Services

Speech delays and disorders arise when individuals struggle to produce speech sounds and patterns clearly, making their speech difficult to understand. Each age has specific speech sounds and patterns that should be mastered, and a delay occurs when a child hasn't yet developed these skills at the expected age. If not addressed, speech disorders can lead to frustration for the child, and may also affect phonological awareness, reading and spelling abilities, and overall self-confidence.

At Thriveable, speech therapy sessions are dynamic and engaging, incorporating each child's interests to keep them motivated while learning how to produce and practice specific speech sounds. We evaluate and treat the following speech disorders:

• Articulation disorders

• Phonological disorders

• Fluency disorders (Stuttering)

• Childhood Apraxia of Speech

• Dysarthria

• Voice disorders

Receptive language refers to an individual's ability to understand language, such as vocabulary, directions, and concepts. Expressive language refers to an individual's ability to communicate their wants, needs, and ideas with other people. Pragmatic language refers to an individual's social language skills, such as engaging in conversations and understanding nonliteral language. Language delays and disorders occur when children do not meet key receptive, expressive, or pragmatic language milestones within the typical developmental timeframe.

At Thriveable, we evaluate and treat children of all ages for language delays and disorders, from early intervention when children are not yet talking, to understanding concepts like colors and sizes, to forming grammatically correct sentences, to helping high school students with reading comprehension and writing skills. Our sessions are tailored specifically to your child's individual needs rather than using a "one-size-fits-all" approach to therapy, as we know that each child learns differently. Children learn best through play, so we utilize a play-based approach to language therapy to make therapy engaging and effective. We also provide families with home programs to continue working on building language skills outside of therapy. We evaluate and treat the following language disorders:

• Early intervention for communication delays

• Receptive language disorders

• Expressive language disorders

• Mixed receptive-expressive language disorders

• Social/Pragmatic language difficulties

• Gestalt language processing

• Reading comprehension

• Written expression 

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) refers to using a variety of modalities to communicate, such as natural speech, sign language, picture boards, and speech-generating devices. Research proves that using AAC only supports and strengthens an individual's communication skills, and does not hinder or replace their ability to use verbal communication. 

At Thriveable, we specialize in completing evaluations to determine the need for a high-tech speech-generating AAC device. This comprehensive evaluation is used to determine which device and communication system would be best for the child. The speech-language pathologist (SLP) will assist with submitting the evaluation to your insurance for potential funding or recommend a device for private purchase. Once the child obtains a device, our SLP can help with programming it, training the child and caregivers on how to use it, and provide therapy using the device. For more information about how we can help with the process of getting a speech-generating device, click here. 

Children with the following diagnoses may benefit from a high-tech AAC device:

• Severe mixed receptive-expressive language disorder

• Autism

• Cerebral palsy

• Down syndrome

• Childhood apraxia of speech

• Traumatic brain injury

• Dysarthria

When a baby isn't feeding as expected, it can be extremely overwhelming and worrisome for the family. At Thriveable, our team is specially trained in infant feeding and is here to support families when feeding challenges arise. We conduct thorough evaluations to assess the baby’s oral structures and function, swallowing abilities, sensory feeding skills, feeding position, and routine to identify the underlying issue. From there, we provide tailored suggestions and treatments to address the problem. For babies struggling with breastfeeding, we collaborate with lactation consultants to provide an in-depth evaluation of the baby's breastfeeding ability. Our evaluations include a detailed medical and feeding history, a comprehensive examination of the baby’s oral structures, and observation during feeding. During treatment sessions, we equip parents with practical tools and strategies to improve feeding at home. Some common infant feeding challenges we evaluate and treat include:

• Difficulty latching to breast or bottle

• Weak suck

• Tongue or lip tie

• Reflux/GERD

• Bottle refusal

• Dysphagia/Swallowing difficulties 

• Difficulty transitioning to purees or solid foods

• Difficulty transitioning to a straw or open cup

• Gagging on purees or solid foods

• Difficulty chewing, spitting food out

• Poor appetite

• Structural differences such as cleft palate

Pediatric feeding disorders occur when a child has difficulty with oral intake as compared to same-aged peers. These difficulties can be due to problems with physical structure and function, swallowing ability, medical, nutritional, sensory, or psychosocial factors. For children with feeding difficulties, every bite of food can be effortful, scary, or painful, potentially affecting nutrition, development, growth, and overall well-being. 

At Thriveable, we understand how challenging mealtimes can be when a child is struggling with feeding issues. We also recognize that introducing new or difficult foods can feel overwhelming for both parents and children. That’s why we take a compassionate, step-by-step approach to help your child eat better. During a feeding evaluation, our specialized therapist conducts a thorough medical and feeding history, examines oral structure and function, and observes the child during feeding. Our therapy sessions are designed to be both fun and engaging, while building the essential skills needed for your child to eat a variety of age-appropriate foods safely and comfortably. We evaluate and treat the following feeding difficulties:

• Difficulty with chewing

• Pocketing or holding food in the mouth

• Dysphagia/Swallowing difficulty

• Picky eating

• Limited food variety

• Food aversions and refusals

• Food jags

• Poor appetite

• Overstuffing mouth with food

• Drinking from a straw or open cup

• Structural differences such as tongue tie, lip tie, or cleft palate

• G-tube transition

Myofunctional therapy corrects orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) which are improper muscle patterns in the face, mouth, and tongue that can lead to issues such as tongue thrust, mouth breathing, and poor tongue movement. Through targeted exercises, it improves muscle function of these muscle groups. 

At Thriveable, our specialized therapist will conduct a thorough Beckman Oral Motor assessment to evaluate the structure and muscle function of your child’s face, mouth, and tongue. This assessment helps us identify the root cause of any issues. Once the problem is pinpointed, we use targeted strategies such as myofascial release, Beckman Oral Motor stretches and exercises, and muscle re-training techniques to improve strength, range of motion, and coordination of orofacial muscles. We strongly recommend myofunctional therapy after a tongue tie release surgery to improve tongue strength, coordination, healing, and promote full functional movement for feeding and communication. We evaluate and treat the following orofacial myofunctional disorders:

• Poor tongue movement

• Tongue and lip tie

• Mouth breathing

• Tongue thrust

• Weak jaw

• Oral habits such as thumb sucking

Teletherapy is a convenient and effective option for your child's therapy needs. Results and progress from teletherapy sessions are equivalent to in-person sessions for most children. Teletherapy can also be an effective tool for parent/caregiver training. 

At Thriveable, we use a HIPAA-compliant video platform along with toys, manipulatives, books, and online games and activities to keep your child engaged and motivated throughout the session. We can conduct any of our therapies virtually, from the convenience and comfort of your own home.

Group classes coming soon! Click here to join our interest list and stay up to date about the different classes offered, class schedule, and how to sign up. 

Led by specialized speech and feeding therapists, our group classes provide a supportive and enjoyable space for your child to work on communication, social, and/or feeding skills. Surrounded by peers, they’ll engage in fun, interactive activities that promote growth and confidence in a fun and encouraging environment.