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Speech and Language Therapy

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults.

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Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) start by identifying what kind of speech or language problem a person has. Then they determine what’s causing it and decide on the best treatment. 

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In addition to speech challenges, therapy can target problems with:

  • Receptive language (understanding language)

  • Expressive language (using language)

  • Social communication (using language in socially appropriate ways)

  • Reading and spelling (including dyslexia)

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SLPs work with the full range of human communication and swallowing disorders in individuals of all ages. SLPs:

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  • Evaluate and diagnose speech, language, communication, and swallowing disorders.

  • Treat speech, language, communication, and swallowing disorders.

  • Provide training and education to family/caregivers and other professionals.

  • Work collaboratively with professionals from many other disciplines.

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About Speech-Language Pathology

  • Speech disorders occur when a person has difficulty producing speech sounds correctly or fluently (e.g., stuttering is a form of disfluency) or has problems with his or her voice or resonance.

  • Language disorders occur when a person has trouble understanding others (receptive language), or sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings (expressive language). Language disorders may be spoken or written and may involve the form (phonology, morphology, syntax), content (semantics), and/or use (pragmatics) of language in functional and socially appropriate ways.

  • Social communication disorders occur when a person has trouble with the social use of verbal and nonverbal communication. These disorders may include problems (a) communicating for social purposes (e.g., greeting, commenting, asking questions), (b) talking in different ways to suit the listener and setting, and (c) following rules for conversation and story-telling. All individuals with autism spectrum disorder have social communication problems. Social communication disorders are also found individuals with other conditions, such as traumatic brain injury.

  • Cognitive-communication disorders include problems organizing thoughts, paying attention, remembering, planning, and/or problem-solving. These disorders usually happen as a result of a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or dementia, although they can be congenital.

  • Swallowing disorders (dysphagia) are feeding and swallowing difficulties, which may follow an illness, surgery, stroke, or injury.

 

Additionally, SLPs:

  • Provide aural rehabilitation for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.

  • Provide augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems for individuals with severe expressive and/or language comprehension disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder or progressive neurological disorders.

  • Work with people who don't have speech, language, or swallowing disorders, but want to learn how to communicate more effectively (e.g., work on accent modification or other forms of communication enhancement).

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When should you seek help?

By 12 months

  • doesn’t babble with changes in tone – e.g. dadadadadadadadada

  • doesn’t use gestures like waving “bye bye” or shaking head for “no”

  • doesn’t respond to her/his name

  • doesn’t communicate in some way when s/he needs help with something

 

By 15 months

  • doesn't understand and respond to words like "no" and "up"

  • says no words

  • doesn't point to objects or pictures when asked “Where’s the...?

  • doesn’t point to things of interest as if to say “Look at that!”  and then look right at you

 

By 18 months

  • doesn’t understand simple commands like "Don't touch"

  • isn’t using at least 20 single words like "Mommy" or "up"

  • doesn’t respond with a word or gesture to a question such as “What’s that? or “Where’s your shoe?”

  • can’t point to two or three major body parts such as head, nose, eyes, feet

 

By 24 months

  • says fewer than 100 words

  • isn’t consistently joining two words together like "Daddy go" or “ shoes on”

  • doesn’t imitate actions or words

  • doesn’t pretend with toys, such as feeding doll or making toy man drive toy car

 

By 30 months 

  • says fewer than 300 words

  • isn’t using action words like “run”, “eat”, “fall”

  • isn’t using some adult grammar, such as “two babies” and “doggie sleeping”

 

3-4 years 

  • doesn’t ask questions by 3 years

  • isn’t using sentences (e.g., "I don't want that" or "My truck is broken")  by three years

  • isn’t able to tell a simple story by four or five years 

 

If you’ve noticed one or more of these warning signs in your child, it’s important that you take action right away to ensure that he receives the help he needs.

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Our Expertise in Serving All Age Ranges

At Rosario Therapy Center, we take pride in offering comprehensive speech-language pathology services tailored to individuals of all age groups. Our team of experienced and dedicated Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) is well-equipped to address the unique communication and swallowing needs of people at different life stages.

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Early Intervention (Pediatric)

For our youngest clients, we specialize in early intervention. Our skilled SLPs work closely with infants and children to identify and address speech and language delays, feeding difficulties, and related challenges. Through engaging and effective therapies, we aim to set a strong foundation for their communication skills as they grow.

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School-Age Children and Adolescents

As children transition to school, we provide targeted interventions to enhance language development, articulation, social communication, and literacy skills. Our SLPs collaborate with educators and parents to create a supportive environment that fosters effective communication and academic success.

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Teens and Adults

Navigating the complexities of communication doesn't stop with childhood. Our services extend to teenagers and adults, addressing a wide range of speech and language concerns. From accent modification and fluency techniques to cognitive-communication therapy and professional communication enhancement, we empower individuals to express themselves confidently and effectively in various personal and professional contexts.

 

Geriatric Care

In later stages of life, maintaining communication and swallowing abilities becomes crucial. Our SLPs work with seniors to address age-related speech and language changes, cognitive communication challenges, and swallowing difficulties. By focusing on functional and meaningful communication, we enhance overall quality of life for our elderly clients.

No matter the age, we believe in the power of effective communication to enrich lives. Our SLPs are committed to providing evidence-based therapies that are tailored to each individual's unique needs, ensuring that everyone can communicate with confidence, clarity, and connection. Contact us today to learn more about how we can serve you or your loved ones across the entire age spectrum.

See how we may be able to help you and your family today! 

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