All posts by Yasminah Abdullah, M.S., CCC-SLP

About Yasminah Abdullah, M.S., CCC-SLP

Ms.Yasminah Abdullah, M.S., CCC-SLP is a principal Speech-Language Pathologist at Total Speech Therapy

A parent’s responsibilities are extensive. They are guiding their children to become the best people they can be. However, getting a diagnosis of speech and language difficulties can be devastating for a family. This is the hardest time for both the child and their parents. The child needs high quality speech therapy and a lot of patience and support from their parents as they go through speech therapy.

There are many things you can do to help your child through each stage of Speech Therapy. We are professionals in Baltimore and Houston who work with kids of all ages, and we’d love to share some tips with you to help your kid succeed.

How Can a Parent Help During Speech Therapy? 

It can be nerve-racking taking your child to a Speech Pathologist for the first time, no matter what age they are. It can be intimidating to put yourself out there and interact with new people and explore unfamiliar environments. As a parent, your first task in Speech Therapy will be to help your child become accustomed to his or her new surroundings.

Home practice is the next step in the parent’s role in speech therapy, which will help your child get closer to his or her objectives. If you’re a parent just starting out on the road to Speech Therapy, read on for some advice from us.

Helpful Steps Parents Can Take During Their Child’s Speech Therapy 

Offer Encouragement and Help  

The best thing you can do to help your child succeed in Speech Therapy is to encourage and support them. Motivate and excite your child about their upcoming Speech Therapy sessions while you’re in the car together. Show your child that you are proud of the progress they are making in the therapy session by taking an active role when necessary.

Develop a Schedule and Stick to it

Speech therapy is most effective when it is combined with regular appointments and home practice. Parents should establish and maintain at-home routines that include time for speech therapy practice activities. Some of these activities may be as straightforward as having regular conversations with your kid or reading aloud from a word list. Your child’s Speech Pathologist will advise you on the most beneficial home practice based on their specific needs.

Investing at least 30 minutes per day into speech therapy practice is strongly suggested. Stop worrying about how “perfect” it is. The time or location of speech practice is not predetermined in any way. It is possible to complete even while your child is using the restroom. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does have to be completed.

Applaud their SMALL Success  

Your child will have successes and milestones in Speech Therapy along the way. They’ll also be successful in the real world, whether at the supermarket or in the classroom. You should rejoice when success finally comes your way. Celebrating and praising your child’s progress in Speech Therapy will not only encourage them to continue with their therapy but will also boost their self-esteem.

There will be days when your child is struggling with Speech Therapy and may feel frustrated with themselves and others. So on the good days, rejoice with them and let them know how proud you are of their progress.

Keep an Eye Out for Signs that Your Child Needs a Break

While we do advocate for regular and frequent Speech Therapy sessions, we also recognize that a short break from therapy may be beneficial for some children. Your child will be much more motivated to continue working with their Speech Pathologist if they are able to apply what they have learned in between appointments.

When in Doubt, Get Help From Outside

Besides speech therapists, many other members of the Allied Health Professions can help your child along the way. For optimal treatment and results, your doctor may suggest involving specialists like psychologists, OTs, PTs, audiologists, and pediatricians. When this type of assistance is suggested from without, it is crucial that it be investigated and pursued.

Be Mindful of your Health and Happiness

As professionals, we at Total Speech Therapy understand how difficult it can be to prioritize your own well-being while also taking care of your children, other family members, and yourself, while also keeping up with their schedules for speech therapy and other activities. Although you have a lot going on, don’t forget to put your own health and happiness first. Even if you’ve had a rough week, remember that your child and family rely on you. In times of need, don’t be afraid to ask for assistance and make use of the resources available to you in your network.

Seeking additional information on pediatric speech therapy? Call 410-696-3301 or email Yasminah at yasminah@totalspeechtherapy.com to make an appointment to learn more about the speech therapy sessions that your child will go through so that you are ready for the road ahead.

Speech therapists help children who have difficulties with speech, such as stuttering, sound production, and sentence construction. Speech therapists are employed in a wide variety of settings, from community clinics and hospitals to schools for students with special needs and nursing homes.

The objectives of a pediatric speech therapist:

A pediatric speech therapist works with kids and teens to help them talk more clearly, become more expressive in other ways, and develop healthier social relationships. This may involve helping kids who have trouble communicating because of issues like dyslexia or a delay in their overall development. It could also involve teaching kids how to improve their speech or expand their vocabulary.

