Meet Kim

Kimberly (Santaite) Yee, M.S., CCC-SLP
Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist

Kim, a Bergen County native and local mom, has over 10 years of professional experience working with children of all ages and their families within clinical and home-based settings.  She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and a speech-language pathology state license in New Jersey and California.  Kim received her B.S. in communicative disorders and her M.S. in speech-language pathology as part of the University of Rhode Island’s accelerated Bachelor’s to Master’s degree program.

Kim has served children from infancy through adolescence including those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, learning disabilities, ADHD, sensory processing difficulties, hearing loss, and global developmental delays.  Her scope of practice includes assessing and treating children with delays/disorders in the areas of receptive and expressive language, speech sound production (articulation, phonology, dysarthria, apraxia), social communication/pragmatics, voice, and fluency.

Kim has provided individual and group therapy with infants, toddlers and their families in a center-based Early Intervention (EI) program as well as in the home and daycare centers through the NJ EI System.  She believes family involvement is crucial to the success of a child’s speech and language development.  Kim has directed and lead It Takes Two to Talk®, a world-renowned parent training early language intervention program developed by the Hanen Centre.  She is especially passionate about empowering families by giving them the skills and confidence to facilitate their child’s communication and overall development during everyday interactions.

In order to gain a deeper understanding of her clients’ needs, Kim has received advanced training in Sensory Integration through the University of Southern California (USC).  She believes in the importance of taking the ‘whole child’ into account by addressing their individual sensory needs in order to communicate to the best of their ability.

Kim takes a natural and playful approach to therapy sessions and focuses on building strong and trusting relationships with all children and their families.  She is so grateful for the opportunity to make a positive impact on a child’s life every day!

Kim is trained and specializes in the following:

• PROMPT Technique (a tactile-kinesthetic approach for children with motor speech difficulties)
  
  

• It Takes Two to Talk®- Hanen Program (parent training program for young children with expressive and receptive language delay)
  
  

• Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP- AAC approach to facilitate functional spontaneous communication in children with autism and motor speech disorders)
  
  

• Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)
  
  

• Melodic Based Communication Therapy (MBCT- uses melody and rhythm to elicit verbal communication in children with autism)
  
  

• Sensory Integration Theory & Treatment (SI- Dr. A. Jean Ayres; Addresses child's sensory needs and incorporates sensory-based strategies for optimal communication outcomes)
  
  

• Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) Trained Clinician (Meaningful Speech)