We are accepting new clients! Contact us at (703) 249-9008 to get started today.
WELCOME
to Spark Pediatric Therapy
Spark Pediatric Therapy is a locally owned, private speech therapy practice where we offer play-based and child-led therapy sessions that are individualized to meet the unique needs of each child. At Spark Pediatric Therapy, we combine evidence-based techniques with a neurodiversity-affirming approach. We strive to build strong relationships with families and involve parents and caregivers in the therapy process. We value diverse perspectives, communication styles, and ways of thinking and honor all forms of communication. Above all, we aim to spark confidence and communication in every child, empowering them to achieve their maximum potential.
Speech Therapy
Whether your child has difficulty with a specific sound or multiple sounds, we will address the underlying cause to help your child speak clearly and confidently. Our approach to speech therapy combines evidence-based therapy approaches, like PROMPT, with engaging activities to help your child: • Accurately produce sounds appropriate for their age • Combine sounds into words • Say words that are important to them • Communicate effectively without frustration • Feel more confident in their speaking abilities
Language Therapy
We believe that every child is unique, and that's why we take a child-centered approach to language therapy. We will work with your child to improve their comprehension, expression, and social communication skills, using approaches like the Natural Language Acquisition (NLA) framework and DIRFloortime®. Your child will have the tools they need to succeed in school and build meaningful relationships. Language therapy will help your child to: • Expand their vocabulary • Form longer sentences • Understand and follow directions • Confidently participate in conversations • Engage in social interactions • Use self-generated language • Express wants, needs, thoughts, feelings, and ideas
Feeding Therapy
Feeding therapy begins by understanding your child’s unique needs to develop a customized program that targets their specific challenges with chewing, swallowing, and eating. Together, we will help make mealtime safe, effective, and enjoyable for the whole family. Using evidence-based therapy approaches, such as Feed the Peds®, we will help your child: • Transition from breast or bottle feeding to solids • Chew foods effectively • Eat a greater variety of foods • Finish meals more quickly • Reduce gagging, vomiting, and coughing during meals
Parent coaching is part of all of our therapy sessions as we believe that parent and caregiver involvement is crucial to your child's success! That's why we make parent coaching a priority. We also offer one-on-one parent coaching sessions where parents can have uninterrupted and dedicated time to ask questions, learn specific strategies, provide tips for home practice, and more. Contact us to learn more.
Meet Your Speech Therapist
Kristen Fernandez, MCD, CCC-SLP
Owner, Speech-Language Pathologist
Kristen Fernandez is a pediatric speech therapist with experience treating children of all ages in a variety of settings, including schools, private practice clinics, and hospitals. She started Spark Pediatric Therapy to create a place where therapy is based on relationships, empathy, and acceptance. Kristen takes time to really get to know the children and families she works with, forming strong relationships that allow her to provide personalized therapy that aligns with each family’s values and goals.
Her neurodiversity-affirming approach to therapy combines fun and play with parent education and evidence-based treatments to help her clients achieve goals that truly transform their lives. As a mother of three, she feels a deeply ingrained sense of responsibility to ensure that every child in her community has access to the absolute best therapy that is available.
In her free time, Kristen loves spending time with her husband and their three young children and dog. She also enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time outdoors.
Advanced Trainings & Certifications
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Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP)
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Two-Time Recipient of the ASHA Award for Continuing Education (ACE)
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PROMPTs for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets
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DIRFloortime®
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Feed the Peds®
Let's Get Started!
Get in touch!
Contact us for a free 15-minute consultation call. We will take some time to discuss your concerns, answer your questions, and provide guidance on the next steps for you and your child.
Evaluation
Our first session will begin with an in-depth evaluation to understand your child's skills and challenges. We will share the results, and together we will develop an individualized treatment plan with goals.
Start Therapy!
Therapy sessions will be conducted in person or virtually at a frequency that best meets your child's needs. We will track progress to ensure that your child is achieving their goals.
We come to you!
In-Home • Preschool & Daycare • School • Online
In-home speech therapy is available to families in eastern Loudoun County and western Fairfax County. We also offer speech therapy onsite at your child's school or daycare.
Online teletherapy services are available to all residents of Virginia and offer added convenience for busy families.
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With Spark Pediatric Therapy, there is no need to plan for transitions or schedule extra time for commuting! We make speech therapy convenient and accessible.
