SPEECH THERAPY

Our Speech-Language Pathologists diagnose and treat individuals who have communication, oral-motor, or feeding deficits. All of our therapist have a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from the American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA). We provide scheduled evaluations for your child which will determine if they will require further treatment. Our therapists will then implement an individualized treatment plan for your child's needs.

• -Expressive Language Disorders
• -Receptive Language Disorders
• -Oral-Motor Disorders, including Tongue Thrust & Other Feeding Deficits
• -Articulation Disorders
• -Verbal Apraxia

• -Voice Disorders
• -Fluency (Stuttering) Disorders
• -Pragmatic Disorders (Improper Use of Social Language)
• -Language-Based Reading Disorders
• -Other speech and language problems

f you think your child may be in need of speech therapy, please contact us for a consultation or screening; we can also discuss the possibility of in-home services with you at that time.Expressive language refers to what an individual is able speak or thoughts that an individual is able to formulate into words.
Expressive language abilities vary among children, however, as a general rule, a child should have a minimum of 50 words in his or her active vocabulary by the age of two. A child should begin combining two words such as “more milk”, “go night-night”, “bye mommy” at two years of age. By the age of three, a child should have several hundred words in his or her active vocabulary.

• Does not know colors, numbers, etc. in comparison with his/her peers
• Poor grammar, such as problems with pronouns, verbs, or plurals
• Difficulty asking and answering questions
• Limited vocabulary

• Word-finding difficulty—cannot find the exact words to explain or describe
• Difficulty verbally sequencing procedures
• Describes objects, people, etc. using vague language

Receptive language refers to an individual’s ability to audiotorially process and comprehend information. Click here for more specific examples of a receptive language disorder.

Characteristics of Children with Receptive Language Problems:

• Difficulty following directions
• Difficulty understanding and processing the main points or concepts in a conversation
• Difficulty listening to and understanding stories

• Limited vocabulary
• Difficulty identifying requested objects
• Difficulty understanding concepts

Oral-motor deficits include the difficulty of an individual to use and coordinate his or her lips, tongue, teeth, and jaw movements. This difficulty often time results in deficits in speech and/or feeding.

Characteristics of Children with Oral-Motor Problems:

• In infants, difficulty in coordinating the suck-swallow-breathe pattern
• In infants, getting more “on” him/ her than “in him/her
• Choking or gagging on food
• Excessive drooling
• Overly sensitive to specific tastes or textures
• Difficulty transitioning to solids or when new foods are offered

• Difficulty swallowing from a cup
• Difficulty drinking from a straw
• Tongue thrust--tongue rests against front teeth or between teeth
• when swallowing or at rest
• Tongue protrusion during speech

Articulation refers to the actual production of speech sounds and words.

Articulation development follows a sequential order and developmental errors are to be expected by each stage of development.

• At two years of age, 85% of children can accurately produce p, b, d, t, m, n, h. A child should be approximately 50% intelligible at two years of age.
• At three years of age, 85% of children can accurately produce f,g,k,t,w. A child should be approximately 75% intelligible at three years of age.
• At four years of age, 85% of children can accurately produce kw. A child should be 100% intelligible at four years of age.
• At five years of age, children can accurately produce ch, j, l, s, sh, y, bl.
• At six years of age, children should be able to accurately produce nearly all of their sounds correctly.

Verbal apraxia is a speech disorder that interferes with a child's ability to correctly pronounce sounds, syllables and words. It is the loss of ability to consistently position the articulators (face, tongue, lips, jaw) for the production of speech sounds and for sequencing those sounds into syllables or words. Generally, there is nothing wrong with the muscles themselves. The child does not have difficulty with non-speech activities performed with the muscles such as coughing, chewing or swallowing. However, the area of the brain that tells the muscles how to move and what to do to make a particular sound or series of sounds is damaged or not fully developed. This makes retrieving the "motor plan" for saying a word difficult.

