Speech Therapy
Speech Therapy (ST) focuses on receptive language, the ability to understand words spoken to you, and expressive language, the ability to use words to express yourself. In addition, Speech Therapy offers treatment to many speech/language disorders.
Speech disorders include the following problems, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA):
- Articulation disorders include difficulties producing sounds in syllables or saying words incorrectly to the point that other people can’t understand what’s being said.
- Fluency disorders include problems such as stuttering, the condition in which the flow of speech is interrupted by abnormal stoppages, repetitions (st-st-stuttering), or prolonging sounds and syllables (ssssstuttering).
- Resonance or voice disorders include problems with the pitch, volume, or quality of the voice that distract listeners from what’s being said. These types of disorders may also cause pain or discomfort for the child when speaking.
- Dysphasia/oral feeding disorders, including difficulties with eating and swallowing.
- Language disorders can be either receptive or expressive:
Receptive disorders refer to difficulties understanding or processing language.
Expressive disorders include difficulty putting words together, limited vocabulary, or inability to use language in a socially
appropriate way.
Is your child experiencing any of the following?
Articulation/Phonological Processes:
Problems pronouncing words correctly
Using incorrect consonants from words, such as saying wabbit instead of rabbit
Receptive/Expressive Language Delay:
Difficulty following directions to complete a task
lack of words/vocabulary
Inability to communicate basic wants and needs
Fluency Issues:
Repeating words or parts of words
Twitching and blinking eyes while speaking
Frustration and embarrassment which often decreases child’s desire
to speak
Voice/Augmentative and Alternative Communication:
Child has a very nasal sounding voice
Loses voice for days after excessive use
Unable to use vocal communication
Pragmatic Delay:
Child doesn’t make eye contact
Child doesn’t use greetings
Child doesn’t respond to questions
Child doesn’t express emotions
Child doesn’t interact appropriately with
adults or peers
Oral Motor/ Feeding Issues:
Underweight with coughing
Vomiting or tearing eyes while eating
Picky eaters
Trouble chewing certain foods
Trouble swallowing food
Reading Problems:
Unable to read and spell words at same level as peers
Teacher have suggested child might be dyslexic or learning disabled
Trouble hearing the difference in words that are similar
Any of the above examples could be signs that your child could benefit from an
Speech Therapy evaluation and/or treatment.
Our Speech Therapy Program offers services for:
- Articulation and Phonological Disorders
- Auditory Processing Difficulties
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
- Cerebral Palsy
- Chronic Laryngitis (Loss of Voice)
- Cleft Lip/Palate
- Cluttering
- Cognitive-Linguistic Disorders
- Delayed Speech and/or Language Development
- Developmental Delays
- Down Syndrome
- Dysarthria
- Dysphagia
- Feeding Disorders
- Genetic Disorders
- Growths on the vocal cords/excessive crying screaming
- Hearing Loss (Temporary or Permanent)
- Hypotonia
- Learning Disabilities
- Lisping / Oral and Verbal Apraxia Motor Speech Disorders
- Neurogenic Communication Disorders
- Oral-Facial Myofunctional Disorders (Tongue Thrust)
- Oral-motor Deficits
- Pragmatic Language Disorders
- Prematurity
- Reading Comprehension Problems
- Sentence/Language Formulation Problems
- Social Skills
- Spasmodic Dysphonia
- Stuttering
- Swallowing Problems
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Vocabulary Problems
- Vocal Nodules/Nodes
- Vocal Polyps
- Vocal Cord Paralysis
- Voice Problems
- Word Retrieval Difficulties
- Written Expression
