About Us
Smile is a play-based pediatric therapy clinic providing Applied Behavioral Analysis Therapy via Early Start Denver Model, Speech- Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Sensory Integration, and Feeding Therapy to children from birth through adolescence. With an expert staff of multi-disciplinary therapists, therapy at Smile is a joyful and adventurous experience for kids, parents, and staff. “Seeing Miracles In Life Everyday” is not just a motto we aspire to, it’s a remarkable and tangible occurrence we’ve had first-hand alongside our families.
Our Safety Pledge: At Smile we view the developing brain as a critical time for learning. We understand your concerns and have partnered with a registered (RN) to best ensure a healthy environment. In this time of uncertainly, the health and safety of the children and families that we serve remains paramount!
Smile now offers a variety of safe, fun, and exciting in-person, virtual, or hybrid year-round treatment opportunities. Call us today to learn more 323.644.9380. We look forward to growing together!
Applied Behavioral Analysis Therapy via Early Start Denver Model (ABA Therapy via ESDM)
What is ESDM?
The Early Start Denver Model (ESDM) is an evidence-based comprehensive therapeutic intervention approach for children with or at risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder from 12 to 60 months of age. The ESDM focuses on social interaction skills, in addition to receptive and expressive language, fine motor and gross motor development, imitation, cognition, play skills, and personal independence. Time Magazine has listed ESDM as a Top Ten Health Breakthrough and research has shown that the ESDM changes brain functioning for children with at risk for autism to become more normalized.
It is a child-lead approach that stems from a developmental, holistic approach to treatment. Parental involvement and training are focal points of the treatment and the goal of the program is to encourage social learning during natural, everyday fun activities with the most important people in a child’s life.
Who is eligible for ESDM?
Children between the ages of 12 to 60 months of age who either have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder or who show at risk signs of autism are eligible to receive ESDM services.
At risk signs of autism include but are not limited to difficulty with social interactions, including poor eye contact, inability to engage in reciprocal and sustained social interactions with others (including peers), a preference for solitary or parallel play, repetitive behaviors, and/or difficulty organizing behaviors in a variety of settings.
How many hours of ESDM therapy are provided per week?
Therapy is provided at a minimum of 15-hours per week and up to 30-hours per week. In the event that a child is unable to participate in the program at a minimum of 15 hours a week, exceptions can be made based on the scheduling needs of the child and family.
Where is the ESDM treatment provided?
Therapy services may be provided in home, community, preschool, school, and daycare settings based on client need and company availability.
Who funds ESDM?
ESDM therapy is funded by the Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center (FDLRC) for eligible children between the ages of 12 months to 4 years, 11 months of age.
Private insurance companies may also fun the ESDM. At this time, Smile is not a provider of the ESDM through private insurance; however, we plan to become a provider of the program via insurance this upcoming year.
How do I get the ESDM services started?
If your client is between 12 months to 4 years, 6 moths of age and meets the eligibility criteria, a company ESDM representative will call you to discuss further details regarding next steps.
Speech-Language Therapy
The Speech-Language Therapy program at Smile focuses on providing high quality treatment services through natural, everyday learning opportunities. Children in our program are taught the foundational skills of relating (engagement), understanding (receptive language), communicating (expressive language), and speaking (speech production).
Speech- language therapy services may target any or all of the following areas related to effective communication:
- Receptive Language
- Expressive Language
- Fluency Voice
- Speech Production
- Motor Speech Disorders
- Pragmatic/Social Communication Skills
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (ACC)
We work hand in hand with parents to help each child master the ever-changing human skill of speech and language. Individualized treatment goals are created and caregivers are taught how to foster their child’s speech and language development during fun-filled, everyday life experiences. The result is lasting communicative success for all treatment participants.
For more information regarding our Speech-Language Therapy program, please contact us at 323.644.9380 or at info@smileandwonder.com
Occupational Therapy & Sensory Integration
Smile’s Occupational Therapy & Sensory Integration Program focuses primarily on a child’s motor development, including both fine motor and gross motor skills. Additionally, sensory processing, self-regulation abilities, and self-help skills are supported. Impairments in any of the above developmental areas may be independent of one another but are often interrelated.
- Motor Development: Motor skill delay is one of the primary reasons that a child may receive Occupational Therapy services. Delays in motor skills can impact a child’s ability to play, interact with others, and/or adequately explore his or her environment. Because of the nature of muscle strength, early intervention has yielded the most successful results when dealing with impairments in motor development. Treatment objectives may include the use of positioning techniques to teach the child how to move horizontally, how to lie on his or her side, to sit, crawl, stand, walk, reach, pull, draw, write, jump, run, and more.
