Speech and Language Services

Speech and Language Screenings:  Screenings are offered at area schools, preschools and daycares.  Screenings are coordinated with school administration to simplify the process for the staff and families at each site.  A speech and language screening is a brief assessment of a child's communication skills to help determine if further evaluation is needed.  

Speech and Language Evaluations and Therapy:  Evaluations are comprehensive in nature and provide specific information regarding strengths and areas of concern.  Evaluations help determine if a child is exhibiting a true speech and/or language disorder.    Therapy is provided to address areas of concern.

Speech: Speech refers to how we say sounds and words. Children presenting with speech deficits have difficulty producing sounds which makes them difficult to understand. Some children may also have difficulty speaking fluently, often referred to as stuttering.  Oral-motor skills refer to the coordination of the lip, tongue, jaw, and teeth.  Oral-motor skills are used for speaking and feeding.  Children with weak oral-motor skills may have difficulty speaking and demonstrating typical feeding patterns.  

Language: Language refers to how we use words to communicate.   Language disorders are typically identified as receptive, expressive and pragmatic.  Children presenting with receptive language deficits often have difficulty understanding.  Children presenting with expressive language deficits often have difficulty effectively sharing their thoughts and feelings.  Pragmatic language refers to how an individual uses language to communicate socially.