Billings Clinic Pediatric Therapy is a comprehensive outpatient program that provides diagnosis, treatment and referral services for children up to age 18.
We are here to help children become as independent as they can in order to be successful out in the community, at school, at home, in play and in social interactions.
Billings Clinic Pediatric Therapy evaluates and treats diagnoses including, but not limited to:
For children in need of therapy services, a team approach is often the most effective way to address their needs. Our team of seven trained, professional therapists include:
These therapists have special training in pediatrics.
Annalee Anderson, MA, CCC, SLP
Annalee Anderson, MA, CCC, SLP
Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist
Augmentative and Alternative Communication Specialist
Annalee Anderson is a speech therapist whose passion is augmentative communication. She is certified by the American Speech Language Hearing Association, and holds certification from the pediatric Neurodevelopmental Treatment program. She worked with children who had severe multiple disabilities for 19 years. The facility used a multiple disciplinary team approach, so there were daily opportunities to learn from patients, their families, and the other disciplines, especially physical and occupational therapy.
Annalee now works at Billings Clinic where she provides augmentative communication services to both children and adults. She particularly enjoys working with the children, where there is often the opportunity to help an emerging communicator become a competent and independent communicator who can fully participate in life thanks to augmentative communication. She sees children with cerebral palsy or other neurogenic conditions; children with severe multiple disabilities; children with developmental delays; and children with autism as well as other disorders.
Augmentative alternative communication, or AAC, includes all modes of communication that are used to express thoughts, wants, needs, and ideas. Anyone whose natural speech cannot meet their communication needs due to limited speech intelligibility may be a candidate for AAC, which can range from low tech, such as a picture board or alphabet board, to high tech communication devices that allow a person with severe motor limitations to access a communication display by using optical head pointing or eye gaze to communicate via synthetized speech. It is particularly important to implement AAC early with young children, as AAC can open their world and give them control, reducing their risk for developing learned helplessness. Implementing AAC does not mean abandonment of natural speech. It can actually facilitate increased vocalization and in some cases, some expansion of speech production.
Krista Bakkedahl, DPT
Krista Bakkedahl, DPT
Pediatric Physical Therapist
Krista received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND in 2008. She began her career in Seattle, WA at an outpatient private practice working with both children and adults. She joined Billings Clinic to provide Pediatric Physical Therapy in 2010 at the West End location.
Krista works with children with all diagnoses including genetic disorders, orthopedic conditions, neuromuscular disorders, developmental delays, congenital abnormalities, and cancer-related issues. Some of the Pediatric services provided include developmental testing, developmental motor skills acquisition, Torticollis/Plagiocephaly treatment, serial casting for club feet/muscle elongation, Myofascial Release, and Kinesiotaping.
Krista is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association and the Academy of Pediatric Physical Therapy. Additionally, she is a member of the Pediatric Muscular Dystrophy Multidisciplinary Clinic at the Billings Clinic.
Please contact Krista at 406-238-5676 with any questions or concerns about services provided by the Pediatric Therapy Program.
Catherine Heggem, MS, CCC, SLP
Catherine Heggem, MS, CCC, SLP
Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist
Augmentative and Alternative Communication Specialist
Cathy is a licensed speech language pathologist since graduating from the University of Montana in 2011. She has been providing young adult and adult speech therapy services with Billings Clinic since 2012. She is able to provide assessment and intervention for feeding and swallowing issues, aphasia, dysarthria, cognitive dysfunction, traumatic brain injury, as well as augmentative and alternative communication.
Cathy enjoys working with young adults and adults to improve their cognitive and communicative skills and swallowing abilities. Please feel free to contact Billings Clinic Rehabilitation at 238-5676 if you have any questions about the services she provides or about our adult rehab program. Cathy works on a team including other speech language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists to meet the needs of each client.
Carol Morse, SLP
Carol Morse, SLP
Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist
Specializes in pediatric feeding and swallow disorders
Carol is a Speech/Language Pathologist employed at Billings Clinic for 27 years. Carol's caseload includes pediatric feeding and swallow evaluations (including modified barium swallow evaluations) and treatment. She treats adults as well in feeding and swallowing challenges.
Carol also treatd patients with neurological, voice, cognitive, head and neck cancer, expressive, receptive and facial paralysis deficits. I see patients two mornings a week in the Heights location and three days a week at the west end location.
