If you are concerned about your child’s communication skills but are not sure if your child will benefit from speech and language therapy – we offer a FREE speech language screening. A screening is a 10-15 minute “snap shot” of your child’s communication skills. The purpose of a screening is to determine if a comprehensive evaluation is recommended for your child.
A comprehensive speech language evaluation includes assessment of articulation (sound production), receptive language, expressive language skills, and pragmatic language skills (social language use). The purpose of the evaluation is to determine if your child has a speech and/or language delay or disorder, and to identify the child’s communication strengths and areas of need.
Your input is very important in the diagnostic process and you will be asked to complete a Case History Form to provide the therapist with valuable social and medical history. Following a review of your child’s case history and completion of the evaluation, we will let you know if speech language therapy services are recommended for your child.
A comprehensive fluency evaluation includes assessment of the frequency and types of speech dysfluencies your child produces in various situations. The Speech Language Pathologist will also assess the ways in which the child reacts to and copes with dysfluencies.
A comprehensive feeding/swallowing evaluation may require assessment by both a speech therapist and an occupational therapist. A speech-language pathologist will assess the oral-motor skills necessary for feeding.
A comprehensive evaluation of swallowing includes an assessment of the oral preparatory and oral phases of swallow (sucking, chewing, and moving food or liquid into the throat).
A Myofunctional Evaluation includes observation of a patient’s breathing, eating, drinking, speech, facial symmetry, and posture. The therapist takes several specific measurements to learn the baseline strength of the patient’s tongue, lips, and masseters (oral muscles). Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders can affect speech and feeding. Please be aware that insurance does not cover myofunctional evaluations.
Articulation therapy addresses sound production and the way we produce speech sounds.
Phonology therapy addresses the patterns used to produce sounds.
Some common articulation errors include:
• Sound substitutions: this occurs when one speech sound in a word is replaced, or substituted, by another speech sound (i.e.: “wed” for “red”).
• Sound omissions: this occurs when one speech sound is deleted, or omitted, from a word and not replaced with another speech sound (i.e.: “say” for “stay”).
• Sound distortions: this occurs when a speech sound is produced incorrectly, but still able to be understood by listeners as the intended sound; the sound may sound “slushy” (i.e.: “soap” may sound like “shoap”).
• Sound additions: this occurs when speech sounds are added to words (i.e.: “animamal” for “animal”).
Receptive language therapy addresses the comprehension of spoken or written language. It may include the understanding of vocabulary, concepts, directions, questions, and conversational speech.
Expressive language therapy addresses the ability of an individual to adequately express his or her thoughts, ideas, wants/needs, and feelings through speaking or writing.
Pragmatic language therapy addresses the social use of language and how individuals interact with others. This may include eye contact, taking turns in conversation, what we say, how we say it, our body language, showing interest in another person’s comments and ideas, and even knowing when not to talk!
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) therapy addresses the use of different communication methods to support, enhance, or supplement the communication of individuals who are not able to independently and verbally communicate their own thoughts, ideas, needs, and desires.
Fluency therapy addresses the smoothness with which sounds, words, and phrases are put together verbally. Fluent speech should be void of hesitations, extraneous pauses, or repetitions.
Feeding therapy addresses the process involving any aspect of eating or drinking, including gathering and preparing food and liquid for intake, sucking or chewing, and swallowing.
Swallowing therapy addresses the complex process during which saliva, liquids, and foods are transported from the mouth into the stomach while keeping the airway protected.
VitalStim therapy is a non-invasive therapy that uses an electrical current to stimulate the muscles responsible for swallowing.
Oral-motor therapy addresses the skills to carry out specific movements and functions of the lips, tongue, cheeks, and other various supporting muscles of the oral area.
Orofacial Myofunctional therapy addresses a patient’s breathing, eating, drinking, speech, facial symmetry, and posture.
Parent coaching involves educating the parent and/or caregiver, through use of child development and speech therapy strategies to support their child’s speech and language development in the child’s natural environment.
Gender affirming voice therapy addresses a variety of aspects of verbal and nonverbal communication, such as vocal pitch, intonation, voice quality, resonance, fluency, articulation, pragmatics, and vocalization, and body language, to support gender identity.