"Since 2000, I have confidently referred families from my my school to Kids Communicate. My experience has been that each child makes significant progress in a nurturing and professional environment."
Rachelle Grossman, Director of Kaplan Cooperative Preschool
"My son basically went from non-verbal to spontaneously speaking in 3 word sentences in just a few months with Lauren!
When my 28 month old son was diagnosed with Childhood Apraxia of Speech and Hypotonia, our developmental pediatrician, Dr. Marilyn Agin highly recommended for him to see Lauren Gurtman. I was not disappointed! Using Talk Tools, Lauren developed an Oral – Motor program specific for my son to help him strengthen his lips, jaw and tongue. She also used PROMPT to help him speak. She is energetic yet patient with small children. I felt she really knew what she was doing. I am ecstatic to report that my son basically went from non-verbal to spontaneously speaking in 3 word sentences in just a few months with Lauren!"
Kristine C ( Mother of a 32 month old boy with a diagnosis of CAS and Hypotonia)
"S. wouldn’t be where he is now without your help and there are no words to express our forever gratitude. It is quite amazing to see the difference of where he is and where he could have been if we hadn’t opened his world of using his words to communicate thanks to you. He obviously has a long way to go, but we celebrate the small steps and he is doing so well. Thanks for showing us that it is possible for him to learn his words and use them and for helping us show the Angelman Syndrome community that there is always hope and that contrary to what the prognosis say, our kids CAN have words to communicate.
Thank you, thank you, thank you for your unconditional love and interest in helping him and for believing that he can do more..thanks as well for always supporting us through the difficult times."
Anna M ( Mother of a 4 year old with Angelman’s Syndrome)
My son was not uttering more than a word or two at 2 years of age. The doctors all assured us that he would start speakingsoon but he did not. It started to get increasingly difficult to communicate with him – mostly due to his increasing frustration. The situation was starting to affect his self confidence, his relationships with friends and his self confidence. My once happy go lucky toddler was becoming gloomy and introverted. Despite the fact that he became fluent in sign language he could only communicate in our home. Kids on the playground started to bully him and I felt helpless. Then a neighbor highly recommended Lauren Gurtman founder of Kids Communicate. Lauren was truly a godsend. My son now loves to talk. Lauren made an incredibly difficult process for him a joy. Lauren has completely changed our lives. She has helped to bring back our son’s happy-go-lucky disposition and has dramatically improved his confidence. Despite all the hard work he has had to accomplish while in session our son absolutely adores her! Even in the very beginning – he would leave her office exhausted –he was spent for the rest of the day…Yet he could not wait to go back! We will always be grateful for what Lauren has done for my son and our family.
So my advice is the following: If your doctor says,”It’s ok (s)he’ll grow out of it”, or, “ It runs in your family..”, run – do not walk – run to Lauren at Kids Communicate.
Sofviea
"Lauren is wonderful with kids and an expert professional. This last day of speech is bitter sweet for us. Rarely do I meet someone as dedicated, knowledgable, sincere and lovely to work with – in one person. You are invaluable and we truly appreciate your great work."
Joan E.
"We have been very impressed with Lauren and Kids Communicate. Our two year old son has gone from a non- speaker to an understandable talkative toddler under Lauren’s excellent guidance. Lauren is very dedicated to her patients and is willing to address any issues a parent has regarding communication, drinking or eating. Lauren has always taken the time to discuss her plans and goals for our son’s speech development and update us regularly via e mails and phone calls. we are working parents and were not able to attend his sessions so this was greatly appreciated. We would strongly recommend Kids communicate to any parent who has concerns regarding their child’s speech."
Audrey L. ( Mom to a 2 year old with a developmental delay)
"I would highly recommend Speech Pathologist, Lauren Gurtman, of Kids Communicate. Not only for her astute professionalism, but also for the creative ways in which she engaged my child, her positive reinforcement and kind encouragement. Her commitment to my child’s success showed in her every gesture, and we consider ourselves very lucky to have benefitted from her work and friendship."
