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Welcome
Katie Fournier Speech, Language & Literacy LLC is a private pediatric speech and language practice servicing the greater Newburyport area. Katie Fournier M.S. CCC-SLP provides speech, language, and literacy evaluations and therapy to children from birth -18 years of age.
Katie is a certified speech-language pathologist and reading specialist with over 10 years of experience working with children with cognitive and linguistic impairments. She works with a variety of communication, literacy, & feeding disorders including autism spectrum disorders, pragmatic disorders, expressive language disorders, receptive language disorders, articulation disorders, phonological disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, Down Syndrome, executive functioning disorders, and dyslexia. Katie focuses on making learning fun and often incorporates songs and activities children look forward to participating in. She encourages family members to join therapy sessions whenever possible to enhance progress.
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About Katie
Katie began her journey in the classroom as a special education teacher working with children with autism and other cognitive and neurodevelopmental delays. She continued her work as a behavior therapist, integrating children with autism spectrum disorders into general education preschool classrooms and working directly with parents in their homes and the community. Through Katie's work as a special educator and behavior therapist, she discovered her love of language and literacy development and in 2010 received her master's degree in speech-language pathology from MGH Institute of Health Professions.
Katie's unique background allows her to develop positive collaborative relationships with teachers, parents, and other service providers to ensure continuity of care and carry over of services across environments. She is highly experienced with Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and is able to work with parents and school systems throughout the IEP process.
Special Qualifications:
Certificate of Clinical Competence by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in Massachusetts
Licensed reading specialist
Trained to use SOS Approach to Feeding
Trained in Orton-Gillingham
Trained to use LiPS
Trained to use Reading with TLC
Special education teacher specializing in Autism Spectrum Disorder
Behavior therapist
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Services
Evaluations
Comprehensive speech and language evaluations will be completed for most children before they begin therapy. For children with reading concerns, a literacy evaluation will be administered as well. Feeding evaluations are completed using the S.O.S. approach to feeding. Using formal assessment tools, parent report, informal evaluation, and language samples, Katie will identify each child's speech and language strengths and difficulties.
THERAPY
Katie provides intervention in her home therapy space, client's home, or school environment. Therapy times vary depending on the child and family's needs, but typically will last for 45-50 minutes. Katie allows for 10 minutes at the end of each therapy session to talk with parents or teachers about what was targeted during intervention and to address any questions or concerns.
First Visit
What you will need for your first visit:
Any recent speech and language evaluations
Related evaluations: occupational therapy, neuropsychological, educational testing, literacy assessments, etc.
Current IEP if applicable
Forms that should be read through, completed if necessary, and signed before your first visit:
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Feeding
What is the SOS Approach to Feeding?
The SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Feeding program focuses on increasing children’s ability to tolerate a variety of foods through playful engagement. Throughout SOS therapy, families are educated by the clinician to create successful mealtimes to encourage eating in a nonstressful environment.
What behaviors indicate a child should be referred for therapy?
cries and falls apart when new foods are presented
foods lost are they NOT re-acquired
refuses entire categories of food textures or nutrition group (e.g. no meats, no vegetables, no fruits, etc.)
restricted range or variety of foods, usually less than 20
usually eats different foods than family and often eats alone
persistently reported as a “picky eater” across multiple well child checks
How do I get started with Therapy?
Contact Katie Fournier to find out if the SOS Approach to Feeding is a good fit for your family. If it is the right fit, an initial feeding evaluation will be scheduled and completed for your child. If your child qualifies, therapy will be set-up on a weekly basis which includes both your child and a family member. Parent education is an important component of this feeding program; therefore, a caregiver must be willing to commit to participating in the weekly feeding therapy session.
Katie’s personal experience with feeding
I started out parenting with a lot of thoughts around mealtimes. I was going to have a one family one meal dinnertime. I was sure with a little persistence feeding would be relatively easy and children wouldn’t starve themselves-but then my first baby taught me just how hard feeding can be. From breastfeeding to the first puree to other solids he was extremely difficult to feed. I knew in my heart there was something different about feeding this little guy but was met with many of the same statements from pediatricians and well-meaning friends and family. “He won’t starve, just do x”. “All children are picky.” “When you least expect it he’ll surprise you.” “Children can live off Cheerios alone.”
My husband and I tried everything. We cut out juice, we cut out all snacks, we did family style meals, we read books, we took him to feeding therapy, we bribed, we forced, we stopped bringing “special” food wherever we went, we tried all the things we could think of and nothing ever changed. His diet continued to be extremely limited and only got more limited with time. If there weren’t foods he could tolerate available he would just not eat. With his age grew our worry. Feeding and meal times became a hot button issue for our family. I dreaded mealtimes and the sense of failure that would repeat over and over every single day.
Then we had our 2nd and now 3rd child and feeding them was so easy. They gobbled up purees and tasted vegetables, fruits, and meats that were put in front of them. It was nothing short of miraculous. It was incredibly validating. It wasn’t us…but now what? How do we help our little guy move forward? I knew of the SOS Approach to Feeding but had not found anyone locally who was trained in it. I had already sought out feeding therapy twice with limited success. I decided the best thing to do was to get trained myself.
Much to our surprise we finally had some success! From the first night we began implementing strategies from SOS our mealtimes began to transform, and I can say from personal experience it actually works. Progress is tangible and real change occurred. The once dreaded mealtime has become fun in our household again.
Armed with the new information gained from the SOS Approach to Feeding training, I am excited to share these strategies with other local families to help them find success as well.
resources
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payment
Currently accepting insurance from Blue Cross Blue Shield, Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, AllWays Health Partners, and private pay clients. Please contact Katie for current private payment rates. Bills can be coded for submission to additional insurance providers for reimbursement upon request. Cash, check, or credit card are accepted.
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CONTACT Katie
If you have any questions about what services Katie Fournier Speech, Language & Literacy provides please do not hesitate to call 617-957-5734, email katie@katiefourniersll.com, or write below. I look forward to hearing from you.