Candy Almquist - Clinic Director

Email Address: calmquist@kid-talk.com

Title/Credentials:

Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist M.A./CCC-SLP

Brief Work Background:

Candy founded and has directed Kid Talk since 2001. Before establishing Kid Talk, she worked for three years providing speech and language services in pediatric environments. She also worked in a sub-acute facility working with adults for five years.

Continuing Education:

“Differential Diagnosis and Treatment of Childhood Apraxia of Speech” (2003)

“Pediatric Dysphagia Evaluation and Therapy Protocol” (2003)

Evaluation and Treatment of Oral Feeding Skills with Emphasis on Oral Motor Function” (2003)

“Developing Oral Motor and Feeding Skills in Down Syndrome Population” (2005)

“Enhancing Phonological and Metaphonological Skills of Children with Highly Unintelligible Speech” (2005)

“Diagnosis and Program Planning for Clients with Oral Motor Based Communication Disorders” (2005)

“Childhood Apraxia of Speech: Assessment/Treatment for the School Aged Child“ (2006)

“The SCERTS Model“: A comprehensive Educational Approach (2007)

Autism Subtypes, Feeding Issues and Nutrition (2008)

Understanding, Diagnosing and Treating ADHD (2008)

Kim Dieken

Email Address: kdieken@kid-talk.com

Title/Credentials:

Occupational Therapist OTR-L

Brief Work Background:

Kim has been working in both out-patient and in-patient pediatric settings for fifteen years. She has worked at Kid Talk since 2001. She has worked with children with a variety of disabilities including Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, Hemiplegia, Traumatic Brain Injury, Down Syndrome, Cardiac, premature/developmental delays, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Kim has particular interest in feeding and has also been certified in Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT).

Continuing Education:

“Listening with the Whole Body” (2002)

“Sensory Integration in Young Children” (2003)

“Brain Gym” (2004)

“Sequential Oral Sensory Introduction- When Children Won’t Eat: Picky Eaters vs. Problem Feeders” (2005)

“Sensory Nutrigration: the Relationship between Nutrition and Sensory Integration” (2006)

“Advanced Sequential Oral Sensory” (2006)

“Pediatric Developmental Pilates“ (2007)

Emily Morisset

Email Address: emorisset@kid-talk.com

Title/Credentials:

Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist M.S./CCC-SLP

Brief Work Background:

Emily has been working with children and their families in out-patient settings since 2002. Prior to that time, she worked in sub-acute settings with adults. Emily has experience treating children with a variety of disorders including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asperger’s, Down Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorders, Fragile-X Syndrome, Velocardialfacial Syndrome, global developmental delays, expressive and receptive language delays, as well as Apraxia of Speech, articulation, and phonology disorders. Emily also has advanced training in the Sequential Oral Sensory approach to treating problem feeders. She believes in empowering children with the best possible communication and involving families in the treatment process to promote success and quick carryover while making the treatment experience both fun and challenging for the child.

Continuing Education:

SCERTS (Social Communication, Emotional Regulation, and Transactional Supports) Model with Persons with Autism Spectrum Disorders with Dr. Barry  Prizant (2004) 

SOS (Sequential Oral Sensory) Approach to Working with Problem Feeders (Introductory) 

SOS Approach – Advanced (2004) 

Childhood Apraxia of Speech with Dr. Edyth Strand (2004) 

Promoting Learning in Children wit Sensory Dysfunction (2005) 

Reaching and Teaching Young Children with ASD through Music and Play (2005)

“Foundations of Literacy: Audition, Language, and Speech“ (2006)

“Promoting Functional Communication and Interaction in Children with Autism: Addressing the Verbal Challenge“ (2006)

“Helping Children with Auditory Processing Disorder“ (2007)

“Challenging Behaviors in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Advances in Understanding and Treatment“ (2007)

Katie Eckhoff - Clinic Manager

Email Address: keckhoff@kid-talk.com

Title/Credentials:

Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist M.S./CCC-SLP

Brief Work Background:

Katie is the clinic manager at Kid Talk and has worked as a pediatric speech-language pathologist since 2003 in both outpatient private practice and school settings. She has worked with children with a variety of disabilities and delays including Autism Spectrum Disorder, Asperger’s, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Chiari Malformation, Spina Bifida, receptive and expressive language delays, Apraxia of Speech, cleft palate/lip, fluency, phonological disorders, and articulation delays.

