Many children have trouble with the proper use and meaning of words, grammatical patterns and social exchanges. Some children can neither speak nor understand speech, a condition that can be devastating for both the child and the family.

This Clinic was originally established in Kansas City through an inspiration of a prominent member and leader of the Kansas City Scottish Rite, Joseph Van Dolah as the first clinic of it's kind in the state of Missouri in the 1980's. It continues today with provided support of the Kansas City Scottish Rite in partnership with Children's Mercy Hospital who provides staffing for the Clinic. A letter written by Joseph Van Dolah's brother Dr. Dustin Van Dolah, a Kansas City physician, attests to the efforts expended by Brother Van Dolah in establishing the Clinic.

Special Help
Scottish Rite Masons have devoted much of their energy during the past 25 years to helping children with language problems reach their highest potential. Across the country, the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry has established nearly 100 clinics for childhood language disorders.

Early Detection
The Scottish Rite Clinic for Childhood Language Disorders is designed to serve children, ages 1 to 6 who may have difficulty hearing, speaking or comprehending language. Children develop speech and language at individual rates, passing important milestones along the way. Some children are at risk for language delay or disorder because of medical conditions that develop before or after birth. Many children with normal intelligence have difficulty speaking and understanding words.

Evaluation
Treatment
Parents concerned about their childs language may contact the clinic for an evaluation. The earlier a child's language difficulty is identified, the greater the success of the therapy. A certified speech/language pathologist's evaluation is the first and most important step. The speech pathologist then discusses evaluation results with parents and offers recommendations to meet the child's individual needs. If the child needs therapy, the clinician establishes a three to six month treatment plan for individual or small group sessions. Each session lasts 30 to 60 minutes. Therapy works best when parents observe their child's sessions and involve their child in learning activities at home.

The Scottish Rite Masons are partners with the Children's Mercy Hearing and Speech Clinic. More than 30 years , they have helped provide speech therapy to children with speech and language impairments. As part of their mission, the Masons have generously funded the program's Kansas City clinic site to Children's Mercy Hospital to serve children with communication needs.

The clinic features a cozy, homey atmosphere. Families wait in a comfortable sitting room while the children receive speech therapy.

Location
The CLDC Clinic is located at:
Children's Mercy Hospital
3101 Broadway,
Kansas City, MO 64109

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For more information  816.561.2277

Kansas City Rite Care Clinic Web Page