Communication Sciences and Disorders

 Dr. Cortney Baker, owner of KidsCare Therapy, enjoyed lunch with students of the CSD Department while on campus for TEDxACU. Talking initially about her experiences after graduate school, she then shared about her decision to take a risk and to start a pediatric home health company. Dr. Baker candidly spoke about the many successes but also the difficulties that occurred during the process. Students were able to question Dr. Baker about her own experiences as well as her recommendations for them and their future paths.

KidsCare Therapy provides pediatric home health care services to children with special needs in Dallas, Fort Worth, Austin, Waco, Tyler, and the outlying metropolitan areas (kidscaretherapy.com).  Children can receive services from physical therapists, occupational therapists, and speech-language pathologists, with several of those SLPs being ACU alumni!

Thank you, Dr. Baker, for the encouragement you provided to the ACU speech pathology students!

It was ‘class picture’ day when the A&P class met at Dr. Barnett’s for breakfast! Wearing the shirts they  made to learn about the respiratory system was required dress!

First year, first semester graduate students gain valuable clinical experience at Kenley School, a unique private school for children with learning challenges of different kinds. This learning experience is an extension of two classes involving the grad students: Language and Language-Based Literacy Disorders in the School-Aged Population: Assessment and Treatment taught by Dr. Lynette Austin, and Clinical Practicum taught by Mrs. Rachel Smith and Mrs. Diana Taylor.  Students and faculty work together to evaluate children’s language skills and then provide a month-long “Language Lab”, working with the children several hours per week to target specific academic language skills.

Please read about the work these students are doing as reported in the latest Kenley School Progress Report.

Faculty, staff, and students of the CSD Department collected items to assist children living in Cuba who have autism. While speaking at a conference in Cuba on the topic of autism, Dr. Lynette Austin  visited with Dr. Burgois, a psychiatrist working in the state of Matanzas who leads a multidisciplinary autism team. He stated that while they have the necessary skilled professionals to help these children, they are lacking in toys, manipulatives, and teaching materials. So, without hesitation everyone got busy! A box full of ‘things’ were collected, packed in a big suitcase and sent to Cuba with a parent of one of our students (Andrea Archer) and Steve Austin (husband of Dr. Lynette Austin) who were travelling to this area.

We recently received pictures and a note of thanks from Dr. Burgois.

“The help really left us speechless.  It has totally exceeded our expectations.  It is . . .amazing to me, and I told my fellow workers, that even in a troubled world ruled by violence, hatred and selfishness there are still kind and generous people!   This spiritually enriches us and gives us strength to keep fighting. . . .” ~ Dr. Burgois

Dr. Burgois with a student and his teacher using some of the toys we sent.

Steve Austin with a student, his teacher and a book sent in the case.

Teacher and student working with supplies we shared.

You might have thought the CSD Department was going to the dogs on Thursday when 24 dalmatian puppies showed up for class. But no, it was just the first year graduate students waiting to listen attentively to their professor, Cruella de Vil (Dr. Lynette Austin)! Fortunately, Cruella was kind to the puppies and just instilled within them a lot of wisdom and knowledge!