About Functional Speech Therapy – Functional Speech Therapy
Our Mission
We at Functional Pediatric Therapy, Co. are dedicated to providing superior quality speech, language, occupational therapy, and feeding services to help children with communication, sensory regulation, and feeding needs, while educating and coaching families, and giving back to the our community.
Mariana Polistchuk, M.S. CCC-SLP
Dear Families,
Welcome to Functional Pediatric Therapy! My name is Mariana Polistchuk, M.S. CCC-SLP. I’m a licensed and certified pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist, and I’m thrilled to introduce myself as the founder and clinic director of our pediatric therapy practice in Fox River Grove, IL 60021. We are excited to join you on your therapy journey and are committed to making a positive difference in your child’s life.
With over 20 years of experience working with children—first as a classroom teacher, then as a Speech-Language Pathologist, and now as a clinic director and supervisor—I am proud to lead a team that serves hundreds of families each month, reaching even more through our extensive community outreach programs, events, and trainings.
As a bilingual pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist, I specialize in evaluating, treating, and consulting on communication and feeding needs. I also provide bilingual evaluations in both Russian and Hebrew to school districts across the state. My mission is to change children’s lives through effective, research-based therapy, while empowering parents with the knowledge and tools they need to support their child’s growth.
Together, we make therapy both fun and functional!
At Functional Pediatric Therapy, we help children with a wide range of communication needs, including working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disabilities, Learning Disorders, Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS), Late Talkers, and other speech and language delays or disorders. I also offer specialized feeding evaluations and therapy for children dealing with picky eating, sensory aversions, problem feeding, and motor-sensory feeding challenges.
Mariana is certified and highly trained in PROMPT, Oral Placement Therapy (OPT), and the SOS Approach to Feeding. She uses these specialized techniques to treat children facing challenges with feeding and speech sound production. In addition, as an AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) specialist, Mariana works with a variety of AAC systems, including Core Boards (low-tech AAC), and mid- and high-tech speech-generating dedicated devices and applications from Tobii Dynavox, PRC- Saltillo, TouchChat App., Language Acquisition through Motor Planning (LAMP), Proloquo2Go, CoughDrop, SpeakforYourself, and more. She provides AAC evaluations, implementation trainings, and AAC treatment for children in need of high tech speech generating devices to improve and support their communication skills.
As an experienced presenter, Mariana has shared her expertise at the Illinois Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ISHA) Convention over the last five years, where she spoke on AAC, providing valuable insights to support and educate both speech therapists and families of children who use AAC. Beyond her hands-on therapy work, she offers teletherapy consultations and training on a global scale in multiple languages, in addition to workshops, trainings, and courses designed for families, providers, and anyone eager to advance children’s communication skills.
Mariana holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) in Speech-Language Pathology from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). She is a proud member of both ASHA and ISHA. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education from Roosevelt University and her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Midwestern University.
Katya Edwards M.A. CCC-SLP
Hello!
My name is Katya and I am a licensed and certified Speech Language Pathologist. I love serving our clients and families at Functional Pediatric Therapy and local children centers! I provide therapy in Russian, English, and Spanish to preschool and school aged children. My clinical approach is child-led, focused on building trust and a solid foundation for a positive therapeutic relationship that incorporates the child’s interests and play style into therapy. I care about giving children a variety of communication needs the opportunity to advocate for and express themselves which is why I provide therapy with access to a variety of AAC systems. I am passionate about feeding therapy and being able to share my love for food and community with my clients. I also conduct bilingual Russian-English language evaluations to local school districts. I am committed to making sure parents feel heard and involved in the therapeutic process by incorporating the family’s goals for their child into the treatment plan and including them in sessions whenever possible. I earned my bachelor’s degree at Purdue University and my master’s degree in speech and hearing sciences from the University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign. I am dedicated to continuing to grow as a clinician through continuing education and staying up to date with well researched treatment approaches. Outside the clinic you can find me Russian folk dancing, taking ballet lessons, working out, and hanging out with my friends. I love trying new restaurants, watching anime, and going to amusement and waterparks.
Lauren Rinn M.A. CCC-SLP/L
Hello!
My name is Lauren, and I am a licensed and certified speech and language pathologist. In addition, I am licensed in Illinois’ Early Intervention program. I received my Master of Arts degree from the University of Iowa in 2018. Go Hawks! Following graduate school, I served as a school-based speech and language pathologist with a focus on moderate to severe pediatric speech and language disorders. Through my experience at the school, I became increasingly passionate about serving children prior to their school-aged, academic years. I feel honored to have joined the Functional Pediatric Therapy Clinic in June of 2024. I am dedicated to continuing my education by being a life-long learner through constant research consumption and course attendance. Evidence-based research and therapy are my utmost priorities to achieve positive outcomes with clients. In therapy, I enjoy utilizing literacy-based treatment approaches and adaptive books, understanding that books open many doors for our youngest to oldest learners. I believe family-centered and child-led therapy approaches are best while working toward targeted goals. When I am not with clients, you can find me with my husband and family. I love spending time outdoors, traveling, reading, biking, and playing pickleball. I look forward to working with you and your child!
Chloe Latka M.S. CF-SLP
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