Language Delay

Our children often present with challenges in producing the amount of words expected for their respective age developmental milestones. While the causes for such are varied, many of these children simply require the loving, playful push of speech therapy to begin their value and understanding of language as they learn to navigate the world around them.

Childhood Apraxia of Speech

Some of our early language learners have difficulty producing sounds and simple words. Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a motor speech disorder that makes it hard for a child to speak. Parents may observe the child attempting to speak with increased effort for particular sounds and common words. Speech Therapy is needed to increase the child’s motor planning and fluidity in speaking.

Phonological /Articulation Disorder

A phonological or articulation disorder is the atypical production of speech sounds characterized by substitutions (tool/cool; cat/tat), omissions (slip/sip; book/boo), additions and/or distortions (lisps, wabbit/rabbit). These disorders may interfere with intelligibility. Speech therapy services are required to increase the child’s ability to speak intelligibly while decreasing harmful impacts to their self-esteem, peer relationships, and ability to read, spell, and write appropriately.

Fluency Disorder

A fluency disorder are atypical interruptions in a child’s speech pattern. These interruptions may be characterized by repetitions at the sound, syllable, word, and/or phrase level. Prolonging, repeating, or blocking words are typical characteristics of this disorder. Fluency disorders may increase in severity over time with possible negative impacts on a child’s self-esteem, peer relationships, academic performance, and ability to participate in routine daily activities. Fluency disorders require speech therapy services for strategies to increase a child’s ability to produce a more fluid speech pattern.

Reading Difficulties / Literacy Support

School-age children often encounter challenges when learning to read and comprehend grade-level material. As effective reading skills are crutial for children to be academically successful across all curriculum subjects, it is imperative that children who encounter challenges in reading be examined for possible underlining deficits. Speech therapy services are essential for increasing a child’s reading, language comprehension, and writing skills.