areas of focus:

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Receptive: Difficulty comprehending language concepts such as verbal directions, grammar rules, descriptive and quantitative concepts, recalling information.

Expressive: Difficulty with “output” of language, thus presenting delays in expressing wants/needs, using age appropriate vocabulary, elaborating grammatically appropriate sentences, and engaging in conversation.

Aphasia is a language disorder that affects the understanding and expression of language. A person with aphasia may have trouble: 

• understanding what is being said to them
• speaking more than one or two words at a time
• finding the right words
• using made up or nonsense words
• understanding what they read
• spelling and composing thoughts in writing

Aphasia usually happens after a stroke or brain injury. It can also be caused by brain tumors or a progressive neurological disease.

Cognitive-communication deficits is in impairment in thought organization, sequencing, attention, memory, planning, problem-solving, and safety awareness impacting an individual's ability to complete activities of daily living and quality of life. 

Cognitive deficits occur due to diagnoses such as Brain Tumors, Stroke, Traumatic Brain Injury. 

Alongside Progressive Neurological Diseases such as Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Dementia, and Primary Progressive Aphasia. 

Dysphagia is a swallowing disorder. A person with dysphagia may have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Coughing or clearing throat when eating or drinking
• Food feeling "stuck"
• Wet or gurgly voice when eating or drinking
• Pain or discomfort when swallowing
• Dry mouth
• Weight loss
• Pneumonia

Dysphagia can be caused be a neurological disorder or muscle weakness. Dysphagia often occurs because of a stroke or brain injury, a progressive neurological disorder, head and neck cancer and radiation treatment, or following surgery.

Speech therapy can help improve swallowing by recommending diet modifications, training swallow strategies to reduce the risk of aspiration, and teaching strengthening exercises to improve muscle function. Additional testing with a Modified Barium Swallow study or a Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing may also be recommended. 

Motor speech difficulties can include difficulty pronouncing words or sounds clearly, slurred speech, or speech that is too slow or too fast.

Dysarthria can occur after a stroke or other neurological injury. The muscles used for producing speech are weak or uncoordinated. 

Apraxia is a motor planning disorder that is 

caused by damage to the brain. The brain knows what it wants to say, but cannot properly plan and sequence the required speech sound movements.

Stuttering is a speech disorder characterized by repetition of sounds, syllables, or words; prolongation of sounds; and interruptions in speech known as blocks. An individual who stutters exactly knows what he or she would like to say but has trouble producing a normal flow of speech. 

Social Communication Disorder affects the ability using language in daily interactions such as engaging in social interactions, conversations, perspective taking, using self-monitoring skills, comprehending non-verbal cues and communicators intent.

Speech therapy can address a wide variety of voice disorders, including:

• Chronic hoarseness
• Muscle Tension Dysphonia
• Vocal cord paralysis
• Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD), or Inducible Laryngeal Obstruction (ILO)
• Spasmodic Dysphonia
• Presbyphonia, or age-related voice changes
• Decreased volume due to Parkinson's Disease
• Chronic or excessive coughing

Voice disorders typically require an evaluation by an otolaryngologist, also known as an ear, nose, and throat doctor (ENT) prior to initiating speech therapy treatment. If your ENT has recommended speech therapy, then speech therapy may be able to help. 

Early Intervention are therapy services designed to support children ages birth to 3 years and their families. Services are designed to support cognitive, play, receptive and expressive language skills. 

Early Intervention also provides play-based therapy to increase children's play skills  such as ability to attend, participate in age-appropriate play while fostering pre-linguistic, listening, expressive language and social skills.