LA Speech & Swallow

K. Tatiana Maldonado, MS, CCC-SLP, CLEC

Speech-Language Pathologist

HI EVERYONE!

I’m Tatiana Maldonado, a Spanish-English Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist based in Los Angeles, California.

I specialize in the evaluation and treatment of children and adults with difficulty breathing, speaking, and eating. In addition, I am also a Certified Lactation Education Counselor, helping caregivers breastfeed safely.

My goal is to build strong relationships with my patients and their families to ensure that we can achieve meaningful goals together.

Credentials

K. Tatiana Maldonado, M.S., CCC-SLP, CLEC received her Bachelor of Science degree from University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and her Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competency from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and is licensed as a Speech-Language Pathologist by the State of California.

Tatiana has extensive experience treating adults and pediatric patients in a variety of medical settings, including the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), adult and pediatric ICUs, and pediatric Skilled Nursing Facilities (SNFs). In addition to her hospital-based work, she works with patients and their families in their homes to evaluate and treat speech, language, cognitive, and feeding/swallowing disorders. She is also a Certified Lactation Education Counselor and is passionate about working with caregivers to achieve safe feeding for their infants.

  • Tatiana’s clinical expertise focuses on targeting respiration and feeding/swallowing skills in children and adults, working with patients with acquired Aphasia and/or Apraxia of Speech and helping patients return to school or work. She is skilled in use of Passy-Muir Speaking Valve in order to allow patients (children and adults) with ventilators or tracheostomies the ability to communicate verbally and begin feeding trials. She also trains respiration and increasing volume and strength of speech and cough in children and adults with use of respiratory muscle strength training and other forms of respiratory training.

    Tatiana is passionate about working with patients and their families to individualize treatment plans and achieve goals.

Services

  • Speech Therapy for Children

    Having difficulty with speech impacts how we say sounds and words and how we are understood by others. Your child would benefit from evaluation or treatment if they demonstrate any of the following:

    • Difficulty saying certain sounds

    • Slurred or unclear speech

    • Changes to their quality of voice (i.e., a new hoarse voice or a very quiet voice)

  • Language Therapy for Children

    Having difficulty with language impacts how we communicate with those around us and how we understand communication. Difficulty with language can look like having difficulty thinking of specific words or developing complete ideas.

  • Cognitive Therapy for Children

    Having difficulty with cognition can impact a variety of important skills for children, including play, memory, and ability to participate in school. Cognition may impact:

    • Attention

    • Memory

    • Problem Solving (such as ability to recognize right from wrong, complete math problems, or understand play routines)

    Pediatric conditions that may require speech, language or cognitive therapy include, but are not limited to stroke, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, cerebral palsy, chromosomal anomalies, etc.

  • Speech Therapy for Adults

    Adults require speech therapy in order to work on speech, language and cognitive skills from a variety of diagnoses, including stroke, brain injury, results of cancer and cancer treatment, spinal cord injury, Parkinson’s Disease, and now late effects from COVID19.

  • Dysphagia Treatment for Children and Adults

    Dysphagia is defined as any difficulties with swallowing. Difficulty with swallowing may look like:

    • Coughing or choking when eating or drinking

    • Needing to swallow each bite multiple times

    • Feeling like something is stuck in your throat

    • Losing weight without trying to

    • Having to modify your diet to make eating easier

    Tatiana is trained in McNeil Dysphagia Therapy Program which has been proven to aid in helping adults transition to oral diets utilizing principles of exercise physiology.

    Tatiana is also skilled in assisting mothers with breastfeeding and in helping babies transition from bottle/breastfeeding to taking solids.