Our Services

It is important to begin speech-language services as early as possible in a child’s life to prevent more severe and long-term consequences of language delay such as problems with education, socialization, and work challenges, therefore an assessment and evaluation is important.

Our one-on-one speech and language tele-therapy programs address a multitude of disorders including:

Communication Disorders

Communication is part of what makes us human. Communication is essential because it’s the way in which we share thoughts and feelings, express our identity, build relationships, pass on traditions, and teach as well as learn. A communication disorder occurs when communication is so different from the communication of others that it calls attention to itself, interferes with communication or causes your child distress.

When we communicate, we exchange information using language. Language consists of words, sentences and reading, which we use to express ideas and feelings.

“Failure to acquire language or a disruption of the language acquistion process is one of the most devastating and isolating events which can occur to a human being.”

(O’ Malley and Tikofsky, 1972, p.3)

Our mission is to prevent this experience from happening to children.

Language and Language Disorders

Language is WHAT you say whether spoken, written, or signed. Language disorders include:

• Difficulties in understanding language. For example, when one gives a child instruction or asks a child a question, the child does not understand.

• Difficulties in expression of language, e.g. grammar. The child may only answer in one-word utterances like ‘dog’ or ‘see dog’ instead of “I see a dog”.

Phonology

Phonological disorders occur when a child is unable to say many groups of sounds making them difficult to understand (e.g., ephelant/elephant and boo/book).

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Autism spectrum disorders refer to a broad range of conditions characterized by challenges with social skills, repetitive behaviors, speech, and nonverbal communication.

Semantic Pragmatic Disorder (SPD) is a communication disorder.

Semantic= the relationship between words or sentences and their meanings

Pragmatic= Making language work in context.

Children with SPD may have difficulty understanding social situations and expectations. For example, a child with SPD may have difficulty understanding that sharing toys is important when playing with other children.

Intellectual Disorders

Children with intellectual disorders may learn and develop more slowly resulting in challenges communicating, taking care of themselves and with social skills. We will work with your family to develop a program focused on treating your child’s communication difficulties and supporting their language development. Our goal is to create an environment that fosters communication and empowers you and your child to feel successful.

Cerebral Palsy (CP)

Cerebral palsy is the most common motor disability in childhood. Speech and language disorders are common in children with cerebral palsy. The purpose of speech and language therapy is to improve as well as to achieve the child’s ability to communicate effectively.

Phonological Awareness and Auditory Processing Difficulties

Phonological awareness is a skill set that allows children to learn how to read, using phonics. Phonics are sound and letter combinations which are used to represent words. Auditory Processing Disorder happens when your child can’t hear the small sound differences in words, for example, ‘give me the boot’ instead of ‘give me the book’.

Literacy and Reading

Speech and language pathologists play a critical and direct role in the development of literacy in children and adolescents and in the treatment of written language disorders. Dr. MB & Associates will work with the same phonics program that your child uses in school such as Orton-Gillingham and the Wilson Reading program.

Bilingualism/Multilingualism

Many of us speak more than one language. As a parent, you may have heard different opinions about whether your child should speak either your home language or only English (even if you don’t speak English). Studies have shown that the benefits of speaking more than one language outweigh the negatives.

Speech and Speech Disorders

Speech is HOW you say your words.

Articulation/Pronunciation Difficulties

Children with articulation/pronunciation difficulties or speech sound disorders have difficulty making certain sounds or may make a specific pattern of sound ERRORS. This can include lisping (e.g., difficulty pronouncing /s/ or /z/), difficulty pronouncing the letters /k/ or /g/ (e.g., saying ‘TAT’ instead of ‘KAT’) or /W/ for/r/ (e.g., like ‘WABBIT’ for ‘RABBIT’). 

Phonology

Phonological disorders occur when a child is unable to say many groups of sounds making them difficult to understand (e.g., ephelant/elephant and boo/book).

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)

CAS is a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult for children to speak. The child understands language and knows what they want to say. However, the child has difficulty with complex sequence movements necessary for speech.

Cleft Lip and Palate

A cleft occurs when some structures do not fuse together when the fetus develops. Clefts of the lip and palate cause difficulties, eating, breathing, hearing, and speaking.

Stuttering/Dysfluency

Stuttering (dysfluency) is a distinct break in the flow of speech including the repetition of sounds, words, or phrases. After an in-depth consultation and assessment, we will develop a personalized treatment plan for your child.