Aimee S.(Mom to 7 year with articulation )
"In February 2012 we had our two and a half year old son evaluated by Lauren Gurtman of Kids Communicate. He was not communicating on the same level as his peers and Lauren confirmed he had a speech and language delay. She assigned Dana to work with our son once a week in our home. Since then our son has started speaking in longer sentences, understands more words and concepts, and can put his emotions into words to communicate his feelings, all due to Dana’s hard work. Dana has done extraordinary work with our son in the last 2 years. Our son gets excited to work with her when she comes every week. Dana also keeps an ongoing dialogue with us about what is working and not working both in session and at home. This has been a tremendous part of his speech growth, while simultaneously helping me understand his behaviors and why he was acting out at times.
My son’s speech has improved tremendously and we are so thankful to be working with Dana and Kids Communicate."
Melissa M
"Working with Kids Communicate has by far been the best investment and most effective solution to addressing his speech challenges.
My son has made tremendous progress working with lauren. At the start of his school year he was repeatedly frustrated that his teachers and peers were unable to understand him. After having worked with Lauren, He is ending the school year a confident well spoken, and clearly understood student. The improvements in his speech have resulted in a higher self confidence that he carries with him in everything he does at school, with friends and extra curricular activities. I can’t say enough about Lauren and the program she has designed for our son. Working with Kids Communicate has by far been the best investment and most effective solution to addressing his speech challenges. "
Kate D. ( Mom to a 4 year old with and Articulation Disorder)
"Our 8 year old daughter has been working with Lauren for several months and we are very excited about the progress she has made. Lauren does a great job partnering with her to identify the areas they need to work on and tie them back to schoolwork and her daily life. Our daughter is now able to recognize and correct her speech errors independently as she speeds along in her reading and conversation without missing a beat. During sessions Lauren pushes her gently and really seems to zero in on her non-verbal cues to understand when she has had enough. This is important because she is sensitive and can be easily frustrated. After sessions Lauren gives us clear instructions on our home practice assignments. We are very happy to have her working with our daughter. "
Shumsa F.
"I cannot say enough good things about Lauren. I was initially resistant to trying speech therapy, thinking I could correct my 5 year old daughter’s r’s myself. It only took the initial session for me to see how misguided I was! My daughter who can be quite shy – took to Lauren immediately, and was engaged and entertained while Lauren evaluated her. Lauren explained both the problems and the solution in a clear and reassuring way. She uses her time to the fullest, making the most of each session without making my daughter feel rushed. My daughter looks forward to speech and even enjoys the practice sessions at home. I’m thrilled with her progress and have recommended Kids Communicate to others who are equally as pleased."
Justine L
"We would like to thank you profusely for the remarkable, extraordinary work you did with our son. We had heard from several parents in our Hoboken community that your talent was exceptional but we didn’t expect to see results quite so quickly and thoroughly. When we brought our son to you he couldn’t pronounce the s without a severe lisping, and he often salivated excessively when talking animatedly. We would have never in a million years guessed that the cause was more than just a “ lazy tongue” until we sat with you that very first visit and watched incredulously as you observed our son’s speaking formation from various positions on the floor beneath him. It was amazing!
In addition to being a keen observer and astute prognosticator, you also have a magic gift with children insofar as your ability to make them feel completely at ease as you carefully manipulate the way they speak, employing toys, games and rewards. M at the time, didn’t handle separation very well, but he seemed oblivious to our departure once in your cozy cocoon. He eventually began to look forward to your weekly visits and we imagine that he misses you now that he has moved on.
We appreciate that you check in periodically, and gently remind us to keep up with our practice. M occasionally lapses but thanks to you we have the tools to help him focus and correct himself instantly. We thankyou, Lauren, and recommend you heartily. We will happily recommend you to anyone looking for speech therapy."
Anthony G ( Father of a boy with a frontal lisp)
"My son basically went from non-verbal to spontaneously speaking in 3 word sentences in just a few months with Lauren! When my 28 month old son was diagnosed with Childhood Apraxia of Speech and Hypotonia, our developmental pediatrician, Dr. Marilyn Agin highly recommended for him to see Lauren Gurtman. I was not disappointed! Using Talk Tools, Lauren developed an Oral – Motor program specific for my son to help him strengthen his lips, jaw and tongue. She also used PROMPT to help him speak. She is energetic yet patient with small children. I felt she really knew what she was doing. I am ecstatic to report that my son basically went from non-verbal to spontaneously speaking in 3 word sentences in just a few months with Lauren!"