As a result, even though the child knows what he wants to say, he cannot say it correctly at that particular time. Sometimes he cannot even begin. Either the wrong sound comes out, or many sounds are left out all together. At that particular time, the motor plan is not accessible. These errors are not under the child's voluntary control so he often cannot correct them, even when trying his hardest. Frequently, a child will be able to produce a sound or word at one time and not be able to say is again when he wants to. A parent may hear words when the child is playing alone or when he is angry, but when asked to say the same word, he can't. This can be very frustrating for both the child and the parents.

Voice disorders include problems with the pitch, volume, or quality of a child’s voice when he or she is speaking. Voice disorders may sometimes cause discomfort for a patient when speaking.

Fluency disorders include problems such as stuttering, which is characterized by the interrupted flow of speech by repetition of sounds, prolongation of sounds, and abnormal stoppage of sounds or words.

Pragmatic Disorders Children with these impairments have special challenges with the semantic aspect of language (the meaning of what is being said) and the pragmatics of language (using language appropriately in social situations).

Some signs of a pragmatic disorder include:

• Excessive questioning.
• Lack of eye contact.
• Inappropriate use of body language
• Aggressive language.
• Excessive talk about specific subjects in too much detail.
• Only talking about him/herself.
• Uninterested in other children.

• Unable to engage in conversational exchange.
• Literal/concrete understanding of language.
• Unable to answer open-ended questions such as “what happened?”
• Difficulty with abstract language, such as verbal problem solving, double meanings, innuendos, jokes
• Unable to take the listener’s perspective.
• Unable to read/interpret body language, facial expressions.
• Unable to express feelings

Language-based reading disorders Language-based learning disabilities are problems with age-appropriate reading, spelling, and/or writing. The child who has

language-based reading disorder has trouble with both the spoken and the written word.

These problems may include difficulty with the following:

• Expressing ideas clearly, as if the words needed are on the tip of the tongue but won't come out. What the child says can be vague and difficult to understand (e.g., using unspecific vocabulary, such as "thing" or "stuff" to replace words that cannot be remembered). Filler words like "um" may be used to take up time while the child tries to remember a word.
• Learning new vocabulary that the child hears (e.g., taught in lectures/lessons) and/or sees (e.g., in books)
• Understanding questions and following directions that are heard and/or read
• Recalling numbers in sequence (e.g., telephone numbers and addresses)
• Understanding and retaining the details of a story's plot or a classroom lecture
• Reading and comprehending material
• Learning words to songs and rhymes
• Telling left from right, making it hard to read and write since both skills require this directionality
• Letters and numbers
• Learning the alphabet
• Identifying the sounds that correspond to letters, making learning to read difficult
• Mixing up the order of letters in words while writing
• Mixing up the order of numbers that are a part of math calculations
• Spelling
• Memorizing the times tables
• Telling time

PHYSICAL THERAPY

Physical Therapy promotes strength, movement, improved range or motion, improved balance, and functional independence at the highest level possible. Our physical therapists work closely to help children develop the independence necessary to successfully participate in their environments. Our staff will also fit, size and order orthotics for patients when appropriate or as needed. At TherapySource for Kids, it is our goal to make the most of each child's abilities as opposed to focusing on their disabilities.

Primary diagnoses and treatments include the following:

• Gross Motor Development
• Neuromuscular disorders
• Prematurity
• Genetic syndromes
• Visual Impairment
• Torticollis
• Brachial Plexus Injuries
• Sports Medicine and orthopedics
• Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT)
• Splinting/Casting/Orthotics
• Adaptive Equipment
• Wheelchair Positioning and Mobility
• Motor Learning
• Motor Control
• Endurance
• Pre-gait and Gait Training

We provide scheduled evaluations for your child which will help determine if they will require further treatment. Our therapists will then implement an individualized treatment plan for your child's need. If you think your child may been in need of physical therapy, please contact us for a consultation or screening; we can also discuss the possibility of in-home services with you at that time.

OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY

Occupational Therapy is a form of therapy that provides rehabilitation through the performance of activities required in daily life. Our qualified therapists will help prepare your child through appropriate learning and developmental techniques. They will help provide your child the support they need to participate in desired daily life activities and occupations.

