My daughter was diagnosed with a profound phonological disorder at 3 years old. We came to Sonali after a frustrating and discouraging experience with another therapist. I find Sonali to be extremely knowledgeable about current techniques and methods that are used to help children with language deficits. She always puts a great deal of thought and care into planning each weekly session. But just as important, Sonali understands that therapy for little ones needs to be fun if it is to be successful. My normally cautious daughter immediately took to Sonali’s warmth and friendliness. She once dreaded therapy, and now she looks forward to seeing what new toy or game Sonali will share with her. My daughter’s speech has improved dramatically in a relatively short time. I feel blessed to have found such an insightful therapist as Sonali.
Thank You, Sonali!
– Andreana L, Aliso Viejo CA. September 2010

My daughter had just turned 4 years old when we started seeing Sonali. She had been attending speech therapy a year prior by other big chain service providers, but we never felt like they were meeting her specific needs and furthermore never saw much growth. That all changed when we started seeing Sonali. My daughter has a significant speech delay for her age ranging from express language delay, articulation, and speech intelligibility. After Sonali met with her a few times, she designed a curriculum that was tailored to her needs. She explained and affirmed how bright and capable my daughter is. She went on to describe how well she responds to therapy and just needs support in putting it all into context, processing, and producing age appropriate speech. Sonali designed an innovated and engaging curriculum that focused on all of her speech needs and beyond. She also included us in all the steps leading up to the program so we could all be on the same page and work together as a team. I think that is one big component that makes Sonali stand out most- she really is an advocate for the parents. If I have questions after speech therapy or want to address a specific concern, Sonali is so available and present in addressing those needs. In addition, Sonali took the time to make my daughter feel known, cared for and loved.

Nearly nine months later and my daughter has grown by leaps and bounds. The days of when my daughter would only talk through functional communication are gone- it’s as if she’s come alive and seeing the world in a new light and just talking about it all the time!!!! She is describing dreams to me, she is expressing her thoughts and emotions, she is telling me imaginary stories… it’s just amazing. She has the occasional sassiness to the point of argumentative but I don’t mind one bit- it just shows me that she is meeting her age appropriate speech levels and each day keeps getting better and better. I am beyond grateful for the care and therapy she has been receiving. My daughter has been thriving and I am forever thankful to Sonali for her care, support, skill, talent, innovation and time. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
– Tanya N, Irvine, CA. June 2015

Finding Sonali was one of the best gifts in our journey with our autistic son, Lucas. Prior to working with Sonali, we had seen three other Speech Therapists. We came upon Sonali by a fortuitous accident. Before Lucas’s last speech therapist went on her maternity leave, she gave me a list of therapists she thought we could work with while she was on her leave. Like Sonali, she was also trained using the P.R.O.M.T technique, and Sonali was the only therapist on her list that utilizes this technique; so we decided to contact Sonali.

After the initial consultation, I knew she was the therapist I was looking for years. Not only is she trained in P.R.O.M.T techniques, she is also fluent in AAC; not many therapists are experts in both areas. In addition, she is passionate about her job and is up to date with the latest technology and methodology on her area of expertise. I have seen Lucas improved remarkably after Sonali started working with him. He only had a few words before he started with her and now he is starting to speak in simple sentences.

Lucas still has a lot of room for improvement, but I feel hopeful he could communicate with others in the near future. Working with Sonali has alleviated some of burdens that have been on my shoulders since we first received Lucas’s diagnosis. I am grateful to have Sonali as Lucas’s speech therapist.
– Isabel L, Irvine, CA. May 2015

My daughter is 2 1/2 and has benign hydrocephalus, hypotonia, and is globally developmentally delayed. She has been receiving speech therapy for a little over a year. We started coming to Sonali about 5 months ago after numerous negative experiences with other speech therapists. We were unable to find a therapist that had expertise in addressing the oral motor aspect of speech. That is, until Sonali. From the moment we met her, we knew she was exactly what we had been looking for. She is a true professional and has the experience & knowledge that sets her apart from others in her field.

After meeting my daughter, she put together a treatment plan that was not only appropriate for her specific needs, but extremely thorough & thoughtful. Unlike anything we had experienced with other therapists, Sonali was able to hone in on our daughter’s issues in a very specific manner. Her approach to therapy is completely individualized. She understands that each child is different & treats them as such. A rare find, in my experience. Another rarity was how quickly my daughter warmed up to Sonali. It normally takes about 4-6 weeks for my daughter to adjust to a new therapist, but not with Sonali. She is very observant, insightful & kind. She knows how to work with kids in a way that makes therapy both fun & productive.