- Sensory Integration: Sensory processing is a dynamic neurological process of give and take (input and output) between the sensory system, motor system, and behavioral responses that helps us to organize and understand what is going on inside our own bodies and in the world around us.
Each individual has a unique sensory understanding and presents with different styles of interpreting and responding to these sensations. Intake and organization of these various inputs from the surrounding environment help us to initiate motor and behavioral responses that enhance our ability to stay calm, alert, and attentive for continued participation, engagement, and learning within the environmental context (this is also known as self-regulation). Difficulty taking in or interpreting this input can lead to impairments in self-regulation or delays in motor functioning, behavioral challenges, difficulty with social relationships, maintaining mood, regulating emotions, self-esteem, and overall learning.
Motor skill development and sensory experiences are fostered in Smile’s Occupational Therapy & Sensory Integration treatment program through free-play and exploration, as well as in carefully planned and structured learning opportunities. Our occupational therapists focus on providing a child with “just-right challenges” that will help organize his or her motor and/or sensory system and thus helping the child to become more independent in their everyday routines.
For more information regarding our Occupational Therapy & Sensory Integration Treatment program, please contact us at 323.644.9380or at info@smileandwonder.com
Feeding Therapy
Feeding Therapy is a comprehensive feeding therapy treatment offered at Smile for infants and toddlers from birth to school age that experience concerns or delays in feeding. The program provides efficacious treatment of feeding concerns or disorders where a supportive multidisciplinary team assesses the child’s needs, assigns appropriate research driven intervention programs, and supports caregiver education in order to improve the child’s overall feeding skills, behavior, and nutritional intake.
Feeding Therapy at Smile offers individual treatment via a team of licensed specialists including: occupational therapists, speech-language pathologists, pediatric dietitians, child development specialists, and community pediatricians. Caregivers are also considered an integral part of the multidisciplinary feeding team and actively participate in the program, thereby promoting a positive feeding environment for all participants and the generalization of skills.
For more information regarding our Feeding and Nutrition program, please contact us at 323.644.9380 or at info@smileandwonder.com
Assessments & Treatment Consultations
At Smile we understand your concerns regarding your child’s development. We believe that when a concern or suspected concern is present-no matter how big or small- every individual deserves an opportunity to get some answers and get started on the track. As a part of our mission to help each individual reach their utmost potential, Smile provides assessments, screening, and consultative services from birth to adolescence for individuals that have any form of suspected developmental concern in the areas of:
- Speech-Language Development
- Feeding and Nutrition
- Motor Skill Development
- Sensory Processing
- Behavior Concerns
Assessment, screening, and consultative treatment services can include one or more of the following based on individual need:
- Play-based observation of child in naturalistic environment
- Standardized assessment
- Consultation with multi-disciplinary interventionists
- Comprehensive parent/caregiver interview
- Thorough review of records
- Immediate feedback in regards to current levels of development, next steps, and easy to implement treatment suggestions when appropriate
- Community resources/referrals as needed
Should you have any concern regarding your child’s development, please do not hesitate to contact us at 323.644.9380 or at info@smileandwonder.com.
Together we will determine if a full assessment is needed for your child or if your child would benefit from single or ongoing monthly consultative services to help jump-start or maintain your child’s development.
Funding & Payment Options
Smile is committed to providing high-quality service and meeting the needs of our clients by offering a variety of financial options as follows:
Regional Center Funding
There are a variety of private, non-profit Regional Centers that operate under contract with California’s Department of Developmental Services. Regional Centers utilize state and local funding to service children and adults with developmental disabilities, who have or are at risk for a developmental delay or disability, and who are at high-risk of parenting an infant with a disability.
Smile is contracted with various Regional Centers as service providers for evaluations and treatment of speech, occupational therapy, and feeding therapy for infants and children from birth to 3 years of age. Additionally, Smile exclusively provides Developmental Intake Assessments to support eligibility for services for the Frank D. Lanterman Regional Center for clients of all ages.
Health Insurance
Smile is currently a preferred, in-network provider for speech therapy, occupational therapy and feeding therapy for the insurance companies listed below:
- Kaiser Permanente Medical Group
- Easter Seals of Southern California
To receive funding through Kaiser Permanente or Easter Seals for therapy, please contact your member service representative and request for your child’s referral to be sent to Smile’s scheduling department at scheduling@smile-ptd.com or faxed to (323) 644-9381. Once we have received your referral, Smile’s scheduling team will contact you and notify you of our current therapy openings and provide you with a permanent schedule (based on clinic availability).