Continuing Education:

“Apraxia of Speech vs. Phonological Processing Disorders in Children” (2005)

“A Three Part Treatment Plan for Oral Motor Therapy” (2005)

“Apraxia and Phonology” (2005)

“Autism Spectrum Disorders- Early Identification” (2005)

“Autism Spectrum Disorders-Recognizing the Communicative Function of Challenging Behaviors” (2005)

“Comparing Strategies for Promoting Communication of Infants and Toddlers” (2005)

“Early Assessment and Intervention for Children with Cleft Palate” (2005)

“Promoting Functional Communication in Children with Autism: Addressing the Verbal Challenge“. (2006)

“Helping Children with Auditory Processing Disorders“ (2006)

“Autism and the SCERTS Model: A Comprehensive Educational Approach“ (2007)

Shelly Brooks

Email Address: sbrooks@kid-talk.com

Title/Credentials:

Occupational Therapist OTR/L

Brief Work Background:

Shelly has nine years of experience as an occupational therapist. She has worked in pediatrics at Kid Talk since 2003. Prior to that, she worked for five years with Rehab Works evaluating and treating developmentally disabled individuals in the day program, home, and community settings. Her experience includes working with individuals with developmental delay, handwriting issues, Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Asperger Syndrome, PDD, ADHD, cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, head injury, sensory issues, feeding issues, and various other syndromes and disorders.

Continuing Education:

“Understanding Autism and Behavioral Therapy” (2004)

“Identifying Disorders of Sensory Integration Using Clinical Observation Skills” (2005)

“Treating Disorders of Sensory Integration Using Clinical Observation Skills” (2005)

“Concepts in Neurodevelopmental Treatment: NDT Treatment Approaches in Pediatrics” (2005)

“Neurokinesthetic Approach to Hand Function and Handwriting” (2005)

“Handwriting: Visual Perceptual Motor Components of Function” (2006)

“Handwriting Without Tears – Pre-K, Printing & Cursive Workshops“ (2007)

“Sensory Integration: Theory & Practice“ (2007)

“Learning & Behavior Problems in Asperger Syndrome“ (2007)

“Autism Spectrum Disorder – Overview“ (2007)

“Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder – Overview“ (2007)

“Anxiety Disorders – Overview“ (2007)

“Autism and the SCERTS Model: A Comprehensive Educational Approach“ (2007)

“Vestibular Activation: Therapeutic Movement to Optimize Physical, Social and Cognitive Occupation“ (2008)

Lindsay Marx-Barrett

Email Address: lmarx@kid-talk.com

Title/Credentials:

Licensed Speech Language Pathologist M.A./CCC-SLP

Brief Work Background:

Lindsay has worked as a speech-language pathologist at Kid Talk since May 2007. Before coming to Kid Talk, Lindsay completed her internships at the Center for Disabilities and Development in Iowa City Iowa as part of the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics along with working at an outpatient pediatric clinic at Gillette’s Children’s Hospital and Clinics in Burnsville, MN. Lindsay has worked with a variety of children with various disabilities including Down Syndrome, autism, Velocardialfacial Syndrome, ADHD, PDD, cerebral palsy, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Apraxia of Speech, fluency, phonology, global developmental delay, articulation, and expressive and receptive language disorders. Lindsay has completed extensive research in the area of Specific Language Impairment.

Continuing Education:

“The SCERTS Model: A Comprehensive Educational Approach” (2007)

“Autism and the SCERTS Model: A Comprehensive Educational Approach“ (2007)

“A Three-Part Treatment Plan for Muscle-Based Therapy“ (2008)

Katie Rasmussen

Email Address: krasmussen@kid-talk.com

Title/Credentials:

Occupational Therapist, MS, OTR/L

Brief Work Background:

Katie has been a pediatric occupational therapist since 2002. She joined Kid Talk in 2007. Her experience includes both school and outpatient pediatric rehabilitation settings. Katie has worked with a wide variety of children, including children with Developmental Delay, Autism Spectrum Disorders, PDD, ADHD, Asperger Syndrome, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, delayed fine motor skills, sensory processing disorders, and various other childhood disorders.

Continuing Education:

Treatment of Autism: A Workshop for Occupational Therapists (2002)

Handwriting for the School-Based Occupational Therapist (2003)

You are going to Love This Kid: Educating Students with ASD (2004)

Pediatric Seating and Mobility (2005)

Eyesight to Insight: Visual/Vestibular Assessment and Treatment (2006)

Sensory Nutrigration: The Relationship Between Nutrition and Sensory Integration (2006)

Listening with the Whole Body - Therapeutic Listening Program (2006)

“Autism and the SCERTS Model: A Comprehensive Educational Approach“ (2007)