Frequently Asked Questions

From time to time we have scholarships or grants that become available because of some very generous families. Additionally, we can email you a list of organizations and foundations that provide scholarships for families.

Most of the families we work with have not ever heard of the word apraxia or dyspraxia. More often they are familiar with terms like: fine and gross motor skill delay, sensory processing differences, and/or behavioral issues. These may all be indicative of apraxia or challenges with motor planning.

Spelling by pointing to letters on a letterboard is a motor skill. We work with our clients and teach them the motor skills to be able to point to letters to spell words as a way to communicate. Just like any new motor skill that we learn, it takes time and just like us nobody learns a skill in the same way so for some of our clients, the process is longer and for others it’s quicker. The key to being able to use spelling as a form of communication is the at home practice. We always say “you don’t become an olympic swimmer by showing up at the pool once per week”. Consistent practice is the key to success!

Up until now your child may not be able to show you that they can spell, read or even identify letters because they have motor skill difficulties. Apraxia affects their ability to demonstrate their knowledge at school with academics and their ability to speak. Writing and pointing are also motor tasks. Many of our clients cannot demonstrate their ability to spell, identify letters or read, but once they practice spelling and pointing to the letters, they clearly are able to spell!

Each of these methods were created for individuals who don’t have the ability to speak to be able to communicate. RPM or Rapid Prompting Method was created by Soma P who knew her son had the ability to do age appropriate academic work but did not have the ability to demonstrate it. She taught him RPM and then created a method for other nonspeaking individuals as an academic tool. Spelling to Communicate or S2C was created by Elizabeth Vosseller, a speech therapist, and originally trained in RPM saw how this academic tool could be used for communication as an end goal.

Occupational therapy and intentional movement helps individuals gain skills for daily life. Traditional OT specifically addresses activities of daily living such as feeding, dressing, or bathing, academic/school tasks, or strategies to reduce anxiety to name a few.

intentional movement programs focus on breaking down a task or skill to practice the functional movement patterns so that the skills become automatic. Some of our clients require more support than others. Those with complex motor profiles, who may be more apraxic do best by working on intentional motor skills and motor coaching with large movements (eg. chair squats, step ups, or shoulder press) so that they can build motor control and body awareness for more complex tasks. The focus with intentional movement is to build the neural connections between the brain and the body while supporting sensory integration and regulation. Our intentional movement programs use weights and other ways to provide proprioceptive (body awareness) to help our clients build the control of their body.

We are different for two main reasons. First, we presume competence in EVERY client that comes into our clinic. Even if they don’t have the ability to speak or demonstrate that they understand, we still believe they do. Second, we understand apraxia and how that affects our clients. With apraxia the individual has ideas and thoughts but can’t get their body to complete the idea. This is a neurological issue and not a cognitive issue. When their body does something that may be “inappropriate” or doesn’t move on demand we help them to build the motor pathways so that they have better control over their bodies.

Virtual sessions can work in different ways. We coach parents for their spelling sessions online while they are doing a spelling session. If the speller isn’t comfortable with the computer and being live online, parents can submit videos to our providers and then set up a call to discuss the sessions and next steps. We also coach parents during their at home intentional motor sessions in a similar way. The provider will observe and coach the parent in the moment while working through the movements. Again, if the client isn’t comfortable, we will also provide video review with a follow up virtual discussion. Lastly, we offer consultations for parents who may have a number of questions for their provider. Parents and caregivers are always welcome to set up a consultation at any point in their journey.