Language Development

At My Therapy House, we often meet families who have been told:

“Your child can’t be assessed”
“Your child speaks, but doesn’t have social skills”
“Your child is too old for the toddler checklists”
“Your child won’t sit still for a formal assessment”
“Your child communicates differently, so we don’t know where to begin”

We understand how confusing and disheartening this can feel. Your child is not unassessable. They need a different approach that sees the whole child, not just their speech or test scores.

That’s why we use the DOLLI – Developmental Observation of Language: Links to Intervention, a relationship-based, developmental communication framework created by Sima Gerber and Michele Ricamato. Our therapists have been trained directly by Michele Ricamato to use this powerful framework.

What makes this communication framework different?

The developmental communication framework helps us understand how language develops, not just how it sounds. It looks at:

• How your child uses their body, voice, and eyes to communicate.
• Whether they can stay connected in a shared interaction.
• How they express needs, emotions, and ideas, without words.
• Their ability to understand, play, imagine, and make meaning.

We use this approach during natural interactions in play, routines, and family life, so children don’t have to sit still, follow commands, or “perform” for us.