Speech & Language

Many children struggle with communication. These weaknesses impact their ability to access and navigate their environment.

Communication disorders can:

  • Impact an individual’s ability to process and comprehend linguistic information
  • Use verbal and non-verbal language to interact with the world around them
  • May be present in language, speech, and/or hearing
  • May be developmental or acquired
  • May present as one disorder or a combination of disorders

(ASHA, 1993)

Our goal is to provide evidence-based assessment and therapeutic services that will develop your child’s skills and facilitate his or her independence.

For more questions related to the acquisition of speech and language skills, please visit ASHA.

Speech and Language Assessment

Our assessment process is designed to determine the specific linguistic challenges impacting your child and use the information obtained to establish a unique language profile including specific recommendations to help program for your child’s needs. The types of assessments we provide range from language screenings to comprehensive speech and language assessments. Each assessment begins with a thorough review of background information to aid in the development of a testing protocol. Following a review of the background information provided, a battery of tests is selected to explore your child’s specific needs.

Skills addressed include:

  • Auditory Skills (e.g., auditory discrimination, phonological awareness, auditory memory, auditory comprehension)
  • Receptive and Expressive Oral and Written Language
  • Reading Fluency
  • Reading Comprehension
  • Spelling
  • Articulation/Oral Motor Skills
  • Voice and Hearing Screening

Skills related to the retrieval and processing of spoken and written language, direction following, language organization and formulation, understanding and use of word and sentence structure, and the language of executive functioning are also addressed via the above assessment. Social pragmatics language and verbal problem solving skills are also assessed.

Once the testing is complete and the results are complied, a review of the information is provided as well as an in-depth report. The report provided will provide diagnoses, if applicable, along with specific recommendations and accommodations.

Therapeutic Services

We provide evidence based speech and language therapy to support your child’s ability to interact with the world around him or her through the use of language. We are committed to using the most current research based approaches and techniques and individualize them to program for your child’s specific needs. Assistive technology is used to enrich therapy when appropriate. Therapy is provided in individual and small group sessions depending on the recommended type and frequency of treatment. The speech and language therapy we provide helps our clients build strategies and skills to support his or her ability to function in academic settings as well. Our therapy sessions address the following:

Central Auditory Processing Disorders as related to:

  • Auditory discrimination
  • Auditory memory
  • Auditory comprehension 

Receptive Language Skills related to:

  • Understanding basic concepts
  • Understanding word relationships
  • Understanding multiple meanings and figurative language
  • Comprehension of oral and written language
  • Understanding of word and sentence structures

Expressive Language Skills related to:

  • The ability to express word concept and flexibility of language understanding
  • Word retrieval
  • Formulating and organizing oral and written output at the sentence level and above

Social Pragmatic language

  • The ability to understand verbal and non-verbal intents
  • The ability to use language to interact and navigate social situations
  • Verbal problem solving
  • Auditory Training
  • Voice 

Functional skills including those required in the classroom such as:

  • Following verbal and written directions
  • Using strategies to improve auditory processing or spoken information
  • Language skills related to executive functioning
  • Study and organization skills
  • Development and use of social pragmatic language skills in the academic setting
  • Verbal problem solving

Consultation and Advocacy

Children with communication challenges often require additional support beyond the therapeutic setting to access academic and social environments. In the educational setting, input and collaboration from Speech-Language Pathologists can be valuable in regards to developing a program that will support the language needs of your child. We offer consultation and advocacy services that seek to support and enrich your child’s academic and social needs.

Services include:

  • Classroom Observation
  • Development of IEPs
  • Support in navigating the IEP process
  • Expert testimony