Speech Therapy Services
SPEECH THERAPY
Articulation (speech) therapy combines more formal drill-based instruction with a lot of opportunities for repetition, with fun activities that the children enjoy. Therapists attempt to have the child repeat target sounds as much as possible during a therapy session, using the repetition to help improve speech skills.
SPEECH EVALUATION
A comprehensive assessment of all the sounds produced, both correctly and in error, in all position of words (beginning, middle, end). May also include an assessment of fluency (stuttering) if that is an area of concern. This assessment will give the therapist a clear picture of the child's sound inventory, what sounds are misarticulated and if there is a pattern to the error sounds.
LANGUAGE THERAPY
Language therapy utilizes a variety of approaches, depending on the child's age, to facilitate improved language skills. Most therapy sessions combine both structured and play-based activities to give children the opportunity to work in adult-directed activities as well as child-directed activities, while working on language skills during all activities.
LANGUAGE EVALUATION
A Language evaluation provides an assessment of the three areas of language: receptive (comprehension), expressive (spoken), and pragmatic (social) to determine a child's current level of functioning. After an evaluation, a therapist is able to determine the patient's areas of strengths and weaknesses to develop an individualized treatment plan.
ORAL MOTOR THERAPY
Oral motor therapy focuses on improving the child's strength, range of motion, and proper movement of oral structures to improve how they produce sounds or how a they manage food orally. Therapists will develop a set of exercises that they will share with the parent/caregiver, to be performed at least once a day with the child.
ORAL MOTOR ASSESSMENT
An evaluation of the oral structures to determine whether they are functional for speech and feeding purposes. This assessment will determine whether there is proper strengh, range of motion and movement in the lips, cheeks and tongue, and check to make sure dentition is not an issue interfering with speech or feeding.
FEEDING THERAPY
Feeding therapy works on improving the child's current approved diet to hopefully increase their range of textures, consistencies and/or liquids tolerated, because we believe increasing a child's diet is one way of improving their quality of life.
FEEDING ASSESSMENT
This evaluation is conducted to assess how the child manages food during the oral phase of swallowing. Children suffering from spillage, choking or food aversions will benefit from having a feeding assessment completed. Feeding issues related to the pharyngeal or esophageal phases of swallowing are best evaluated using a modified barium swallow study, which we can refer out for.
Occupational Therapy Services
Occupational Therapy
Our occupational therapy programs focus on developing strength, body awareness, balance, and perceptual abilities necessary to acquire the gross and fine motor skills needed to successfully interact with the environment.
Occupational Therapy Evaluation
An occupational therapy evaluation is conducted to assesses any or a combination of the following areas: visual perception, visual tracking, hand skills (including dexterity, handwriting, manipulation, etc.), strength and range of motion, balance, body image, task skills, self-care, sensory motor development, sensory integration, etc.