For more than half his life,聽five-year-old聽Cade Sinness has attended speech therapy sessions at 麻豆原创鈥檚 Communication Disorders Clinic. So when聽the soon-to-be kindergartner聽completed his last session this week,聽it was time for pomp and circumstance.
鈥淐ade鈥檚 mother told me he would have a surprise for me at his last session,鈥� said Tom Ehren, a clinical educator at the clinic. 鈥淚 anticipated his surprise and came prepared in my own regalia.鈥�
Cade arrived for his last聽session in a bright red cap and gown. Afterwards he beamed when Ehren formally presented him with a 鈥渄iploma.鈥�
Ehren said he provides his clients with a “diploma” or “certificate” when it鈥檚 appropriate, but he likes to emphasize that achieving better communication skills is a reward in itself.
Cade鈥檚 therapy sessions spanned nine semesters at the Communication Disorders Clinic, the training site for 麻豆原创 graduate students preparing to become certified speech-language pathologists.聽They were conducted by聽graduate students supervised by Ehren, a Board Recognized Specialist in Child Language.
This fall, Cade will enter kindergarten with much improved speech and language skills, thanks to the clinic, the support of Cade鈥檚 family 鈥� and Cade鈥檚 own hard work.
Congratulations, Cade!