In the event that insurance funding is secured, all applicable copayments are required at the start of each session. NO exceptions will be allowed and services will not be rendered in the event that copayments are unable to be made. Payment is accepted in the form of: cash, credit card, or check made payable to Smile Pediatric Therapy & Diagnostics Inc
Private Pay
Smile offers affordable rates to private consumers. Payment is required at the start of each session. NO exceptions will be allowed and services will not be rendered in the event that payment for services is unable to be made. Payment is accepted in the form of: cash, credit card, or check made payable to Smile Pediatric Therapy & Diagnostics Inc.
School Districts
Smile is certified as a Non-Public Agency (NPA) by the State of California Department of Education. NPA services may be utilized when treatment services are unable to be provided by the school district or charter school (as indicated on your child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP)). In this event, you may request Smile as the NPA provider on your child’s IEP.
For more information regarding our funding and payment options, please contact our billing specialist at 323.644.9380 or at info@smileandwonder.com
Safety Pledge
Smile cares deeply about the health and safety of each child. We have diligently implemented procedures as mandated by the Public Health Department, Centers for Disease Control, and Child Care Licensing to ensure that the safety of the children that we serve remains paramount. In partnership with a registered nurse (RN) trained in pandemic safety, Smile has implemented a variety of protective measures for in-person services when available. These include but are not limited to increased hand washing, temperature checks, staff visibility face masks and face shields (when appropriate), social distance-student learning activities, increased sanitation measures during operating hours (as well as nightly deep cleaning), and regular staff and parent mandatory health and safety training. Our expert RN will also serve as ongoing consultant during this time to best ensure that as a community we create a safe and healthy learning environment for all.
Founders Story
Nicole Hajjar, M.S. CCC-SLP, ESDM
Title: Child Development Expert, Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist, Early Start Denver Model Certified Provider
CEO Smile + Wonder
Name: Tony Hajjar, B.S., Chemistry & Mathematics
Title: CFO Smile + Wonder
Bio: Nicole Hajjar, MS CCC-SLP, ESDM and Tony Hajjar, BS are the proud parents of three boys and owners/executive directors for both Smile Pediatric Therapy & Diagnostics (Smile) and Wonder Preschool & Learning Center (Wonder). Nicole, a speech-language pathologist, alongside Tony, a professional musician with a degree in Chemistry & Mathematics, opened Smile in 2008, positively impacting the lives of many children and their families. In 2017, the duo opened Wonder Preschool where Nicole diligently crafted the schools research-based curriculum known as The Wonder Method, which places strong emphasis on social-emotional development via naturalistic, play-based learning across all areas of development. Nicole will soon begin her Doctoral degree in Early Childhood Education and offers a variety of parent and educator workshops at Smile + Wonder and within the community. You can often find Tony working on various music or Smile + Wonder development projects. Both Nicole & Tony have created an amazing learning environment at Wonder where children, parents, and staff are nurtured to dream BIG!
Becky Parkin, M.A., OTR/L, ESDM, SWC
Title: Pediatric Occupational Therapist, Early Start Denver Model Certified Provider, Swallow Certified
Smile Pediatric Therapy & Diagnostics Assistant Director of Clinical Services
Bio: Rebecca Parkin, MA, OTR/L, SWC, ESDM is a pediatric occupational therapist specializing in sensory processing and feeding therapy, with advanced practice in swallowing certification. She is certified in the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), a program for children who demonstrate at-risk signs or have a formal diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Rebecca serves as the Assistant Director of Clinical Services at Smile. She also is a key curriculum developer for Wonder Preschool + Learning Center (Smile’s sister company). She is a wife, lover of nature and dogs, and has begun her Doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy!
Rent Our Space
From birthday fun to private parties Smile + Wonder offers an array of exciting rental packages.
With over 3,000 square feet of useable indoor and outdoor space, year-round community and private events fill our walls with excitement, laughter, and fun.
To learn more about renting our space contact us.
A landscape of fun, our outdoor playground is the ultimate location for your child’s birthday party. Slide, jump, play, create, and explore in this child-friendly environment where party-goers squeal in delight.
Basic Party Rate: $350 for 3 hours/ One Extra Hour of Space Rental $100
For additional information to rent our space, email info@smileanwonder.com.
Apply for Party Rental Space: