Services OFFERED

Screenings

Screenings are conducted by a certified Speech-Language Pathologist. Screenings take anywhere from 15-30 minutes and will identify any speech or language red flags that are present. When the screening is complete, information will be provided covering recommendations and next steps.

Group Classes

Group classes rotate throughout the year. Follow on Instagram or Facebook for updates on local events and group classes offered!

Family Support Services

With years of experience working in the school systems, Preschool through 8th grade, I have an extensive knowledge in practices and procedures within school systems. If you are seeking support services for your child and need in-person assistance or guidance on how to complete this process, let's chat!

Comfort specializes in Speech Sound Disorders and Early Language Development.

Speech sound

disorders (SSD)

Speech Sound Disorders

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association identifies speech sound disorders as an umbrella term referring to any difficulty or combination of difficulties with perception, motor production, or phonological representation of speech sounds and speech segments.

Speech sound disorders can be organic or functional in nature. Organic speech sound disorders result from an underlying motor/neurological (childhood apraxia of speech and dysarthria), structural (cleft lip/palate), or sensory/perceptual (hearing impairment) cause. Functional speech sound disorders include those related to the motor production of speech sounds (articulation) and those related to the linguistic aspects of speech production (phonology). Functional speech sound disorders are idiopathic—they have no known cause.

AREAS OF COMMUNICATION

Early Language Development

Children grow and develop at their own rate. If you have any concerns about your child’s development, the earlier you seek help, the better. If you are concerned about your child’s development, you may contact your local early intervention program directly to ask for an evaluation. Families do not have to wait for a referral from professionals. However, if your child does not qualify for services through the state, but you feel they still need help, Comfort is here to direct you and your family in the right direction. Please refer to this handout to gain a better understanding of what skills you should be expecting from you child!

Articulation

Articulation refers to how we produce specific sounds. An articulation disorder commonly involves sound substitutions (i.e. /w/ for /r/ as in "wock" for "rock") or sound distortions (i.e. lisp). Most children can say almost all sounds correctly by the age of 5. View average ages children learn to produce speech sounds.

Phonology

Phonology refers to how we use individual sound patterns in the context of language. Children with phonological delays/disorders commonly exhibit consistent patterns of sound substitutions or omissions. For example, children with the phonological pattern of "fronting" consistently produce sounds made with the back of the tongue, such as /k/ and /g/, with the front of the tongue. This would sound like "tat" for "cat" or "doe" for "go". The more phonological patterns a child produces the more difficult they are to understand. If a 3-year-old isn't able to be understood by strangers about 75% of the time then a speech assessment should be recommended.