Smiling Star Information

Smiling Star Speech & Language, LLC provides comprehensive evaluation and therapy services for various disorders in children. Therapist(s) are trained in treating speech delays and speech disorders such as Apraxia of speech, language delays, feeding disorders, tongue thrust, auditory and language processing disorders, fluency (stuttering), and pragmatic language disorders related to pervasive developmental disorders. Therapist(s) at Smiling Star Speech & Language, LLC offer a structured therapeutic environment while allowing flexibility to adjust to a child's individual learning style. Various treatment programs are also utilized to maximize the learning and progress of each child when warranted. P.R.O.M.P.T. technique (www.promptinstitute.com): a hands-on approach to facilitate oral-facial movements for correct speech sound combinations. This approach is highly effective for children with Apraxia. PECS: Picture Exchange Communication System (www.pecs.com): a low-tech assistive/augmentative communication device to provide a means of functional communication to children who have difficulty with verbal output whether speech or language-related. Interactive Metronome (www.interactivemetronome.com): an in-clinic computer-assisted program that helps the body and mind to function at the optimal levels of performance by improving motor planning and sequencing, focus and attention, language processing and overall coordination. Therapeutic Listening® (www.vitallinks.net): a home-based program designed to help children with sensory integration challenges increase their ability to participate and learn in their everyday environments. Fast ForWord (www.scilearn.com): a home-based program to improve reading and learning skills, including memory, attention, sequencing, processing, language and phonological skills. Micaela Kim Fisher, MS, CCC-SLP is a former television news anchor/medical reporter and researched a story about a pediatric speech-language pathologist. In this, she found a career that combined two of her passions - communication and children. Since that time, Micaela has provided services in a variety of settings, including schools, clinics, and hospitals. She is accredited by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, licensed by the State of Illinois, and credentialed as a provider and evaluator for the Illinois Early Intervention system. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Boston College and Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from St. Xavier University.