Your child might benefit from OT if they have:

• Sensory Processing Disorders
• Fine Motor Developmental Delays
• Difficulty with self-care
• Poor coordination
• Decreased balance/clumsiness
• Delayed motor skill development
• Low muscle tone or strength
• Difficulty with handwriting
• Been diagnosed with a learning disability
• Difficulty completing tasks that peers his/her age are able to complete with ease
• Behavioral or social skill difficulty
• Decreased attention or ability to participate in age-appropriate activities
• Decreased self esteem and self concept
• Decreased visual skills including visual perceptual and /or visual motor skills
• Difficulty with feeding, is a picky eater, or a messy eater

We provide scheduled evaluations for your child which will help determine if they will require further treatment. Our therapists will then implement an individualized treatment plan for you child's needs. If you think your child may be in need of occupational therapy, please contact us for a consultation or screening; we can also discuss the possibility of in-home services with you at that time.

NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING

TherapySource for Kids offers nutritional counseling which promotes growth, positive attitudes, maximum performance, and an overall healthy lifestyle. Children need adequate nutrition for proper brain development and growth. We will work closely with your child to establish specific, realistic and achievable goals.

During initial consultation, our staff will meet with your child to obtain information pertaining to medical history, medication/supplement use, diet history, behavior patterns, and feeding issues. At that time, we will also discuss basic nutrition education, and if indicated, will provide a meal plan. Nutritional and health goals will be set, and a nutrition report will then be provided to both your child's pediatrician and family.

Our follow-up sessions will focus on nutritional goals we set, and all eating behaviors and patterns will be reviewed. We will provide continuing nutritional education that will benefit both the child and family.

Medical Nutrition Therapy Counseling is provided on the management or prevention of the conditions such as:

• Autism and ADHD
• Failure to Thrive
• Food allergies and intolerance
• Food avoidance
• Picky Eaters
• Overweight and underweight
• High Cholesterol
• Diabetes

We provide scheduled evaluations for your child which will help determine if they will require further treatment. Our therapists will then implement an individualized treatment plan for your child's needs. If you think that your child may be in need of nutritional counseling, please contact us for a consultation or screening; we can also discuss the possibility of in-home services with you at that time.

What is Behavior Therapy?

Behavior therapy is an individualized, play-based therapy that is molded to best fit each individual child. The goal of behavior therapy is to decrease challenging behaviors and increase appropriate behaviors. We achieve these goals with a focus on social and communication skills to help your child thrive in everyday life. With required parent involvement, we ensure that the strategies used will translate to home and school so that your child is successful in every environment. 

 

Why Choose TherapyTown for Behavior Therapy?

TherapyTown offers a unique team-based model of care for a whole-child approach to intervention.  Our Occupational, Speech, Physical and Nutrition Therapists are excited to coordinate their care with our Behavior Therapist who has recently joined our Team.

 

Does my child qualify? 

Does your child…

• Have a hard time with transitions (a change in routine or moving from one activity to another)?

•     Experience challenges in preschool, daycare or school setting (is the teacher constantly bringing difficulties to your attention)?
•     Struggle with identifying or coping with big emotions (empathy towards others who are hurting, anger that the tower fell over)?
•     Display any challenging behaviors (screaming, aggression, flopping to the floor, frequent tantrums)?
•     Struggle with social interactions? Have a hard time getting along with friends or siblings?
•     Struggle to complete self-care tasks?
•     Exhibits negative behavior due to sensory trigger (tantrum with loud noises, sensitivity to clothing tags, seams)?
•     Become upset if their play is interrupted or show rigidity in play (a missing puzzle piece, the car can go in only one direction or the barbie can say only one phrase)?
•     Have difficulty with communication or seem confused at how to answer questions (ask if they want something, they stare then walk away)?
•     Struggle to speak-up for themselves appropriately (confident child screams when toy is taken, shy/meek child watches when toy is taken)?