Prior to beginning therapy, all clients will receive a comprehensive evaluation involving assessment of skills as well as discussion of your concerns, medical history, and the goals and expectations for therapy services. We will come up with a plan together to help you or your loved one achieve your goals!
Aphasia
Aphasia is a language impairment caused by stroke or other brain damage. It may affect any or all areas of language, including speech production, comprehension of speech, reading, and writing. Some possible characteristics of aphasia include a new onset of:
Difficulty coming up with the word you need to say
Saying the wrong word by accident
Frequent misunderstanding of the speech of others
Difficulty with reading comprehension
Difficulty spelling
Acquired Apraxia of Speech
Acquired apraxia of speech is typically caused by a stroke or other damage to the area of the brain responsible for planning movements. A person with apraxia knows what they want to say but the message does not get from the brain to the speech muscles correctly. Possible characteristics of acquired apraxia of speech include:
Difficulty imitating sounds or words
Inconsistent errors- a word may come out correctly one time and wrong the next time, and wrong in a different way the time after that
“Groping” or the effortful movement of the lips and tongue to try to find the right way to say things
In severe cases, inability to speak at all
Dysarthria
Dysarthria is a speech disorder caused by weakness in the muscles responsible for speech production. It may be caused by stroke, neurological disease, or other brain damage. Possible characteristics of dysarthria include:
“Slurred” speech
Inability to move the mouth with precision
Speaking slowly or rapidly
“Nasal” sounding speech
Voice changes like breathiness or hoarseness
SPEAK OUT!®
We are proud to offer SPEAK OUT! therapy for people with Parkinson’s Disease and related disorders. SPEAK OUT! involves speech therapy 2-3 times weekly for 3-4 weeks and results in quick improvements in loudness and clarity of speech. Following completion of the SPEAK OUT! protocol, clients will be referred to a local SPEAK OUT! group, where they will meet weekly to maintain the improvements made in the individual treatment part of the protocol.
Unresolved Speech Sound Disorders
Articulation or phonological disorders that remain after childhood can still be treated successfully in adulthood. If you have trouble producing certain sounds and never received speech therapy as a child or it wasn’t successful, it’s never too late! Examples of a speech sound disorder include:
Producing a “Y” instead of an “L” sound
Frontal or lateral lisp
Producing a “W” instead of an “R” sound
Leaving off the ending consonants of words
Voice Disorders
Voice disorders can have a variety of causes, from neurological disease to overuse. Possible symptoms of a voice disorder may include:
Hoarse voice
Breathy voice
Strained-sounding voice
Difficulty speaking at a normal volume
Pain or discomfort with extended voice use
Vocal fatigue
Pitch breaks
Cognitive Impairments
Problems with thinking, including memory, attention, problem solving, and executive functioning can be caused by brain injury, neurological disease, or dementia. We can help tease out the nature and severity of the impairment and facilitate rehabilitation as well as training in compensation for the impairment so you can be as independent as possible and participate in activities that are meaningful to you. Particularly in cases of dementia, family/caregiver training is an important part of this process as well. Possible signs of a cognitive impairment include:
Difficulty remembering recent events
Difficulty managing medications or finances
Difficulty focusing on tasks or conversations
Difficulty following multi-step instructions
Difficulty remembering important safety precautions (turning off the stove, using a walker, staying inside the house)
Swallowing Disorders
Dysphagia, or difficulty with swallowing, can have a variety of causes, including general weakness, neurological disease, muscular problems, and medication side effects. We can help make referrals for appropriate diagnostic testing, and provide rehabilitative therapy as well as advise in compensatory strategies to maximize safe and comfortable eating and drinking. We will make sure you have all the information about your or your loved one’s swallowing disorder and the risks and benefits of all treatment options, so that you will be empowered to make truly informed decisions for yourself or your family member. Symptoms of a swallowing disorder may include*:
Recurrent choking episodes
Coughing while or after eating or drinking
Pain or discomfort with swallowing
Difficulty chewing or moving food around in the mouth
Food remaining in the mouth after swallowing
Food, liquid, or saliva spilling out through the lips
Wet or gurgly sounding voice after swallowing
Sensation of food being stuck in the throat or chest
Weight loss, malnutrition, or dehydration due to not being able to eat enough
Acute or recurring aspiration pneumonia/respiratory infection
*None of these symptoms are definitive indicators of dysphagia. It is important to review all symptoms as well as your complete medical history with a speech-language pathologist.