My name is Ms. Firgau and I am the speech therapist at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School.
As the Speech Therapist at the school, I am qualified to diagnose and treat speech and language disorders. I conduct evaluations for speech and language skills for children having difficulty pronouncing speech sounds correctly. Sounds are learned in a developmental sequence and come with time as well as talking experience. I evaluate language skills as well. As children mature their speech and language skills also mature. Their vocabulary increases, sentences become larger and more complex and they are able to converse at a fairly adult level.
Some children have problems making sounds, some stutter, and some have problems with their voices. Some children have problems understanding what people are saying to them or expressing themselves to others. Following the identification and evaluation, a child may be classified Eligible for Speech/Language Services, or they may receive speech as a related service following the recommendations of the child study team. It is best to rely on my judgment for the children from the homes where Spanish is spoken in determining the best time to intercede.