 2005 Reviews

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Speech therapist for 6-year-old

Dec 2006

Looking for a speech therapist for our six year old daughter to help her learn ''l's, r's, and assorted other sounds. We have Blue Cross thru UC, but will pay out of pocket if we have to. Looking for someone who connects well with children (our daughter is not excited about getting help with this issue), so a wonderful speech therapist in Oakland is what we are looking for kelly

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You are entitled to speech therapy through your school district. Though I don't have experience with OUSD speech therapists I have had good experiences with both WCCUSD and BUSD. Speech therapy is offered from early education through 12th grade. You can receive these services by first testing and then getting an IEP (individualized education plan) for you child.

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We had a wonderful experience with Sarah Thompson at WordWorks in Oakland--at 318 27th Street (corner of Broadway, where the VW dealership is). Tamara Mueller is also excellent. Tel: 433-0123. Good luck! anon

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Try Faltz Associates. Amy Faltz is the owner. She specializes in Pediatric Speech Therapy. I don't have her number but she is probably in the phone book. I believe her office is on Piedmont Ave. Is your daughter's school addressing her speech issues? If they brought this to your attention, they should have a speech therapist assess her. good luck Anonymous

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Kelly, I am usually too jammed to respond to most of these inquiries unless I am passionate about a recommendation and one that is soooo important! It is an emotional process to handle a child who is falling behind in their communication...for both the kid and parents. I got teary thinking about my son falling behind. But, lo and behold, I was given the recommendation for Speech Inc, from my neighbor at the time, who is a very respected Pre School teacher at Lakeshore Pre School. She told me of the near miracles they'd made with kids she'd referred. Because I had such a trusted source I felt great relief knowing that this part of the process was secure: I had found a great partnership with the therapists at Speech Inc. Apparently they are so good that people from the east bay had been driving to SF (typically twice a week!!) for their help. Last year they decided to help their clientelle out this way by opening up an office on Grand Avenue! They have done marvels with our son who adores them and runs into the office to begin their play! Wishing you well, comfort and the relief of progression! Their number in SF is 415-563-6541 geri

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2004 & Earlier

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Speech therapist for diagnosis/evaluation

April 2004

Looking for speech therapist who can also do diagnosis/evaluation. I've checked the archives, but there's not much there. Thanks!

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I took my 5 year old son to Robin Sperry in Oakland. She did a initial evaluation and discussed further tretment options. He is not currently seeing her as a patient. We were able to go through the school district which is a lot cheaper. I liked that she suggested that over having to pay her a lot of $$$$. I believe she is on Broadway. There is also a facility in Hayward through the college that sounded interesting. klyn

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the Alameda County has many options: here are a few-
- Children's Hospital in Oakland
- Faltz Associates on Piedmont Ave. in Oakland
- Alta Bates Medical Center, Herrick Campus on Dwight in Berkeley

If the child is age three or above, evaluations can also be done through the local school system. Call the office of special services/special education and request an appointment for an evaluation.

If the child is below age three, ask your pediatrician for a referral (perhaps to one of the centers listed above). If your concerns are speech/lang. related and another concern (example, movement, social skills, eating) you may want to look into Early Start or Regional Center of the East Bay. Discuss these with your child's doctor.

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Speech therapist for teen

March 2004

Hello all -- this is a follow-up request for a recommendation for a speech therapist who works well with teens. I may have missed it, but I don't think I saw any referrals for a speech, voice, or diction coach -- or even some advice about where to look for such a person -- who has success helping teens with a speech articulation disorder. We are past the games and sticker rewards that are used with younger children. Thanks for the help!

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for the person looking for teen speech (voice) therapist. My daughter (16) has been seeing Dr. Rhoda Agin on Solano Ave. in Albany. Dr. Agin does not work on pragmatic speech, but on voice, articulation, prosody, etc. She deals nicely with teens. She meets with my daughter once a week and gives her daily exercises to do at home. My daughter progressed very nicely. Dr. Agin's numcer is 510-549-1359. She'll be away in April. Varda

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Speech therapist for stuttering 9-year-old

Jan. 2004

I'd love to hear updated recommendations for speech therapists specializing in dysfluency (stuttering). The website listings are a little old and tend to pertain to younger children -- I'm looking on behalf of a nine-year-old.

We had a visit with Kris Baines in Walnut Creek and liked her very much, but couldn't mesh our schedules (we're on her wait-list, though). We're looking for someone who is pragmatically oriented, as she seems to be.

Mary Gage Herman's name keeps coming up -- do people still like her, and/or is it impossible to get on her schedule? Does she work outside the Children's Hospital environment (private practice)? I think that our health insurance won't work with Children's.

Also, several years back I heard that the then-departing speech therapist at Easter Seals in Oakland was really great -- any leads on that person, or the current speech therapist at Easter Seals? We were pleased with the OT we got there at that time.

