Therapy for Adolescents and Adults
Communication Works provides treatment for adolescents and adults with impairments in the following areas:
Articulation: Adolescents and adults may require help with articulation skills secondary to a developmental disorder, a neurological event (stroke, degenerative disease), a hearing impairment, or to fine-tune sounds that they have always experienced difficulty pronouncing. Speech therapy can help to instruct adults on how to improve the production of certain sounds thereby improving intelligibility of speech.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication: When language or articulation skills are so poor as to render speech unintelligible (hard to understand) by the majority of listeners, augmentative and alternative communication needs to be considered. This can be as simple as an alphabet board to spell out words or a dry-erase board to write misunderstood words, or more complex technology, such as voice output machines or iPads with specialized apps for such purposes. A Speech-Language Pathologist can assess the individual needs and make appropriate recommendations for communication aids.
Fluency/Stuttering: Adolescents and adults who have stuttered their whole lives can learn strategies and techniques to manage their stutter and speak more fluently.
Language: Adults post-stroke may have lost language abilities and require help to learn to express themselves again. Therapy can help them to improve their receptive and expressive language abilities.
Reading and Writing: Adolescents and adults who have struggled with reading and writing their whole lives can learn strategies, be taught skills and/or use technology that will help make the process easier and more enjoyable. A Speech-Language Pathologist can assess areas of strength and weakness in order to determine the most appropriate interventions or accommodations.
Selective Mutism: Selective Mutism is characterized by the inability to speak in select social situations, e.g., school, work. However, the person is able to speak normally in other social situations, e.g., with family at home. Therapy can help support the use of speech and language skills in other social settings.
Swallowing: Adults having experienced a neurological event (stroke, closed head injury) or those with a neurological disorder (Parkinson’s, ALS, MS, Myesthenia Gravis) may experience swallowing difficulties. Swallowing disorders or dysphagia present a risk for aspiration (food or liquid entering the lungs) that can lead to the development of pneumonia. A trained Speech-Language Pathologist can assess the client’s swallow to determine if their present diet is safe or if there are strategies that can be used to improve the swallow.
Articulation: Adolescents and adults may require help with articulation skills secondary to a developmental disorder, a neurological event (stroke, degenerative disease), a hearing impairment, or to fine-tune sounds that they have always experienced difficulty pronouncing. Speech therapy can help to instruct adults on how to improve the production of certain sounds thereby improving intelligibility of speech.
Augmentative and Alternative Communication: When language or articulation skills are so poor as to render speech unintelligible (hard to understand) by the majority of listeners, augmentative and alternative communication needs to be considered. This can be as simple as an alphabet board to spell out words or a dry-erase board to write misunderstood words, or more complex technology, such as voice output machines or iPads with specialized apps for such purposes. A Speech-Language Pathologist can assess the individual needs and make appropriate recommendations for communication aids.
Fluency/Stuttering: Adolescents and adults who have stuttered their whole lives can learn strategies and techniques to manage their stutter and speak more fluently.
Language: Adults post-stroke may have lost language abilities and require help to learn to express themselves again. Therapy can help them to improve their receptive and expressive language abilities.
Reading and Writing: Adolescents and adults who have struggled with reading and writing their whole lives can learn strategies, be taught skills and/or use technology that will help make the process easier and more enjoyable. A Speech-Language Pathologist can assess areas of strength and weakness in order to determine the most appropriate interventions or accommodations.
Selective Mutism: Selective Mutism is characterized by the inability to speak in select social situations, e.g., school, work. However, the person is able to speak normally in other social situations, e.g., with family at home. Therapy can help support the use of speech and language skills in other social settings.
Swallowing: Adults having experienced a neurological event (stroke, closed head injury) or those with a neurological disorder (Parkinson’s, ALS, MS, Myesthenia Gravis) may experience swallowing difficulties. Swallowing disorders or dysphagia present a risk for aspiration (food or liquid entering the lungs) that can lead to the development of pneumonia. A trained Speech-Language Pathologist can assess the client’s swallow to determine if their present diet is safe or if there are strategies that can be used to improve the swallow.