 | "Paula Beckett Herrington, MS CCC-SLP, established CLASS, Inc. in 1998. Her passion for children is supported by an extensive background and experience in child development and speech-language-communication disorders, with in-depth training in apraxia of speech and autism spectrum disorders. Paula has several years experience as a PROMPT level II therapist. Additionally, Paula has training in the following methods of treating apraxia, articulation disorders and oral motor challenges: Beckman, Kaufman, Rosenfeld-Johnson.Working with many children who are non-verbal or minimally verbal spurred Paula to develop expertise in the area of Augmentative and Alternative Communication. Paula is a founding member and past president of the Northwest Augmentative Communication Society and a current member of ASHA's special interest division on Augmentative and Alternative Communication At CLASS, Inc., Paula provides both diagnostic assessments and therapy for children who benefit from picture boards, PECS, and computerized speech generating devices. Paula has extensive training and experience in the treatment of autism spectrum disorders including: ABA, SCERTS, RDI, and advanced FloorTime Training at the International Council for Learning Disabilities with Stanley Greenspan in Virginia. Over the last 20 years as a speech-language pathologist, Paula has honed her feeding therapy skills and offers feeding therapy to children both individually and in small groups. Paula's sensitivity and creativity make feeding therapy fun for even the most sensory sensitive children. Paula has worked as a special education preschool teacher, school-based speech language pathologist, and international consultant to families of children with autism spectrum disorders. Paula has also served as the speech-language pathologist for the ASTAR Center, under the medical direction of neurologist Gary Stobbe. At ASTAR, Paula provided diagnostics, individualized therapy and social skills groups for children on the autism spectrum. She currently serves on the ASTAR scientific advisory board. Paula received the 2003 FEAT, Washington's "Reach for the Stars Educator of the Year" award. She has contracted with school districts locally and nationally to provide in-service training and support for staff working with children on the autism spectrum. |
"I first met Paula when my 5-year-old son Collin was 2 ½ and diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder. It was January 2002, and I had just spent the entire previous month of December in tears, as I tried to come to terms with what was happening to my perfect little boy and our family.
I felt relief the moment I met Paula. I can still see her interacting on the floor with Collin during one of their first therapy sessions. They were both laughing, as Paula's rabbit puppet abruptly refused to eat any more of the plastic Oreo cookies Collin was trying to feed it. Paula's puppet frantically shook its head, refusing each cookie, waiting for Collin to put his first phrase together: "Bunny, eat!" before opening its mouth. By the end of the session, her mission was successful, and her puppet victorious.
As I sat there, and watched her effortlessly accomplish something I had tried for months to get my son to do, my eyes filled with tears. But, unlike those many tears shed throughout December, for the first time since Collin's diagnosis, I shed tears of hope and happiness.
Collin has come a long way since that first phrase: "Bunny, eat!" With Paula's help, he quickly acquired age-appropriate speech and language. At that time, the focus of Paula's therapy switched from language acquisition to helping Collin along in the areas of language pragmatics, emotional regulation, imaginative play, and social skills.
Paula is a walking version of almost every intervention I have ever read about in books. Her talent, knowledge and dedication are only surpassed by her kindness and selflessness. She has a magical, playful way with all children, and a special love for and connection with those children battling autism.
This past year, we made the decision to relocate and leave Federal Way. Among my top "cons" on my pro/con list regarding the move, was the fact that we would be leaving Paula-not only because of what she provided for my son, but how she helped my family during an overwhelmingly difficult and confusing time. Again, Paula was there to reassure me that Collin would be fine. And, as Collin nears the end of a successful Kindergarten year in a class of 23 students with no aide, I can see, that once again, she is right.
Since Collin's diagnosis, I have often wished there was no such thing as autism. I would lie awake at night wondering how life would be different without it. But, during these nocturnal musings, I could always see how my life had benefited from this perplexing and difficult disorder. And one of those things, at the top of my list, has been and continues to be, my relationship with Paula Herrington."
--Marissa Thompson