About LEAP Speech & Lactation

Emily O’Kane, M.S., CCC-SLP

Licensed Speech-Language Pathologist & Certified Breastfeeding Specialist

Emily O’Kane founded LEAP Speech & Lactation to provide families in the Quad Cities with thoughtful, relationship-centered care during the earliest and most formative years of development.

As both a licensed speech-language pathologist and certified breastfeeding specialist, she supports infants, toddlers, and young children with practical, individualized guidance delivered with calm professionalism and respect for each family’s routines.

Her work is rooted in collaboration - partnering with parents to build confidence, clarity, and meaningful progress.

As a private-pay practice, LEAP offers personalized scheduling, unhurried visits, and direct communication with your clinician — allowing care to be responsive, individualized, and centered entirely on your child and family.

Speech Therapy Approach

Emily specializes in working with infants, toddlers, and young children (0–5 years), including those who:

• Are late talkers

• Have limited vocabulary

• Struggle with articulation

• Experience feeding or oral motor challenges

• Need support with early social communication

Sessions are play-based and integrated into real-life routines — mealtime, playtime, book reading, and daily transitions. Services are available in-home or via telehealth throughout the Quad Cities area.

Rather than focusing on isolated drills, therapy at LEAP emphasizes functional communication that supports everyday life.

Lactation Support Approach

Breastfeeding support should feel calm, respectful, and empowering.

Emily provides guidance for:

• Latch difficulties

• Milk supply concerns

• Painful feeding

• Bottle transitions

• Prenatal preparation

Visits are unhurried and centered on both baby and parent — offering practical strategies while protecting parental confidence.

What LEAP Stands For

LEAP reflects the values that guide every interaction at LEAP Speech & Lactation.

L — Listen

Care begins with listening. Each family arrives with their own questions, concerns, and goals. Emily takes time to understand the full picture, not just the diagnosis or milestone, before creating a plan of care.

E — Empower

Parents are not bystanders in their child’s development. They are the most important part of the process. Emily provides clear guidance, practical strategies, and education so families feel confident supporting progress between visits.

A — Affirm

Parenting young children can feel overwhelming, especially when feeding or communication concerns arise. Care at LEAP is grounded in affirmation, not judgment. Families are met with reassurance, respect, and evidence-based guidance.

P — Partner

Progress happens through collaboration. Emily works alongside families, adapting strategies to fit daily routines and individual temperaments. The goal is not perfection - it’s meaningful, sustainable growth.

Qualifications

Emily brings a strong academic foundation alongside hands-on clinical experience supporting infants, children, and families across a wide range of needs.

• Master of Sciences - Speech-Language Pathology - Midwestern University

• Bachelor of Arts - Communication Sciences and Disorders - Butler University

• Certified Breastfeeding Specialist - Lactation Education Resources

Throughout her career, she has worked with a diverse range of children, from infants to high school aged individuals, helping them overcome speech and language challenges and supporting breastfeeding mothers to achieve their feeding goals.

Serving the Quad Cities Area

LEAP Speech & Lactation provides in-home and telehealth services to families throughout the Quad Cities and surrounding communities.

Families seeking personalized, developmentally grounded support during the early years are invited to schedule a consultation to learn more.

Let’s Connect!

If you’re seeking thoughtful, relationship-centered support for speech or feeding, LEAP Speech & Lactation welcomes your questions and is here to help.