Speech Therapy

Supporting deficits and differences in:

  • Oromyofunctional Disorders

    • Pre and post Frenectomy

    • Open Mouth Breathing/Poor resting posture

  • Articulation and Apraxia of Speech

  • Receptive and Expressive Language

    • Delayed language

    • AAC use

    • Storytelling/Literacy

  • Fluency differences

    • Stuttering

    • Tourette’s Syndrome

  • Social Communication

    • Play

    • Self-Advocacy

  • Executive Function Differences

    • TBI

Neurodiversity-Affirming Practices Our speech and language pathologists (SLPs) prioritize neurodiversity-affirming care by acknowledging and valuing the unique communication styles of neurodivergent individuals, including those with autism and developmental language disorders. We see communication as a dynamic, shared achievement and tailor interventions to each individual’s environment, interests, and strengths. This approach challenges traditional, deficit-based models, empowering clients to thrive on their own terms.

Child-Led Play: We follow the child’s interests, using their favorite activities and toys to create a safe, engaging environment where communication can flourish. We coach families on reducing pressure around communication so that interactions are genuine and naturally reciprocal.

Strengths-Based Approach: Instead of focusing on deficits, we build on each child’s natural abilities, encouraging confidence and self-expression. We use a whole language approach where any modality of communication is valued and validated including but not limited to AAC use, sign language/gestures, icons/objects and verbal speech.

Sensory-Friendly Environment: Our sessions are tailored to accommodate sensory needs, ensuring children feel comfortable and supported.

Collaborative Learning: We work closely with families, empowering caregivers to carry over strategies into everyday interactions.

  • Speech: 5 year olds should be understood about 90% of the time. Many children at this age are still working on mastering some final sounds. While we treat articulation disorders at OTworks, for more simple articulation cases (missing 1-2 sounds for example) a different clinic may be a better fit.

    Language: Children at this age are typically using language to perform all functions of language and have a large conversational vocabulary. If children are using less that 3 word utterances and/or are frustrated by not getting their needs/wants met secondary to language delays, come in for an evaluation.

    Organization, grammar and specified vocabulary are all still growing. If grammar is causing persistent confusion (pronouns, changing of tense) it may be time to screen for further support needs.

    Team-wide coaching for communication partners of gestalt language processing can positively impact a child’s language trajectory.

    Fluency: If a child is stuttering past the age of 5, for a period of longer than 6 months they are likely to continue stuttering and may benefit from therapy, especially if the child is experiencing negative thoughts/feelings around the fluency difference.

    Social Communication: Autistic children often perform social communication differently and team-wide coaching can support validation and guidance on neuro-affirming and individualized exploration of this developmental area

  • The qualifications for a SLP across both schools and clinics are the same.

    School based SLPs are mandated to prove that a child’s communication disorder is negatively impacting their educational experience. Their services are meant to increase access, enjoyment and performance at school.

    An outpatient SLP serves the child and their family to meet their speech and language goals in wholistic, functional way. We will look at how to make the child’s life better as a whole by increasing supports and skills in communication.

Helpful Definitions:

Analytic Vs Gestalt Language Learners: Does your child script? Do they use language that they have heard from their favorite books and shows in place of their own, novel sentences? Do they confuse questions for statements such as “Johnny wants apple?” in place of “I want an apple”. Your child might be a gestalt language processor.

Both language development styles are valid and natural. Analytic language learners learn language as single words that build to create sentences (Ball. Ball mom. Mom catch ball. Mom can you play catch with me please?) Gestalt language learners will learn whole chunks of language as a single meaningful concept and eventually learn how to use the individual words within that script/chunk.

Echolalia (repeating back what you hear), scripting and being a gestalt language processor are all related terms describing the same language behavior. All of these communication attempts are valuable and should be encouraged as children grow.

Gestalt language learning is much more common in Autistic populations than in Allistic ones.

Phonological Process: As kids learn to speak, they often go through predictable error patterns; they may leave off the ending sounds of words, or turn all their /g/ sounds into /d/ sounds. When a person holds on to these error pattern outside of the developmental range it is expected, it can cause increased difficulty being understood and thus staying regulated. Nearly every person with phonological process errors will overcome them with or without therapy but therapy will make the process faster in many cases.

Comparing this to articulation errors: When a child has difficulty making a sound correctly, we call this an articulation error. For example when a child produces a distorted sound for /s/ and /z/ and is sounds like a lisp or when a child can’t lift their tongue back properly to position it for an /r/. Often articulation disorders involve the oral anatomy and SLPs need to collaborate with dentists and ENTs to address structural differences.

AAC stands for augmented alternative communication and can mean a wide variety of things. Commonly, people use AAC to refer to when children use devices or apps on tablets to push buttons/icons that act as their speaking voice. Low tech AAC can include picture systems or core/fringe boards that allow kids to point to icons to communicate their ideas. Still others use American sign language or other gestures to talk with others as a form of alternative communication. Remembering that communication is a highway between people and not an output into a void is paramount in communication therapy. Transactional supports such as training people in a person’s life how to communicate effectively with and for an AAC user is a powerful therapeutic tool.

Currently Accepting New Patients

Complete the following contact form to set up a time for a screening/evaluation. Our therapist will be in touch with you within 2 business days to learn more about your family and set up a time to come in.