Hello, my name is Libby and I am a paediatric speech and language therapist located in South Cumbria. I graduated with a Master’s of Science in Communicative Disorders in 1999 and have worked for over 25 years as a speech, language and feeding therapist. I also hold a Clinical Rehabilitative Services Credential: Speech Language Specialist with Special Day Class Authorization which is awarded following additional study and classroom teaching placements focusing on providing instructional services to students with autism and speech and language impairment.
I began my career as a speech and language therapist working in the state of California school system. After moving to Baltimore, Maryland, I joined the rehabilitative team at a Johns Hopkins affiliate pediatric hospital supporting children with brain injuries and complex health and developmental issues impacting on their feeding and communication. In 2003, I moved across the Atlantic to work as a member of a team of Early Intervention professionals employed on American Air Force Bases throughout Europe to support children with feeding and communication needs whose families were stationed outside of the United States. After over 10 years of working in Europe under the American healthcare system, I joined the NHS supporting children in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk with complex medical and developmental needs during their inpatient stay at Addenbrooke’s Hospital as well as in the community as a member of the Child Development Centre (CDC) Complex Needs team. In 2021 I relocated to Cumbria where I continue to work as a Highly Specialist Speech and Language Therapist with the NHS in Lancashire as a member of a hospital-based Paediatric Complex Dysphagia (feeding) Service.
During my career as a speech and language therapist, I trained as a lactation counselor and have completed additional course work in restricted lingual frenulum (‘tongue tie’) and Oral-Placement Therapy. In addition, I have worked at a highly specialist level supporting infants with early feeding on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and during their transition home as well as children across all ages and stages of development with additional needs and diagnoses which impact on feeding. My background in supporting communication development is extensive and I have trained in Hanen, Makaton, Intensive Interaction, Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Attention Autism, and administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS). I have worked at a Highly Specialist level supporting children across all ages and stages of development with a variety of medical, genetic and developmental diagnoses which influence communication and learning.
I started South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy with the aim of supporting and improving the lives of children and families in South Cumbria and surrounding areas with feeding and communication challenges. South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy provides services from birth through a child’s secondary education and works with children and families in their homes, nurseries, and schools in addition to offering video and telephone appointments. We also have clinic space in Kendal, if you prefer to travel to us. We are child-centered with a focus on children’s individual strengths, learning styles, and needs. Because children make the most progress when parents and caregivers are confident in strategies to support their development, empowering parents and caregivers to understand and promote their child’s development as a part of everyday life through parent and caregiver coaching is at the heart of our services.
Please get in touch for more information and a free initial telephone consultation to discuss how South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy can support your child and you.