Speech & Language Therapy

Occupational Therapy

feeding Therapy

RECEPTIVE LANGUAGE

Receptive language is your child's "listening and understanding" ability. It's about how well they understand and make sense of what people say to them or what they read or hear in their surroundings. It's the brain's way of receiving and processing information through words and sounds. So, when you ask your child to follow directions, comprehend a story, or respond to questions, you're tapping into their receptive language skills.

SPEECH SOUND DISORDERS

A speech sound disorder is when a child has difficulty pronouncing sounds or saying words clearly. It can present as trouble producing the right sounds in words. For example, they might say "wabbit" instead of "rabbit" or have other challenges with certain sounds. It can often make it difficult to understand them.

STUTTERING

Stuttering is a disorder in the normal flow of speech. Words might repeat or get stuck, making it a little tricky for the child to express themselves. Stuttering can happen when they're excited, trying to share a story, or feeling nervous. It's common in many kids, and may or may not be outgrown.

Fine motor skills

Fine motor skills involve the coordination of small muscles in the hands and fingers to perform precise movements. These skills are essential for tasks like writing, buttoning clothes, cutting with scissors, and using utensils. Development of fine motor skills is crucial for a child's ability to perform daily activities independently and effectively.

sensory processing skills

Sensory processing skills involve the brain's ability to receive, interpret, and respond to sensory information from the environment. These skills help individuals make sense of and react appropriately to sensory stimuli, such as touch, sound, sight, taste, and movement. Proper sensory processing is essential for daily functioning, enabling tasks like balance, coordination, attention, and emotional regulation.

Self care skills

Self-care skills are the abilities required to independently perform daily activities that maintain personal health and well-being. These include tasks like dressing, grooming, feeding, toileting, and bathing. Developing self-care skills is essential for fostering independence and confidence in individuals, particularly in children as they grow.

Oral motor skills

Oral motor feeding skills refer to the ability of your child's mouth muscles to work together for eating and drinking. It's the coordination of the lips, tongue, and jaw to bite, chew, and swallow food and liquids. These skills are important for enjoying meals, trying different textures of food, and staying safe while eating.

infant/toddler feeding

Infant feeding skills involve the way your baby uses their mouth and tongue to eat and drink. They learn to suck, swallow, and eventually eat solid foods. These skills are crucial for their growth and development. As your baby grows, they develop the ability to breastfeed or bottle-feed and later transition to eating from a spoon and chewing more solid foods.

EXPRESSIVE LANGUAGE

Expressive language is how your child uses words and sentences to share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. So, when your child tells you about their day, asks for something they want, or describes something, they are using their expressive language skills. It's their way of putting their thoughts into words and communicating with you.

SOCIAL LANGUAGE

Social language skills, often known as "social communication skills," are the tools your child uses to interact with others in a friendly and effective way. These skills include how they talk, listen, take turns, and understand the feelings of those around them. Good social language skills help your child make friends, play well with others, and navigate different social situations.

AAC

AAC stands for Augmentative and Alternative Communication. It gives your child tools to help them communicate in different ways when talking is challenging. These tools can include pictures, gestures, or speech generating devices. AAC is especially helpful for kids who may have difficulty speaking clearly or expressing themselves with words. It's a way to support and enhance their communication skills, making sure they can express their thoughts effectively.

Motor planning and coordination

Motor planning and coordination involve the ability to conceive, organize, and execute physical movements smoothly and efficiently. This includes activities like running, jumping, writing, and manipulating objects. Effective motor planning and coordination are crucial for performing daily tasks and participating in physical activities with precision and ease.

Visual processing/perception

Visual processing, or visual perception, involves the brain's ability to interpret and make sense of visual information from the eyes. This skill is essential for recognizing shapes, patterns, colors, and spatial relationships. Effective visual processing is crucial for tasks like reading, writing, navigating environments, and understanding visual cues in daily activities.

selective/restrictive eating

Selective and restrictive food choices go beyond typical picky eating. It can include difficulties with the quantity or variety of foods they eat, and it may affect their growth and development. Children with feeding difficulties may struggle with trying new foods, experience difficulties with chewing or swallowing, or show strong aversions to certain textures/tastes.

problematic mealtime behaviors

Problematic mealtime behaviors are patterns of behavior exhibited by children, that interfere with the normal and healthy process of eating. Things such as refusals to eat, sensory overreactions, mealtime tantrums, difficulty staying at the table, and limited mealtime duration.

Specialty areas

While we support and treat all areas mentioned above, at this practice, we want to emphasize the specific areas in which our therapists excel. Through continuing education, clinical experience, certifications and training, our therapists are highly skilled with the following:

  • Obtaining and implementing Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) systems

  • Supporting language development for Gestalt Language Processors

  • Treatment of Childhood Apraxia of Speech with an approach based on principles of motor learning

  • Treatment, education and counseling for Pediatric Feeding Disorders and ARFID