The Bridge Between Talking and Reading
Reading doesn't start with letters — it starts with sound. The same skills that help your child hear and produce speech are the skills they'll lean on to sound out words, spell, and read with confidence. That's why a speech-language pathologist is uniquely trained to support literacy: we work at the language level underneath reading, not just the surface. Children with speech sound differences are more likely to find reading hard, so getting the right support early can change everything. Whether your child is a pre-reader building their first sound skills or an older kid quietly struggling to keep up, we meet them where they are with structured, evidence-based help.
building strong reading skills across both languages
Bilingual literacy
hearing, separating, and playing with sounds
Phonological & phonemic awareness
connecting sounds to letters to read new words
Phonics & decoding
reading smoothly, accurately, and at a comfortable pace
Reading fluency
understanding, remembering, and using what's read
Reading comprehension
turning sounds and ideas into words on the page
Spelling & written expression
structured, research-based methods
Support for dyslexia & reading differences
Speech therapy tools, made by a bilingual SLP
We didn't just want better therapy for bilingual kids — we wanted better tools. So we built them. Our Complexity Approach flashcards bring the same research-backed thinking we use in sessions right into your hands at home.
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These one-of-a-kind bilingual flashcards were created with a deep understanding of cross-linguistic transfer and the complexity principles shown to promote generalization. Each card features separate and shared English and Spanish words that are developmentally appropriate and contextually meaningful.
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These flashcards also embrace cognate pairs, supporting research that shows bilingual children benefit from shared vocabulary and structural similarities between their languages.
Meet The team Behind It All
Bienvenidos, Friends!
¡Bienvenidos, friends! Desert Lily is led by Keila Gutierrez, a bilingual speech-language pathologist who stays closely connected to current research on speech sound disorders. Keila I opened Desert Lily to provide top-tier speech therapy for kids who struggle to say their letter sounds clearly. Since then, her work has grown, she now speaks internationally,
and create therapy tools for monolingual & bilingual children who struggle with unclear speaking.
Strong Speech Builds Strong Readers
One Team for Speech and Reading
If reading or spelling has become a struggle, or you want to set your pre-reader up for success, an evaluation is the place to start. We'll pinpoint the building blocks to target.
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Because we treat speech, language, and literacy as connected, your child gets a single coordinated plan instead of bouncing between providers. We keep you in the loop and can work alongside your child's teachers so everyone's pulling in the same direction.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does speech therapy have to do with reading?
More than most people realize. Reading is built on language and sound awareness — the exact skills speech-language pathologists are trained in. Children who've had speech sound difficulties are at higher risk for reading struggles, which is why supporting both together makes such a difference.
My child might be dyslexic — can you help?
Yes. We provide structured, research-based support for the reading and language skills involved, and we coordinate with your child's school and other providers.
Is this the same as tutoring?
No. Tutoring usually reinforces classroom material. Literacy intervention targets the underlying sound and language skills that make reading possible in the first place, using structured, evidence-based methods tailored to your child.
Do you offer literacy intervention in both english & Spanish?
Yes — like everything we do, literacy intervention is offered bilingually, supporting your child's reading growth across both of their languages.
At what age can literacy intervention start?
It can begin before a child is even reading — early sound-awareness skills are the foundation everything else is built on. We tailor the work to your child's stage, from pre-readers to older kids who are struggling to keep up.