Since starting with Sonali, my daughter’s ability to make bilabial & other sounds has significantly increased. Sonali has worked tirelessly to help strengthen her muscles and has recommended various tools for us to use at home (horns, straws, etc.). We have also started using AAC to help with communication, with Sonali’s recommendation & support.

When we decided to move to an AAC device, the process of finding the right app was very involved and time consuming. Sonali happily (and thankfully) lead the charge. She did the work, the research, and wrote to several different companies on our behalf asking if we could try out their apps. Her requests were successful & resulted in us being able to try different apps before making the final decision (and investment). At the end of the trial period, Sonali provided a very detailed and thoughtful review of the apps and her recommendation of the app she felt would be the best fit. We started using it right away & are now working on increasing our skills & incorporating it into every day life and routines. Sonali continues to lead the charge and has been absolutely amazing. Having a tool that helps our daughter communicate with us, & that can grow with her, is an invaluable gift.

Between all of the various aspects of speech & communication that we are working on with Sonali, my daughter’s sounds, word approximations, and ability to communicate have improved dramatically. I honestly don’t know where we would be without Sonali. I shutter to think because I know we would be far from where we are today. Not only is she an expert in helping our daughter with communication & speech, she is also a wonderful communicator herself. She gives us constant feedback, answers our questions (lots of them) quickly & thoughtfully, and truly cares about her clients. Sonali is in a class of her own & has made such a difference in our lives in the short time we have been working with her. She is one in a million.
– – Dianna A., Irvine, CA. August 2014

Our son started seeing Sonali when he turned 3 years old. He has apraxia of speech and could not say any vowel sound except “ah” and could not pronounce certain consonants (w, y, j, l, r). We knew his type of apraxia was less common and had already tried two speech therapists from the time he was 2, with little results. Sonali patiently worked with him, one vowel at a time. She gave us homework for practice at home and researched many different ways to help our son pronounce the letters. The process was slow and painstaking (as any parent with a child with apraxia of speech knows) but Sonali was always encouraging, patient and tireless in her efforts to help us. One year later, our son can pronounce all his vowels, and just before his fourth birthday, he said the “w” sound – a sound I thought we would never hear. Sonali is amazing and we cannot say enough good things about her expertise, innovativeness and patience. When my son’s preschool teachers tell me that they now understand my son, I give Sonali all the credit – she has made such a difference for my son and our family.
– Carol S, Corona CA. November 2013

Just prior to starting speech therapy with Sonali, my son, Max was diagnosed with epilepsy. In the months leading up to the diagnosis my son had lost all his speech basically overnight it seemed. Along with that he has apraxia, which makes it very hard for him to form words expressively.

We started speech therapy with Sonali right around his fifth birthday. He was quite frustrated because of what happened to him. Sonali was very persistent and patient with him. She began to implement sign language as a bridge to facilitate spoken language. He slowly picked up on the signs and then began saying some of the consonants and vowels for the words he was learning.

Fast forward to a year after starting with Sonali and my son, Max, is picking up new sounds almost every week. He is working on forming entire words and two word sentences. I feel very confident that my son is at the best speech therapist and that he will continue to improve. Sonali tries very hard and does a wonderful job.
– Samantha P, Newport Beach CA. November 2013

Sienna had been receiving speech therapy since the age of 2, but we had never been impressed or witnessed major improvement. That all changed once Sienna began her sessions with Sonali. Being a parent of a special needs child I spend many nights and early mornings on the Internet trying to find the best resources, therapists, doctors, articles, etc. to improve my daughters abilities in life. During one of these searches I came across an amazing video a parent took documenting her daughter’s progression after receiving speech therapy with Sonali Shah. I was in awe! I knew my daughter needed to see her.

After meeting Sonali and beginning her program I was blown away by her preparation, attention to detail and thoroughness. When I called in to see if our insurance had approved Sienna’s therapies the nurse at the authorization department said that she had never seen a more detailed evaluation for speech therapy than the one Sonali submitted. I receive a weekly itinerary before Sienna’s session. After each session we come home with homework and exercises to do. Knowing exactly what to do and focus on with your child makes it so much easier in playing a major role in your child’s progress. Not only is Sonali prepared for each session she helps prepare the parent for the upcoming week. On top of all that Sonali is incredibly kind and compassionate. My daughter loves seeing her and is excited to come to each session.

