- DeShea graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a Master of Sciences in Speech-Language Pathology. Prior to obtaining her Master’s degree, she attended the University of South Alabama where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in English Literature. DeShea began her career working in early intervention. She also has experience in adult acute, post-acute and clinical settings. DeShea’s areas of interest include early language therapy, feeding/dysphasia therapy and motor speech disorders. DeShea is a Hanen Certified Speech Therapist. DeSheahas also acquired training in Food Chaining, Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPT), NOMAS (Neonatal Oral Motor Assessment), Kauffman Speech to Language Protocol, as well as the Beckmann Oral Motor Assessment and Intervention Program. In Decembers of 2015, she earned her first ACE award (Award for Continuing Education) from the American Speech and Hearing Association. DeShea enjoys sharing her knowledge and passion for the field of SLP with Student and Clinical Fellows.
DeShea is grateful for the privilege to work with children with special needs and their families. She adds: “One of the greatest joys of my profession is the ability to empower parents and to watch them begin implementing therapy strategies on their own.” She believes that the parent or caregiver is the child’s best and most effective teacher. She loves working alongside parents and watching as their children achieve their goals. DeShea also says that Sprout Pediatrics provides the perfect format to do what she loves! “I love working with children in their natural environment and empowering parents to facilitate the best outcome for the child.”
DeShea and her husband Jeff, relocated to the Columbia area in Spring of 2014 where Jeff serves in the Armed Forces . They have been married for 14 years and have two sons, ages 10 and 2. They enjoy traveling and exploring new places as much as they can.