Speech Therapy

TREATING SPEECH AND COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES

Communication is a vital function for all of us.  Expressing our needs and understanding others is the foundation of relationships, community, and society as we know it.

But sometimes, our verbal abilities can become impaired.  Kids may struggle with developmental issues such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (also known as ASD) that affect their speech.  While adults may suffer an injury or condition that impacts their communication skills.

As a caregiver, you worry about your loved ones and are willing to move mountains to support them.  As an individual, you want to communicate so you can take space and belong.

No matter the obstacle you are facing, there is hope.

Speech therapy can help children and adults overcome speech and communication challenges for a brighter future.  Here at Heredia Therapy Group, we offer speech therapy and other services to make a difference in people’s lives.

If you or your loved one have a speech disorder, we are here for you.

Contact us today to learn more.  Or read on for more information about speech therapy and how it can help you, your child, and your family.

What Is Speech Therapy?

Speech therapy is a form of treatment that addresses speech disorders or impairments to improve communication abilities.  This includes the capacity to express thoughts and feelings, understand and respond to others, process and articulate information, among other functions.

The goal of speech therapy is threefold: to identify the communication challenge(s), intervene with exercises tailored to the client’s needs, and trackprogress accordingly. 

Speech therapy can help both children and adults learn or re-learn how to interact with the world.  It can boost their confidence and self-esteem, opening up the door to a purposeful life. 

How to Know if You or Your Child Need Speech Therapy

Some speech disorders show up during childhood due to genetic, structural, or developmental disabilities.  Others form at any age due to neurological damage, injuries, or medical conditions (e.g., stroke, brain injury, muscle paralysis).  Some of these issues go on and evolve during adulthood, making them more challenging to treat.

Common speech disorders or impairments addressed with speech therapy include:

• Receptive language disorder:  Difficulty processing and understanding spoken or written language.  It can cause distraction, trouble following directions or responding to others.

• Autism and Asperger’s (Autism Spectrum):  Difficulties with expression, receptive communication, and recognizing emotions in others.  If you are specifically looking for help with an Autism assessment, read more here.

• Expressive language disorder:  Challenge expressing language, responding to questions, or forming coherent sentences.  This includes skipping or repeating words, mixing verb tenses, or struggling to find vocabulary.

• Cognitive-communication disorder:  Inability to speak or listen due to a disruption of cognitive skills such as memory, attention, and organization.

• Articulation disorder:  Difficulty coordinating mouth, tongue, and respiratory system to emit sounds and words.  It can translate into mispronunciation, using sounds in the wrong place, or not making speech sounds at all (e.g., inability to produce the “r” sound).

• Stuttering or stammering:  Problem maintaining the flow and rhythm of spoken language.  It may show up as speech interruptions, difficulty completing words, or repetition of syllables and sounds.

• Resonance disorder:  Produced when there’s an obstruction, excess, or insufficiency of nasal or oral sound energy required in speech.  It’s related to cleft lip and palate (among other issues) and makes speech hard to understand.

• Aphasia:  An acquired disorder caused by damage to parts of the brain that handle language functions.  It affects the ability to express ideas, understand others, read and write.

• Dysarthria:  Impairment of speech patterns due to weakness or damage in oral muscles.  This motor disorder can show up as slurred, slow, or fast speech and the inability to move the muscles required to speak.

If you, your kid, or a family member are experiencing any of the above speech issues, do not wait.  Reach out to us with your questions or concerns.  The sooner we can assess and treat, the more effective treatment will be.

How Can Speech Therapy Help?

Speech therapy can help people:

• Improve language and communication skills (expressing, listening, and understanding information)
• Enhance or recover the ability to produce proper speech sounds
• Speak with a clear voice, pattern, and rhythm

Speech therapy can look a bit different in children and adults, varying depending upon age, disorder, or medical condition.

Speech Therapy for Kids

Child speech therapy requires close collaboration between the caregiver and the speech therapist.  The goal is to understand how your little one communicates at home, at school, or within the community and design a plan to help them overcome their obstacles.

Speech therapy for children may involve lots of playtime, stories, rhymes, and riddles.  The therapist will use books, images, toys, and other resources to encourage vocabulary and language development.  Kids can learn how to make sounds and pronounce words to express themselves.  They may also work on muscle exercises to improve oral strength and awareness. 

If your kiddo suffers from a developmental disorder like ASD, he or she may experience issues with verbal and nonverbal communication.  Speech therapy can be a crucial part of autism treatment, improving your child’s ability to interact with others.

Speech Therapy for Adults

Adult speech therapy also starts with assessing the challenges and establishing the best course of treatment.

Your therapist will work with you to stimulate fluent conversations and cognitive-communication skills (e.g., memory, organization, problem-solving).  You may also learn techniques for better resonance and oral muscle strength.

If you have a medical condition or suffered an injury that impairs your swallowing or chewing abilities, a speech therapist can also help you recover these functions.

How Does Speech Therapy Work at Heredia Therapy Group?

At Heredia Therapy Group, we offer speech therapy for adults and children struggling with communication or speech challenges. 

Our speech therapy service includes:

Evaluation

We will assess your current speech, language, and communication abilities to determine an action plan.

Treatment

Together, we will go through various strategies to address speech or language impairments.  You will learn or recover communication skills to interact with those around you, feel empowered, and understood.

Monitoring

We will track your progress, making adjustments and recommendations to support your process.  We may also assign at-home activities to reinforce and maintain treatment benefits.

No matter what caused your speech problems, we can help. 

If you have any questions about our speech therapy services or how our team can support you, contact us!

Let’s work together to help you and your family thrive!

Ready to get started?  Book an appointment today.

Areas Served:

Teletherapy: Anywhere in the State of California.

City of Industry Office: Baldwin Park, El Monte, Whittier, Hacienda Heights, La Habra Heights, Rowland Heights, Walnut, Diamond Bar, West Covina, Montebello, La Puente, and surrounding areas.  

Downey Office: Lynwood, Norwalk, Pico Rivera, South Gate, Santa Fe Springs, Bell Gardens, Paramount, Lakewood, Cerritos, Compton, Huntington Park, and surrounding areas. 

Inland Empire Office: Corona and surrounding areas.

Orange County Office: Anaheim and surrounding areas.

Palm Springs Office: Palm Springs and surrounding areas.