Sienna started her sessions right after her 4th birthday and we are approaching her one year anniversary. We have noticed major improvements in her speech articulation, language and oral motor abilities. When Sienna first started she could not even blow a bubble without someone physically prompting her mouth into the proper shape. Now she can blow bubbles like nobody’s business! Friends and family who do not get to see her on a daily or weekly basis always comment on how much her speech has improved and how they can now understand her more. We live in Riverside County and commute once a week to Irvine just to see Sonali Shah. She has my highest of recommendations. My only regret is that we didn’t find her sooner. Thank you Sonali for always being so encouraging, supportive, kind, and most importantly improving my daughter’s ability to communicate.
– Nicole S, Riverside CA. July 2012

Sonali – I drove Obi to day care for the first time since I had the baby yesterday. Prior to that, I had gotten used to driving her very silently, or I would talk or sing to her with no response. Yesterday, was quite a pleasant surprise. Obi talked the whole way and I could make out many words in what she was saying. I begged you to increase the weekly classes, because everyone in my household notices a significant improvement, after every session. It is truly amazing to see. As Obi’s speech has improved, we have also seen her self confidence improve. Her teachers are pleased to report that she is now confidently interacting and communicating with her friends at School. My family is also very grateful for your focus, dedication and commitment to her success and growth. We are thrilled with the “homework” that you often leave, giving the whole family an opportunity to support her. You have given us so many resources, books, online programs etc. Finally, you have been a consumate professional, always timely, patient and affectionate with our child. We are blessed to have found you and continue to say, thank you!
– Vivian O, Diamond Bar CA. July 2011

Our son is 14. He has High-Functioning Autism. He was diagnosed with Severe Expressive Language Delay back when he was around 3-and-a-half. Since then, we’ve had him in speech therapy – both through school and privately – but he made no significant progress. We discovered several years ago that he has limited tongue mobility [he can’t lift it] – so he can’t produce certain sounds. In our never-ending hunt for ‘the right person’ we stumbled upon PROMPT speech therapy. We were given Sonali’s name as a PROMPT-trained therapist in our area and the rest is wonderful history. “Hooway for Wodney Wat” is now just a favorite book and not the story of our lives. It has been only 12 sessions, but our son’s tongue is lifting. His /r/’s don’t sound like /w/’s. All thanks to Sonali. She is smart, professional, creative and we highly recommend Sonali to any parent looking for results. Her can-do attitude is refreshing. We really love the way she personalizes his sessions; she knows what he’s interested in and she thoughtfully works it into his sessions. A very nice touch! She is simply amazing. Sonali Shah is definitely ‘the right person’ to make a difference for our son.
– Mike & Debora, Santa Ana CA. May 2011

Sonali is a wonderful speech pathologist. She is very professional in every way, plus she has a real talent for working with children. My daughter showed improvement after her first lesson and has steadily improved ever since. Sonali is also friendly, nice and prompt. I highly recommend her in every way and I trust her 100% with my daughter’s speech condition.
– Stefany C, Irvine CA. July 2010

My son, now an adult, is diagnosed with Pervasive Developmental Disorder, Asperger Autism and has a history of significant speech delay. He hardly speaks. His challenge is getting words out; he then pauses between words, and quitely mumbles, making it very difficult to understand him. After years of speech therapy without progress, we are pleased to have Sonali working with my son. Sonali’s methods of coaching and therapy have greatly improved my son’s speech within a few months. My son responds to her professionalism, enthusiasm, energy and creativity. One day, after her session, he actually said “That was GOOD”, and he is a tough critic! Thank you Sonali! You are truly God-sent.
– Susan J, Orange CA. October 2011

Ms. Shah was so kind, gentle and nurturing to our son. He actually looked forward to speech therapy and did not realize the playing he was doing was therapy. We received easy to do homework assignments that consisted of blowing bubbles, oral motor exercises with licorice and making music on horns, all things that did not require a battle! Ms. Shah was effective in her treatment and we couldn’t have been more pleased.
– Jaimie H, parent of visually impaired child, Tustin CA. June 2010