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The Art and Science of Communication: Lives Transformed at the Callier Center

"It was a blessing to find this program," Ann Rogers says as she watches her 2-year-old daughter, Emmy, interact with Jenny McGlothlin, a communication disorders speech pathologist. One moment Emmy is down on the floor, the next second she walks around and then it's back down again as she and McGlothlin play with a colorful plastic toy set. She is doing much more than having fun: McGlothlin is teaching her steps on the way to speaking.

Callier speech pathologist and child patient

Speech pathologist Jenny McGlothlin is teaching 2-year-old Emmy Rogers how to communicate

"Before coming here, Emmy was not even opening her mouth. She didn't know where her tongue was. Now, she sticks it out at us! And, she can already say simple words and sounds," Rogers says.

Coming from an orphanage in one of the most remote and poor provinces in China, Emmy had no opportunity for proper nutrition or sensory input for the first thirteen months of her life. That was just over a year ago. Even as she recovered her physical health and became a ball of energy, Emmy's speech and communication abilities lagged. Then, a few months ago, a social worker recommended having Emmy evaluated at the Callier Center for Communication Disorders, where she was soon enrolled in a speech-communication program.

"As a former teacher I was impressed by the level of structure and variety of learning activities at Callier. Emmy receives treatment that is fine-tuned for her individual needs. This is a great way to catch up," Ann Rogers says, proudly watching her daughter.

Emmy's treatment is just one example of how the University of Texas at Dallas Callier Center for Communication Disorders changes lives. As part of The University of Texas at Dallas School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, the center also offers renowned hearing and psychological services, conducts nationally recognized communication disorder research, and provides education to the specialists of tomorrow and to children during their developmental years.

The center's motto of "communicating throughout the life span," reflects the staff's mission to improve the quality of life for those with communication disorders, no matter how young or old. Making this a reality, the center serves an incredibly broad range of afflictions.

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