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Speech-Language Evaluation to assess all areas of language, specifically core language
areas that impact success in learning to read, write and spell
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1 to 1 Specialized Orton-Gillingham based reading and spelling remediation therapy using
multi-sensory, language based, structured, systematic and sequentially presented programs for children and
adults with Dyslexia and language based reading, spelling and writing difficulties.
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Language based small groups to target core language skills related to the struggling
reader and writer
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Independent Baseline and Progress Monitoring assessment
Trained to develop symbol imagery-the ability to visualise sounds and letters in words - as a basis for orthographic
awareness, phonemic awareness, word attack, word recognition, spelling and contextual reading fluency.
There are many names for aphasia therapies. Some represent slight variations of fundamental procedures, However, certain methods are somewhat unique and well-known, and clinical researchers are investigating new strategies or new wrinkles for established strategies. The following presents a few examples of specific therapies.
Impairment-based
Contstraint-induced therapy (CIT) : This therapy is modeled after a physical therapy for paralysis in which a patient is "forced," for example, to use an impaired side of the body, because the good side has been restricted or constrained. In applying this principle to communication functions, a person with aphasia may be constrained in using intact gesture in order to direct the individual to use impaired spoken language.
A second, and perhaps more well-known, component of this treatment is that it is more intensive than typical therapy schedules and it lasts for a relatively short duration. For example, the therapy may be administered for three hours daily for two weeks. Constraint-induced therapy is almost the opposite of compensatory strategies in which the person with aphasia is encouraged to use intact abilities to communicate. It is likely that a therapist will employ both approaches.
Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT) : Developed by Robert Sparks in Boston, MIT is based on an observation that that some persons with aphasia "sing it better than saying it." The method is a series of steps in which an individual practices an artificially melodic production of sentences. It has been recommended for people with an expressive type of aphasia and good comprehension. We are careful to watch for the individual who speaks much better with melodic intonation but fails to carry this performance over to natural conversation.
Tele-rehabilitation : Established procedures are provided over the Internet with web cameras so that the therapist and person with aphasia can see and hear each other. Not yet widely available.
Impairment-based
Contstraint-induced therapy (CIT) : This therapy is modeled after a physical therapy for paralysis in which a patient is "forced," for example, to use an impaired side of the body, because the good side has been restricted or constrained. In applying this principle to communication functions, a person with aphasia may be constrained in using intact gesture in order to direct the individual to use impaired spoken language.
A second, and perhaps more well-known, component of this treatment is that it is more intensive than typical therapy schedules and it lasts for a relatively short duration. For example, the therapy may be administered for three hours daily for two weeks. Constraint-induced therapy is almost the opposite of compensatory strategies in which the person with aphasia is encouraged to use intact abilities to communicate. It is likely that a therapist will employ both approaches.
Melodic Intonation Therapy (MIT) : Developed by Robert Sparks in Boston, MIT is based on an observation that that some persons with aphasia "sing it better than saying it." The method is a series of steps in which an individual practices an artificially melodic production of sentences. It has been recommended for people with an expressive type of aphasia and good comprehension. We are careful to watch for the individual who speaks much better with melodic intonation but fails to carry this performance over to natural conversation.
Tele-rehabilitation : Established procedures are provided over the Internet with web cameras so that the therapist and person with aphasia can see and hear each other. Not yet widely available.
Working with infants and children who are experiencing difficulties with swallowing and feeding.
What is a feeding difficulty?
A feeding difficulty is any type of problem a child has surrounding eating and drinking. Some feeding difficulties can lead to ill health (e.g. chest infections). Feeding difficulties in children can often place stress on the child ´s family.
What are the signs or symptoms of feeding difficulties?
• Difficulty transitioning to solids
• Difficulty chewing foods
• Frequently coughing after eating or drinking
• Chest infections
• Gagging on particular foods
• Food refusal or aversion
• Eating a restricted range of foods
• Having anxiety surrounding mealtimes
What is a feeding difficulty?
A feeding difficulty is any type of problem a child has surrounding eating and drinking. Some feeding difficulties can lead to ill health (e.g. chest infections). Feeding difficulties in children can often place stress on the child ´s family.
What are the signs or symptoms of feeding difficulties?
• Difficulty transitioning to solids
• Difficulty chewing foods
• Frequently coughing after eating or drinking
• Chest infections
• Gagging on particular foods
• Food refusal or aversion
• Eating a restricted range of foods
• Having anxiety surrounding mealtimes
6-14 months old child drools excessively, but when the baby goes through bib after bib after bib, you should know that it is more than teething, as many people suggest. A Speech Pathologist will tell you that constant drooling may be an indicator of low muscle tone in the mouth. As a result it requires a determined effort to do everything to eliminate the drooling, knowing that low muscle tone can also affect speech intelligibility.
One should plan to nurse the baby till one year age or as long as possible, which makes it easy to bypass the bottle completely and wean straight from nursing to a straw cup. Once the baby starts drinking from a straw cup and is able to cut her straw down slowly, the drooling decreases dramatically. If baby still drools a little, one can get her an electric toothbrush.
Drooling and Speech Therapy
Why does my child drool and what can I do to help him? Drooling may occur for a variety of reasons (e.g., reflux, allergies, teething) but when it is due to weakness or low muscle tone of the mouth, it is a speech therapist you whom you should consult.
SALT helps children eliminate drooling with oral motor therapy. It is normal for children to drool prior to 18-24 months when they have not fully developed the muscles of the jaw, lips and tongue. This weakness can also affect speech intelligibility.
Low muscle tone in the mouth may result in drooling due to:
• Diminished sensation / awareness of saliva on the mouth, lips or chin
• Inability to maintain lip closure (which could be due to weakness of the jaw)
• Reduced ability to retract saliva (indicative of problems with tongue retraction)
Your child's body / trunk should be examined for low muscle tone as well, as an unstable base for the jaw, lips and tongue may make therapy efforts moot.
One should plan to nurse the baby till one year age or as long as possible, which makes it easy to bypass the bottle completely and wean straight from nursing to a straw cup. Once the baby starts drinking from a straw cup and is able to cut her straw down slowly, the drooling decreases dramatically. If baby still drools a little, one can get her an electric toothbrush.
Drooling and Speech Therapy
Why does my child drool and what can I do to help him? Drooling may occur for a variety of reasons (e.g., reflux, allergies, teething) but when it is due to weakness or low muscle tone of the mouth, it is a speech therapist you whom you should consult.
SALT helps children eliminate drooling with oral motor therapy. It is normal for children to drool prior to 18-24 months when they have not fully developed the muscles of the jaw, lips and tongue. This weakness can also affect speech intelligibility.
Low muscle tone in the mouth may result in drooling due to:
• Diminished sensation / awareness of saliva on the mouth, lips or chin
• Inability to maintain lip closure (which could be due to weakness of the jaw)
• Reduced ability to retract saliva (indicative of problems with tongue retraction)
Your child's body / trunk should be examined for low muscle tone as well, as an unstable base for the jaw, lips and tongue may make therapy efforts moot.