She is a patient advocate in evidenced based treatment, reimbursement and strive to keep abreast on new techniques and strategies to improve patient outcomes. Carol is also a member of the Montana Speech/Language and Hearing Association where she chairs three committees. Carol is also a lifetime member of the American Speech and Hearing Association and serve on four national committees.
Kristine Roberts, DPT
Kristine Roberts, DPT
Pediatric Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist
Krissy received her Doctorate of Physical Therapy from the University of Mary in Bismarck, ND in 2006. She began working for Billings Clinic in 2006 working in acute and skilled nursing until transitioning to outpatient in 2010.
In 2008, she began additional training for pelvic physical therapy and working closely with urology to help to start the pelvic/Women’s health physical therapy program with a focus on adults. She attended further training for physical therapy treatment for pediatric pelvic floor patients through the American Physical Therapy Association in 2015.
Krissy’s focus of pediatric pelvic physical therapy includes pelvic muscle imbalances, frequent UTIs, incomplete bladder emptying/retention, incontinence, bed wetting, constipation, and pelvic pain. Treatments include education and strategies on correct bowel and bladder function, proper voiding mechanics and behaviors, muscle control and relaxation, and core and hip strengthening. She has training in use of Biofeedback to help improve patient’s awareness of pelvic floor muscle activity. These treatments help children of all ages and all abilities. She has treated infants/toddlers with constipation, potty training toddlers, young children and adolescences. Krissy works closely with other pediatric therapies and pediatric urology to provide a team approach to treating the patient.
Please contact Krissy at 406-238-5676 if you have any questions about the Pediatric Therapy Program.
Katie Sam, MS, CCC, SLP
Katie Sam, MS, CCC, SLP
Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist
Katie is a licensed speech language pathologist since graduating from the University of Montana in 2011. He has been providing outpatient pediatric services at Billings Clinic since 2016. She is able to provide assessment and intervention for feeding and swallowing issues, delayed language, apraxia, autism and social language as well as articulation difficulties.
Katie has additional training in the Hanen program as well as feeding and swallowing intervention and assessment. Katie is also able to complete objective assessments under videofluoroscopy to assess for aspiration.
Katie enjoys working with children of all ages to improve their overall language skills and swallowing abilities. Please feel free to contact Billings Clinic Pediatric Rehabilitation at 406-238-5676 if you have any questions about the services she provides or about our pediatric program. Katie works on a team including other speech language pathologists, occupational and physical therapists to meet the needs of your child.
Tanya Sciuchetti, OTR/L
Tanya Sciuchetti, OTR/L
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Sensory Integration Specialist
Tanya received her bachelor’s degree in biology from Concordia College in Moorhead, MN in 1999. She went on to receive her degree in occupational therapy from the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks, ND in 2001. She joined Billings Clinic in 2003 initially providing inpatient occupational therapy to adults in the hospital, but since 2006 has been working with outpatient pediatric patients at Billings Clinic Pediatric Therapy. She has practiced in pediatrics for 14 years with extensive experience in outpatient and early intervention settings.
Tanya has additional training in the Wibarger Deep Pressure and Proprioceptive Technique, Therapeutic Listening, Sequential Oral Sensory (SOS) Approach to Feeding, Handwriting Without Tears, Reflex Integration, Astronaut Training, Kinesiology Taping, Alert Program and Sensory Integration. She obtained her Sensory Integration Certification from the University of Southern California and Western Psychological Services in 2012. In addition, she obtained her Pediatric Kinesiology Taping Certification in 2018.
Tanya enjoys working with all children and diagnoses especially children with autism spectrum disorders, sensory integration dysfunction, motor coordination problems, and developmental delays. She also works with children who are picky eaters or problem feeders if is purely a sensory based issue of inefficient oral and tactile sensory processing. She is part of the feeding team at Billings Clinic Pediatric Therapy and works with speech language pathologists and physical therapists to best meet the needs of your child. She also provides visual and vestibular assessment and treatment and is able to administer the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests.
Tanya is a member of the Montana Occupational Therapy Association. Additionally, she is part of trauma informed care and Project ECHO (Extension of Community Health Outcomes) at Billings Clinic for children who have experienced developmental trauma. Please feel free to contact Tanya at 406-238-5676 with any questions about the services she provides or about the Pediatric Therapy program at Billings Clinic.
