GUILDERLAND — Guilderland native Kate Chatigny — a nationally-certified and state-licensed speech pathologist — has opened a private business specializing in services for children. 

Located above Akanomi in Carpenter Village, at 2568 Western Ave., Suite 203 in Guilderland, Chat Speech Language Pathology PLLC was founded by Chatigny, who is certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and licensed by the state of New York. 

She treats children ranging in age from birth to 18. 

Chatigny offers consultations, screenings, comprehensive evaluations, and individualized therapy in areas including autism spectrum disorder, early intervention (birth to 3 years), language disorders, articulation or phonological disorders, dyslexia, literacy (reading and spelling), fluency (stuttering), tongue thrust, voice disorders, social or pragmatic language disorders, and augmentative and alternative communication. 

She also offers a Digital Detox Program that she says “teaches parents and caregivers how to reduce or eliminate children’s screen time.” 

The detox program is customized to each family and helps them look at ways to reduce screen time and suggests alternate activities to make deeper connections and provide language-learning opportunities, she explained. 

Private-practice speech therapy can, according to Chatigny, help children who may have some lag in their communication development that is not severe enough to qualify them for services in school. It can address areas, she said, where a child functions below grade level, before the gap in skill level can grow wider or have a significant impact on learning, reading, and social relationships. 

For those who do receive services, speech therapy in the summertime can help maintain the progress made in school, she added. 

When new patients call, Chatigny said, she usually does a phone consultation first, to get more information, and then sets up an evaluation if needed.