Speech Sound Disorders
Speech sound disorders may be classified as articulation or phonological impairments. Articulation refers to difficulty producing specific speech sounds. Phonology refers to difficulty using correct speech sound patterns, and this affects an entire category of speech sounds.
Language Disorders
Language disorders can either be receptive or expressive. Someone with a receptive language impairment has difficulty understanding language and may struggle to follow directions or identify objects. Someone with an expressive language impairment has difficulty using language to express themselves and may struggle to answer questions or use sentences. Language therapy can help to build upon these skills.
Social Language/Pragmatic
Disorders
Someone with a social language disorder may have difficulty following social cues, changing language according to the listener or situation, or following rules for storytelling or conversation. For example, they may say unrelated or inappropriate things during a conversation. Social language therapy and group therapy can assist people to build up their pragmatic skills.
Aphasia
Aphasia is a communication disorder resulting from damage to the language centers of the brain, commonly due to stroke, brain injury, or neurological disorders. Someone with aphasia may have difficulty speaking, listening, reading, or writing. However, aphasia does not affect intelligence. After brain injury, therapy helps to rebuild the skills that were lost.
Voice Disorders
Voice disorders can be the result of disease, lesions, paralysis, or misuse of the vocal folds and/or vocal mechanism. Someone with a voice disorder may notice a hoarse, rough, strained, weak, or breathy quality to their voice at certain times of the day or chronically.
Tongue Thrust
A tongue thrust, or orofacial myofunctional disorder, occurs when the tongue moves forward in an exaggerated way during swallowing and/or speech. This "thrusting" swallowing pattern is normal in infancy, but usually disappears as a child grows. If the tongue thrust continues past infancy, it may affect dentition and speech sounds. Tongue thrust treatment helps people to form new habits.
Stuttering
Stuttering is characterized by disruptions in the production of speech sounds and affects the fluency of speech. Stuttering can include repetitions or prolongations of sounds, or it can also include "blocks," or periods of time in which an individual tries but does not produce a sound. Therapy aids in building fluency techniques and skills. There are also support groups for San Diego stuttering therapy clients.
Hearing Loss and
Aural Rehabilitation
If you are an adult, aural rehabilitation services will focus on adjusting to your hearing loss, using a hearing aid or cochlear implant, managing conversations, and/or using strategies and devices. Children with hearing loss may learn to use sign language or spoken language with or without a hearing aid or cochlear implant, depending on the needs of the child and family.
Accent Modification
Having an accent is a natural part of growing up in a specific place. Although an accent is not a disorder, some may have difficulty communicating effectively in their community because of it. We provide therapy for change or modification of an accent.
Apraxia of Speech
Childhood or Acquired Apraxia of Speech is a motor planning speech disorder. Someone with apraxia of speech may struggle to say sounds, syllables, and words because the brain has difficulty planning to move the body parts (lips, jaw, and tongue) needed for speech. Treatment helps words to become more automatic. There are now play groups for San Diego apraxia therapy clients through the organization Apraxia Kids - we would love to connect you!
Augmentative & Alternative
Communication
Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) includes all forms of communication other than oral speech. We provide services in American Sign Language for those who can benefit from this. We also provide services to those who may need to use communication pictures or a speech generating device (computer) to produce speech. Often, children with autism will learn to communicate more effectively with AAC. Autism therapy typically involves a team of SLPs, OTs, PTs, and behavior specialists.
Referrals
We provide referrals to more resources that may be able to assist with your communication concerns. We are knowledgeable about many sources of help in the San Diego area.