Pediatric Speech-Language Pathology · Bloomington-Normal, IL

Pediatric speech therapy for communication, feeding, and participation.

The Therapy Collaborative provides pediatric speech-language therapy for infants, children, teens, and young adults who need support with communication, speech sounds, language, apraxia, AAC, social communication, cognitive-communication, feeding, and swallowing.

Communication is more than saying words clearly. It affects how children connect, learn, ask for help, participate at school, build relationships, and share who they are. Our goal is to help each child communicate and participate more confidently in daily life.

Who this is for

Children with speech sound or articulation delays
Kids with receptive or expressive language delays
Children using or exploring AAC
Kids with childhood apraxia of speech
Children with social communication challenges
Kids with feeding or swallowing concerns

What We Address

How pediatric speech (SLP) therapy can help

Pediatric speech-language therapy at TTC supports children across a wide range of communication, feeding, and functional participation needs.

Speech sounds

Support for children who have difficulty producing sounds clearly or being understood by family, teachers, peers, or unfamiliar listeners.

Language development

Support for understanding language, using words and sentences, following directions, answering questions, telling stories, and expressing ideas.

Childhood apraxia of speech

Support for children who have difficulty planning and sequencing the movements needed for clear speech.

AAC and complex communication

Support for children who use or may benefit from AAC, including devices, visual supports, or multimodal communication. Our OT and SLP team collaborates around posture, positioning, and motor access when needed.

Social communication

Support for functional communication, conversation, perspective-taking, self-advocacy, and participation across home, school, and community settings.

Feeding and swallowing

Support for children whose speech-language therapy needs overlap with oral-motor skills, feeding, swallowing, or mealtime participation.

Who We See

Who we help

Pediatric speech therapy may be appropriate for children and teens with:

How We Work

Our approach

Communication that works in real life

Therapy is designed around functional communication. We want children to be able to communicate across real settings, including home, school, therapy, play, sports, community activities, and relationships.

Family-centered planning

Families are included in goal-setting and home carryover. We help caregivers understand what skills we are building and how to support communication outside the clinic.

Individualized therapy

No two children communicate the same way. Therapy may focus on speech clarity, language, AAC, social communication, feeding, swallowing, or a combination of needs.

Communication is more than saying words clearly. It affects how children connect, learn, ask for help, participate at school, build relationships, and share who they are.

Our goal is to help each child communicate and participate more confidently in daily life — whether they are just beginning their therapy journey or need a more advanced model to move forward.

Bloomington-Normal, IL · Serving Central Illinois and regional patients traveling for specialty care
Collaboration across OT and SLP

Some children need support across communication, sensory processing, regulation, motor planning, feeding, and participation. When appropriate, TTC's OT and SLP team collaborates around shared goals.

The Process

What to expect

01

Evaluation

The evaluation may look at speech sounds, language, communication, play, social interaction, oral-motor skills, feeding, swallowing, AAC needs, and functional participation.

02

Therapy plan

Your therapist will recommend a plan based on your child's needs, goals, and priorities — including weekly sessions, home practice, caregiver coaching, school collaboration, or more intensive support.

03

Treatment sessions

Sessions may include play-based therapy, structured practice, AAC support, speech motor work, language activities, feeding support, parent coaching, and functional communication practice.

04

Progress review

Progress is reviewed over time so therapy can adjust as your child grows, develops, and reaches new goals.

Common Questions

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a referral for speech therapy?

Yes. Unlike occupational therapy, speech-language therapy requires a physician referral. We can help you figure out who to ask, or coordinate directly with your child's pediatrician.

How long does speech therapy typically last?

It varies widely depending on your child's goals. Some children make progress in just a few sessions, while others benefit from ongoing support through the school years. Your therapist will review progress regularly and adjust the plan as needed.

Will my child's school speech therapy be enough, or do they need outside therapy too?

School-based speech therapy typically focuses on educational impact, while clinic-based therapy can address broader communication, feeding, and functional goals. Many families find that the two work well together.

What ages do you see for speech-language therapy?

We see infants through young adults. Early intervention is available for toddlers who don't have words yet, and therapy continues through the teen years for higher-level language and social communication needs.

Start with a pediatric SLP evaluation.

Communication challenges affect everything. When a child struggles to express themselves, ask for help, or be understood, it touches every part of their day. TTC is here to help you figure out the next right step — whether that's a full evaluation or just a conversation.