Along with traditional treatment approaches, we offer
- Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT)
- PROMPT therapy
- Lee Silverman Voice Therapy (LSVT)
- Picture Exchange Communication Systems (PECS)
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
What is Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy (OMT)?
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is a practice that works with the muscles of the lips, tongue, cheeks, face and their related functions (such as breathing, sucking, chewing, swallowing, and some aspects of speech). OMT is designed to improve tongue posture in the oral cavity and reduce tongue thrusting during swallowing. An Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder (OMD) may affect, directly and/or indirectly, breastfeeding, facial skeletal growth and development, chewing, swallowing, speech, occlusion, temporomandibular joint movement, oral hygiene, stability of orthodontic treatment, facial esthetics, and more.
(https://aomtinfo.org/myofunctional-therapy/)
What is PROMPT Therapy?
PROMPT is an acronym for Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets. PROMPT therapy is a multidimensional approach to speech production disorders, which integrates the physical-sensory aspects of motor performance, with the cognitive-linguistic and social-emotional aspects. PROMPT is about addressing all domains and systems towards positive communication outcomes. It may be used (with varying intensity and focus) with all speech production disorders from approximately 6 months of age onward.
(http://www.promptinstitute.com)
What is Lee Silverman Voice Therapy (LSVT) LOUD therapy ?
LSVT LOUD is an effective speech treatment for people with Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions. LSVT LOUD trains individuals to use their voice at a more normal loudness level while speaking at home, work, or in the community. This treatment approach improves vocal loudness by stimulating the muscles of the voice box (larynx) and speech mechanism through a systematic hierarchy of exercises. The treatment improves respiratory, laryngeal, and articulatory function to maximize speech intelligibility.
What is Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS)?
The Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS) consists of six phases and begins by teaching an individual to give a single picture of a desired item or action to a “communicative partner” who immediately honors the exchange as a request. The system goes on to teach discrimination of pictures and how to put them together in sentences. In the more advanced phases, individuals are taught to use modifiers, answer questions, and comment. The primary goal of PECS is to teach functional communication. Research has shown that some learners using PECS also develop speech. Others may transition to a speech generating device (SGD).
What is Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)?
AAC is a tool, strategy, system, or device which supports communication. Light-tech options include gestures, sign language, drawing, communication books, or picture exchange. High-tech options include using speech generating devices such as an app, iPad, computer, or tablet.