Speech THERAPY
By addressing pediatric communication, literacy, and feeding concerns, our speech-language pathologists are able to help our young patients become successful communicators and independent language learners.
Speech therapy focuses on enhancing listening and speaking skills, articulation, voice, literacy and reading strategies, oral-motor skills, feeding development, swallowing, play skills, and communication methods for children.
EVALUATION & INTERVENTION SERVICES
Expressive Language Disorder
Receptive Language Disorder
Articulation
Cognitive Skills
Social Skills
Literacy & Vocabulary
Speech Fluency
Stuttering
Oral Motor Skills
Feeding & Swallowing Skills
Developmental Milestones
0-6 months
-
Alerts to sounds
-
Sucks and swallows
-
Makes sounds back and forth with you
-
Coos (sounds like “oooo”, “aahh”, “mmmm”)
-
Uses tongue to move food side to side and to the back of mouth for swallowing
-
Recognizes familiar people and objects
-
Looks or turns towards sounds and people talking
-
Munching (up and down) and lateral (side to side) jaw movements
7-12 months
-
Laughs
-
Follows objects with their eyes
-
Vocalizes during play
-
Blows “raspberries”
-
Looks when you call their name
-
Full lip closure emerges
-
Babbles (“mamamama”, “upup”)
-
Raises arms to be picked up
-
Reaches for objects of want
-
Begins to chew foods on both sides of mouth (rotary chew)
-
Points, waves, gestures (blowing kisses), plays games (peek a boo)
-
Responds to phrases like: Look at Momma, Go Bye-Bye
-
Licking food off lips
-
Says first word
13-18 months
-
Looks around when asked “where” questions
-
Follows simple directions
-
Shakes and nods head for no and yes
-
Names common objects, people, and some actions
-
Transitions from soft solids to table foods
-
Identifies 1 or more body parts
-
Claps, gives high fives, makes funny faces
-
Able to keep most foods in mouth while chewing
-
Uses a combination of long strings of sounds, syllables, and real words with speech-like inflection
19-24 months
-
Uses and understands at least 50 different words
-
Puts two or more words together (“more water”, “go outside”)
-
Follows two-step directions
-
Should tolerate a variety of food textures
-
Uses pronouns: me, mine, you
-
Uses words to ask for help
-
Uses possessives ( “daddy’s shirt”)
2-3 years
-
Uses word combinations often (“I want juice”)
-
Seeks attention
-
Says their name when asked
-
Uses plurals and verb +ing
-
Chews all foods, including those with tougher textures, without gagging or choking
-
Adds -ed when talking about past actions (“looked”, “played”)
-
Gives reasons, such as saying they need a coat when it is cold outside
-
Asks why and how questions
-
Answers simple “what” and “which” questions
-
Correctly produces sounds: p, b, m, h, w, d, n and most vowels in words
-
Eats most crunchy, hard or mixed food textures, but parents should avoid offering foods that carry a choking risk
3-4 years
-
Compares using words like bigger and shorter
-
Tells you a story from a book or video
-
Understands and uses location words (“inside”, “on”, “under”)
-
Used words like “a” and “the” when talking
-
Pretends to read, write, and spell and can write some letters
-
Correctly produces sounds: t, k , g, f, y, and -ing in words
-
Says all syllables in words
-
By age 4, your child is talking smoothly (not imitated words or phrases)
4-5 years
-
Produces grammatically correct sentences
-
Uses words like “and” to connect information and ideas to tell stories
-
The stories they tell include main characters and settings
-
Uses one or more irregular plural form (“feet”, “men”)
-
Uses words for time (“tomorrow”, “yesterday”)
-
Follows simple directions to play games
-
Locates front and back of book and book title
-
Recognizes and names 10 or more letters
-
Imitates reading from left to right
-
Identifies simple rhyming words
-
Produces most consonants correctly
-
Speech is understandable at conversation level
Augmentative Communication
Auditory Processing
Picture Exchange Communication System Reading / Literacy Programs
Kaufman Speech to Language Protocol for Apraxia
Orofacial Myology
Play-Based Therapy
Gestalt Language Processing
Feeding Therapy
Our speech-language pathologists will work one-on-one with your child to create a customized treatment plan that is specific to your child’s needs. Our therapists’ goal is to ensure your child is meeting the proper developmental milestones necessary for them to reach their highest potential.
OUR TREATMENT METHODS
WHAT TO EXPECT
When To Arrive
On average, a patient’s first visit lasts about one hour. We ask that patients arrive 15 minutes early to sign-in and complete paperwork.
What To Bring
On your first visit, you’ll need to bring your physician referral or prescription (if needed), your insurance card, your primary registration forms, your ID or driver’s license and your co-payment (as applicable).
Your First Visit
Our office managers will help you through completing the registration and insurance process, then you will begin your evaluation with a therapist. It is helpful to know your key past medical history, previous treatments, current medications, and any symptoms you may be experiencing. Your movement, strength, coordination, and other factors will be evaluated before our therapist discusses with you their recommendation and prepares a personalized treatment plan.
Treatment Plan
Evaluation findings will be shared with your referring physician or preferred medical expert, and the office managers will help you plan your series of visits based on the quantity and frequency determined by your therapist. Your subsequent visits will focus on treatment that is based on your diagnosis and individualized goals.
RELATED PEDIATRICS TREATMENTS
Peds Occupational Therapy