Kristine C ( Mother of a 32 month old boy with a diagnosis of CAS and Hypotonia)
"With only a few sessions, we began to see results immediately. Prior to working with Lauren, friends and family had difficulty understanding my 6 year old son. With only a few sessions, we began to see results immediately. Lauren not only corrected his speech, but also with creativity and focusing on his interests made the work fun. With her warm personality she also formed a special bond with him as a mentor."
Pelin A
"Lauren is absolutely the best at what she does. However what really separates her from other therapists in her field is her genuine passion and love for her patients. Lauren cares for the children she treats as if they were her own. I see it in my son’s joyful smile every time we see her. To find that in a therapist with her level of expertise is truly priceless."
Noriko A. (Mother of a 3.6 year old child with a rare genetic disorder)
"I cannot describe what Lauren and her staff have done for my son. Daniel came to Kids communicate frustrated and with almost no proper speech sounds. On “graduation day” we listened to videos and wondered how we had ever understood him. He was supported and challenged by just the right amounts. We were kept informed and constantly given materials and activities that could be used to help his growth. Lauren could understand our fears and frustrations as parents and helped us every step of the way. Jen was unfailing cheerful and yet firm enough that Daniel always worked with her. I cannot recommend them enough and do so to everyone that asks."
Joanna W.
"Lauren brings the fantastic combination of expertise, warmth and tough love in the way she coaches both the patient and parents to meet their goals. She pushes her patients beyond what they thought was possible and exceeds expectations. Her persistence and encouragement led our son to have great results. We remain thankful for the positive impact she had on our son. B. continues to thrive, articulate and eat a ton THANKS to you."
Jaime K. ( Mom to a 4 year old with Sensory Integration Disorder, food selectivity and an Articulation disorder)
"We have seen an immediate impact from having our 7-year old twins work with Lauren. After a couple years of seeing very little progress working with the school speech therapist we sought out Kids Communicate. Our boys are truly benefitting from Lauren’s knowledge and hands-on tactile approach. Her level of enthusiasm really engages them – so much so that one of our sons recently cited his speech session as the best part of his day!"
Diana T ( Mom of twins with a persistent articulation disorder)
"Lauren has been a wonderful therapist and has helped my son’s interaction and articulation more than I could have dreamed. She makes my son work very hard without him even knowing it. He looks forward to meeting with Lauren every week and wants to make her proud. Lauren is also a wonderful partner with parents, teachers, and other caregivers. I would recommend her to anyone who needs speech therapy."
Jen C. ( Mom to an 8 year old with an early diagnosis of PDD)
"I can’t thank you enough for all you did for our son and for our family. It’s great to see where he is now versus two years ago with you. I am sad that we have moved and he won’t work with you anymore but I take comfort in knowing how far he came in working with you! I thank you again and I applaud you for what you do!!"
David S ( Father of a 4 Year old Autistic boy)
"Lauren is wonderful with kids and an expert professional.She treated my daughter for a severe lisp. In just a few months there was an amazing improvement and we completed speech therapy altogether in about 10 months. When she finished, my daughter said she was, “ Happy but sad…Happy that her s’s are amazing but sad to not go see Lauren every week.” We would highly recommend Kids Communicate to anyone."
Janet C. (mom to a 6 yearold with a lisp)
"Lauren made speech therapy a fun, positive experience for my son and me.Our two year old son was a bit behind in speech development and we contacted Kids Communicate. From the start Lauren’s insights and patience helped reassure us. Lauren made speech therapy a fun, positive experience for my son and me. She also helped me feel confident that I could work with my son. We saw rapid improvement in our son’s speech and language skills and he quickly caught up to his peers. We are forever grateful for all Lauren has done for our family."
Nancy ( Mom to a 2 year old with a developmental delay)