Speech Therapy

Our pediatric speech language pathologists serves children and their families to address typical and atypical communication and feeding skills. Common treatment techniques may include oral motor strengthening and range of motion exercises, reciprocal interaction through modeling and play, training on the use of audio-visual aids, the use of assistive technology, and strategies to facilitate functional communication.

Who are your therapists?

Francesca Costilla, MS, CCC-SLP is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist with a Certificate of Clinical Competence and an award for continuing education from the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA). She holds a MS in Communication Disorders from Texas Tech University School of Allied Health, a BS in Communication Disorders with a minor in Deaf Education from Texas Tech University, and a Bilingual Extension certificate from Marymount University, NY. She served on the faculty of the Graduate program at Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY as clinical supervisor. Fluent in Spanish and American Sign Language, Francesca has served the pediatric to adult populations providing assessment and intervention with a specialized interest in dysphagia, vision and hearing impairments, autism and language development. She has helped numerous clients improve their communication skills, feeding skills and promote overall speech and language development. Francesca is trained in Augmentative and Alternative Communication systems, Hanen It Takes Two to Talk, Applied Behavioral Analysis and Greenspan Floortime Play and is Level I Sign2Me certified.

Pati Skinner is a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant licensed by the state of California, and Child Development Specialist for UCP for 7 years.  Pati received her SLPA from Santa Ana College and  is a member of CSHA  (California Speech Language, Hearing  Association).  She has been in the medical field for 34 years as a Nurse, specializing in Dialysis, Pediatric Oncology, home care for children with ventilators, and Pediatric home care for terminally-ill children.  She is involved in the Special Olympics Program and volunteers in the local school district. As a nurse and SLPA she frequently takes classes to increase her knowledge to benefit the children that she is serving. Pati and her husband, Jim, enjoy traveling and keeping up with their 7 children and 10 grandchildren.