"do what you love... love what you do"

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Opening a speech clinic was a dream of Kayla's since she first volunteered at London Speech and Language Centre, while studying linguistics at the University of Western Ontario.  Kayla was born and raised in Brantford and has strong community ties. Families in Brantford are often placed on wait lists or travel outside of the community to access speech and language services. The lack of service in town and Kayla's love for her community and profession led her to open Kids Can Speak

Kayla graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 2009 with a Bachelor of Arts majoring in Linguistics and minoring in Psychology. She went on to complete her Master’s degree in Communication Disorders and Sciences in Plattsburgh, New York. Kayla graduated with a 3.94/4 GPA. Kayla received the Award for Outstanding Clinical Achievement as voted on by her professors. Upon graduating, Kayla completed her Initial Practice Period with the College of Audiologists and Speech Language Pathologists of Ontario to become a registered Speech Language Pathologist. Kayla worked as a speech language pathologist out of the Grey Bruce Health Unit in Owen Sound, Ontario. While practicing in Owen Sound Kayla became Hanen Certified and took additional course work in pediatric feeding.  Kayla is also PECS level 1 trained. Kayla worked with children experiencing speech sound delays, receptive and expressive language delays as well as children with feeding disorders. She also worked successfully with children who had hearing loss, children with cortical visual impairments, children with cerebral palsy, autism and Down syndrome. During her time at Public Health, Kayla learned valuable time management skills and how to make every second count. She learned to be flexible and creative while working with children of varying needs and abilities. Kayla also gained valuable insights on setting up client files and procedures that she has fine-tuned for her own clinic.

Kayla also worked for many years at Lansdowne Children Centre as a support worker for the “Every Kid Counts” program. “Every Kid Counts” is a program that promotes inclusion for children with special needs. Kayla gained great behaviour management skills during this time. Kayla expanded her efforts internationally. She taught English in local schools and assisted children at an orphanage through the Orphanage Outreach program in the Dominican Republic. Kayla found her experience in the Dominican Republic to be extremely rewarding and she learned that going the extra mile makes a world of difference to the children she supports. Kayla has also worked at Woodman Park Community Centre in Brantford, Ontario. Her recreation background allows her to plan fun and creative therapy activities that engage children.

Kayla is a licensed member of the College of Audiologists and Speech- Language Pathologists and is a member of the Ontario Association of Speech Language Pathologists and Audiologists.

Additional Coursework:

  • PROMPT trained

  • PECS Level 1 trained

  • Lidcombe Program

  • Montreal Fluency Centre: Preschool Assessment Workshop

  • Mealtime Miseries: Management of Complex Pediatric Feeding Issues

  • Speech and Stuttering Institue:Management of Speech Sound Disorders in Children with Autism

  • Speech and Stuttering Institute: Digging Deeper: A practical, in-depth look at motor speech assessment and therapy.

  • Speech and Stuttering Institute: Fluency Plus for the Younger School-aged Child who Stutters (aged 5-8).

  • Speech and Stuttering Institute: Fluency Plus for the School-aged Child who Stutters (age 9-14).

  • CASANA: Stuttering, Disfluency, and Childhood Apaxia of Speech

  • CASANA: Building Speech

  • Treatment for Stuttering in School Age Children; Barry Guitar

  • Hanen: It Takes Two to Talk

  • Hanen: Making Words Sparkle: Bringing Vocabulary to Life During Book Reading & Daily Interactions

  • Hanen: First Steps- A Diagnostic Intervention for Toddlers with Suspected Motor Speech Difficulties

  • Hanen: Helping Parents Use Routine To Promote Young Children's Interaction and Language Skills

  • Hanen: Starting Early... Red Flags and Treatment Tips for Toddlers on the Autism Spectrum

  • Hanen: Boosting Bilingual Environments for Young Children: What the Research Says

  • Hanen: Taking Parent Coaching to the Next Level: Helping Parents Make Behavioural Changes That Stick!

  • Hanen: Choosing Initial Vocabulary Targets for Children Who Are Late Talkers

  • Hanen: Coaching Parents in How to Play

  • Hanen: Teaching Tuning In: Practical Strategies to Promote TOM for Verbal Children on the Autism Spectrum

  • Natural Language Acquisition in Autism: Echolalia to Self- Generated Language- Level 1

  • Introduction of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy

Email: kdale@brantford-kidscanspeak.com