Speech-Language Pathology
Our Speech-Language Pathology services include:
Developmental language disorders
- By 12 months: Little to no vocalizing, lack of pointing, or not responding to their name.
- By 18 months: Limited attempts to communicate, no imitation of sounds or words.
- By 2 years: Difficulty understanding simple instructions or not combining two words (e.g., _”mama up”_).
- By 3 years: Struggles with abstract words (e.g., _under, red, three, after_) or doesn’t form short sentences.
- By 4 years: Difficulty holding conversations or using only short, error-filled sentences.
- By 5 years: Trouble telling stories or expressing thoughts clearly, immature language skills when compared to peers.
Speech sound disorders
- Limited babbling or sound production in early development.
- Parents struggle to understand their child’s speech.
- Others (extended family, peers, educators) have difficulty understanding the child.
- Frequent sound transformations in speech or lisps.
- The child becomes frustrated or upset due to communication difficulties.
Orofacial myofunctional disorders:
- Mouth breathing or snoring in the absence of nasal congestion.
- Poor positioning of the tongue for speech, breathing or swallowing.
- Articulation difficulties due to dental misalignment
Feeding/swallowing
- Struggles with transitioning to purees or solid foods.
- Coughs, chokes, or gags frequently while eating or drinking.
- Shows signs of food or liquid going down the wrong way (e.g., wet voice, frequent respiratory infections, frequent maneuvers necessary to dislodge food).
- Has difficulty chewing or moving food in the mouth effectively.
- Experiences food or liquid coming up through the nose.
Resonance disorders
- Child was born with a cleft lip and/or palate and requires speech therapy.
- Has nasal-sounding speech or noticeable airflow through the nose while speaking
- Struggles to blow air through the mouth or experiences food/liquid reflux through the nose.
- Appears to “force” air through the nose when producing sounds.
- Experiences changes in speech after surgery (e.g., tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy) or as part of normal growth.