Areas Of Clinical Focus
Do you suspect that you, your child, or a loved one may have a speech or language delay or disorder?
Does your child have difficulty with attention or self regulation? Sensory differences? Are they struggling academically, or showing signs of behavioural or social challenges?
If so, Aurora Speech Clinic can help.
Below, you’ll see some of our areas of clinical focus. Click on each to find out more.
Do you or your child have difficulty being understood by others? If so, this may be a sign of a speech sound disorder. Speech sound disorders include articulation disorders, phonological disorders, and motor speech disorders like dysarthria and apraxia. They can affect both adults and children. A speech-language pathologist can support you to improve your clarity.
If you notice that your child is not understanding or using language as expected, don’t take the “wait and see” approach; this may be the sign of an underlying language delay or disorder. A pediatric speech therapist can help you learn strategies to facilitate your child’s language development – no matter their age.
Neurological disorders like Parkinson’s disease, stroke, and traumatic brain injury can have wide reaching effects on your health. If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with a neurological disorder that affects your ability to communicate, a speech-language pathologist at Aurora Speech Clinic can support your journey.
Autism spectrum disorder can come with a range of challenges with communication. This can include difficulties with speech and language development and social communication differences (like difficulty with back and forth conversations). If your autistic child has difficulty with communication, speech therapy can help them meet their goals.
Stuttering and cluttering are two of the most common fluency disorders. They can present challenges in communication, but they can also cause challenges in your social, academic, or work life, triggering anxiety. If you or your child has a fluency disorder, speech therapy can assist you to communicate fluently and with confidence!
About Aurora Speech Clinic
Is your child not meeting their developmental milestones the way your pediatrician expects?
Are they having difficulty with speech, language, sensory processing or self regulation?
Do you have a speech or language disorder that makes it feel difficult to communicate with others?
If so, Aurora Speech Clinic can help.
Founded in 2010, and acquired in 2017 by Jill McDermid and Stephanie Zawalicz, Aurora Speech Clinic is a multidisciplinary speech-language pathology and occupational therapy clinic in Aurora, Ontario.
There’s a misconception that kids have to be a certain age to start occupational therapy or speech therapy. But you can bring your child to see us at any age. If you have concerns, we’re happy to help.
Navigating your role as a parent can be overwhelming, potentially even more so if you have concerns about your child’s development.
But you don’t have to do it alone.
However, what if you’re an adult with a speech, language or swallowing disorder?
Perhaps you or a loved one has developed a stutter, aphasia, swallowing disorder, or acquired another disorder later in life.
Perhaps as a result of a stroke, Parkinson’s disease, or traumatic brain injury.
Or perhaps you’ve been dealing with a stutter your entire life, and are looking for support.
If so, Aurora Speech Clinic can help as well.
Our Clinic Services
Children develop their speech and language skills at different speeds and no two children are alike. But if you’re worried your child may not be meeting their speech and language milestones, it is recommended to consult with a professional. The “wait and see” approach is outdated; we know that early intervention is far more effective so we recommend the “let’s just see” approach instead. Here at Aurora Speech Clinic, we can put your mind at ease and support you and your child early, when learning and development is most critical.
Speech-language pathologists identify and treat communication and swallowing disorders at any age. You may have difficulties that persist from childhood into adulthood. You may also experience changes in communication or swallowing as a result of an illness or injury. If you or a loved one has difficulty with communication or swallowing as an adult, it can cause issues with your personal, professional, and social life. We provide speech-language pathology intervention for adults to treat a variety of disorders.
From self-feeding and dressing to coordination and printing, the skills your child develops will build on the skills they learn at a very young age. But if your child isn’t developing their motor skills, daily living skills, feeding skills, sensory processing skills and self-regulation skills as expected, a pediatric occupational therapist can support your child and family.
Whether you live in an underserved area, you have a disability that makes travel difficult, or you just have a busy lifestyle, it can sometimes be difficult to get to a clinic in person. That’s why here at Aurora Speech Clinic, we offer virtual speech therapy and virtual occupational therapy sessions for most areas we treat.
Our Clinic Locations
Aurora Speech Clinic is conveniently located in the Aurora Medical & Dental Professional Building (near Symposium Café, west of the Shoppers Drug Mart plaza), at Bayview Ave and Hollandview Trail, just south of Highway 26.
We’re accessible along the 54 bus route, and have plenty of on site parking available.
- (905) 503-4321
- info@auroraspeechclinic.ca
- 372 Hollandview Trail #302,
Aurora, ON L4G 0A5 - Mon-Fri: 8AM – 8PM
Saturday: 8AM – 5PM
Sunday: Closed
Frequently Asked Questions
Below, you’ll find some of the more frequently asked questions about speech-language pathology and occupational therapy we receive.
If you have a different question, don’t hesitate to reach out!
In order to practice in Ontario, speech-language pathologists need to hold a master’s degree in speech-language pathology. They also need to be registered with CASLPO – the College of Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists.
Occupational therapists, on the other hand, need to hold a master’s degree in occupational therapy, and to be registered with COTO – the College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario.
Both regulatory bodies maintain a public register of everybody who’s currently qualified to practice.
No, anybody can see either without a referral. However, if you have private insurance, they may require you to get a doctor’s referral before covering treatments. Consult your insurance provider for more details.
Currently, OHIP does not cover treatments. Many private insurance plans will offer extended coverage for speech therapy and occupational therapy. Consult your individual insurance provider for more details.
The length of treatment depends on many different factors, so it’s not possible to give a blanket estimate. Your therapist will speak to you about how long your particular length of treatment is expected to take after your initial assessment.
If you have questions or concerns about your child’s development, it’s always a better idea to bring your child in for an assessment than to “wait and see”. Research shows that early intervention is key as outcomes are best when provided during the early stages of development- a time when learning and skill acquisition are most critical . So if you’re concerned, book an appointment – we’re happy to help.