Finally, any more thoughts/recommendations for the Scottish Rite program that is mentioned on the website? Thanks in advance --

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We worked with Kris Baines for a year or so when my son was younger, then with Sara Thompson at Faltz Associates. Both were excellent. There is also a fabulous private practitioner, Martha Wagele. My son's concerns were not with stuttering but rather with pragmatic language and general delays, but I would go to Martha again in a New York minute. Good luck. Nancy

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Speech therapist for 6-year-old

Nov. 2003

I'm looking for a speech therapist near Kensington for my 6 y.o. He's been stuck on the ''r'' for several years now, and it's time to get him some help. The website lists Oakland area folks - anyone nearer? We'll probably have to self-pay, so affordable would help too. Thanks Valerie

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Try Faltz and Associates for speech therapy. They have an office on Solano, I believe. The number here is for their main office in Oakland. 510-654-3381 S A

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Louise Fender, who comes to your home, is FABULOUS! her # is 655-2175. She has a different activity suited to your child's interests for every week, and has helped my 6-year-old son make great progress with his r's.

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Accent correction and lisp in adult

April 2003

Looking for a speech therapist to deal with a lisp and foreign accent reduction in an adult. Thanks Lisa

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I am an active member of the Voice and Speech Trainers Association, not a ''speech therapist,'' but I have specialized in accent reduction for many years, as do many voice teachers. Also, true that a ''lisp'' is most often the territory of a ''therapist,'' but in the context of working with the voice in general I have incidentally had good luck in correcting a lisp. Let me know if you'd like to brainstorm a bit about how you might proceed. The Voice and Speech Trainers Association is at http://www.vasta.org/ and my website is at www.interarts-training.org. Good luck.

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Fast Forward Speech Therapy Program

April 2003

Has anyone enrolled their child in the Fast Forward program? Was it worth the cost? Did your child improve their reading skills? Thanks. A.M.

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Years ago I considered Fast Forward for my child who has auditory processing/expressive language problems. The reason I did not pursue this program was that there was very little specific data to show how effective the program was for remediating specific language issues. In contrast, the Linda- Mood Bell programs give a lot of data supporting the effectiveness of their (expensive) programs. Another factor that we considered was how well our child could sit at the computer each day. The years when we considered the program were when my child was young: preschool and beginning elementary, when the necessary 90 minutes per day seemed too long for his attention span. Good luck. Kathy

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Nov 1999

For speech therapy the Scottish Rite Speech and Language Clinic offers testing and speech and language therapy, including language-related reading problems. They are funded by the Masons and all services are free. Call them at 839-1513 (510) The Director's name is Jane Gould-Caulfield.

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Nov 1999

Kaiser Oakland referred us to Faltz Associates on Piedmont Avenue for our then 4 year old son who needed work on his articulation. They did not have speech therapists on staff for his level of problems (or possibly any at all-sorry I don't remember.) At Faltz Associates we dealt with Martha Wagele whom we all really liked. My son was sorry to 'graduate' this summer. Dealing with the speech problem has done wonders for his self esteem and was well worth it. Faltz 510-654-3381

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April 1999

Faltz Associates on Piedmont Ave. in Oakland, specifically Martha Wagele. My developmentally disabled daughter sees her twice a week and Martha is excellent. She is a private speech therapist.

If you want the school district to pay for it, you will need to contact the school district so your daughter can be evaluated. If the evaluation determines she should receive speech therapy, you will have an IEP meeting (Individual Education Plan) with Oakland to setup services. The speech would be provided by a speech therapist contracted by the school district. I hope this helps. Susan

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April 1999

Our daughter needed speech therapy, she was 4 at the time, and she had terrific results with Louise Fender. Louise works out of Le Conte school in Berkeley, but also sees kids privately who are out of district (our case). She is absolutely wonderful with little ones, our daughter loves her and has responded wonderfully with her. Stephanie

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April 1999

My daughter (now 6) was part of the early intervention speech therapy program at SFUSD when she was 4 & 5. I don't know if Oakland Public Schools has one but you should definately check into it. She saw 2 different speech therapists, the first was not a good match for her, wanting her to sit still for long periods, not playful enough, she began to dread going. I then went to the head of speech therapy for the entire district and asked for a different referral and she saw a fantastic pre-school speech therapist Jane Johnson, I cannot say enough about Jane, my daughter was always excited to go to see her, they did small art projects, played games, read books, etc. Be sure to find someone good to work with your child and be your child's advocate throughout the process. The testing was relatively simple word questions and matching geared for the specific age level.

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April 1999

Gage Herman is a genius, a wonderful person, and extremely supportive to me when I brought my daughter in for speech therapy. I cannot say enough about her. Kathy

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April 1998

We used Gage Herman at Children's Hospital. I highly recommend her. Jean