Following an evaluation of the child’s condition, tailored treatment plans are developed. If a kid has trouble communicating verbally, for instance, it might be helpful to teach them to sign language. Helping others with their reading, writing, or spelling may be necessary. Speech therapists help kids learn to talk and learn new words to help them communicate better.

Early assistance:

A little over 5% of respondents in a survey of almost 30,000 people reported having trouble communicating. In light of this, it is important to seek treatment as soon as possible if your child shows signs of speech or language difficulty.

It’s important to find out as much as possible about a speech therapist’s history before hiring them. Verify that they have worked in the field for some time, hold a relevant degree, and have expertise in this area. Inquire about the length and cost of the sessions, as well as what you can do to assist the child’s development. Choose a therapist who you feel will work well with you and your loved ones. If you want your child to get the best possible treatment, it’s important to know what a therapist does and is responsible for before you choose one.

The Function of a Speech Therapist

  1. Conducting a detailed analysis of the speech disorder

Several distinct language and communication disorders exist. The primary role of a speech therapist is to evaluate a child with a speech disorder in order to determine the specific nature of the disorder and the best course of treatment. Standardized testing, observational scales, and your own feedback will all go into determining your child’s communicative strengths and weaknesses. The purpose of these tests is to gauge the child’s level of oral motor development, vocabulary, fluency, and phonological awareness.

  1. Suggesting potential therapeutic measures

As soon as your speech problem is identified, your therapist will begin formulating a plan and investigating potential treatments. Articulation exercises are sometimes incorporated into treatment plans in addition to focusing on underlying causes. Auditory habilitation and auditory rehabilitation are two types of speech therapy that therapists may use to help children who are having trouble hearing. They also educate parents on the value of starting therapy early to help a child’s language and social skills flourish.

  1. Implementing programs to correct speech disorders

The program is implemented based on the child’s baseline level of development in terms of speech and language abilities, as well as mental and physical growth. Since speech is innate and mostly automatic, gradually increasing the difficulty of his therapy sessions will help him build a solid foundation for his future communication skills. Patience and practice are essential in the field of speech therapy. Some children begin to show improvement in as little as a week, while others may take several months.

  1. Giving parents access to at-home speech therapy exercises

Children see their speech therapists once a week for an average of two hours (this varies by treatment plan), but they remain in their parents’ care around the clock. The speech therapist’s job is to educate the parents on how they can help their child with speech and language therapy at home through activities like reading aloud, talking openly, and singing songs.

  1. Keep an eye on the patient and see where things stand

An IEP (individual education plan) is a document used by speech therapists to track and report student progress to families. A competent speech therapist would routinely seek the parents’ opinions and comments. Once the therapy’s goals have been accomplished, the therapist will begin winding down the sessions.

Conclusion

About 2% to 3% of all students in elementary through high school have some form of language or speech disorder. They have the potential to hinder the kid’s verbal and nonverbal communication skills. In order to help your child communicate more clearly, speech therapy is recommended. Speech therapists work with kids to improve their communication skills.

The speech therapists at Total Speech Therapy evaluate each child on an individual basis to determine the nature and severity of any issues impacting the child’s communication skills. They also collaborate closely with parents and other caretakers of kids who have or are at risk for speech disorders.

We are committed to offering mental health and therapeutic services that are of the highest possible quality and are supported by solid, empirical data. Our consultants work hand in hand to design a program that is focused on children and encourages their growing skills and abilities. We feel strongly that no child should be denied access to quality therapy because of financial or logistical considerations. To browse our available therapists and schedule an appointment, please call us at 410-696-3301 or send an email to yasminah@totalspeechtherapy.com.

It can be frightening and overwhelming to learn that your child has autism. However, the diagnosis is just a starting point; there are many different therapy options available depending on your child’s unique needs. Over the past few decades, more research has been done on autism, and while there is still no known cure, there are a variety of evidence-based tools for treating its symptoms.

Early detection is essential because, according to research, earlier intervention usually yields better outcomes. Since autism is a spectrum disorder, every person who has it will experience it differently. Your doctor may include any of these therapies—or a combination of them—in the treatment plan they design for your family to help your child develop a range of crucial life skills.

Behavioral Therapy

Behavioral therapy has a long history of success in treating the difficult behaviors associated with autism, particularly when it is given to children at a young age. The goal of applied behavior analysis is to teach your child more effective ways to express themselves by viewing their behavior as a form of communication. For instance, if your child rushes out of the classroom at school, she might be signaling that she needs a break. A behavior therapist can identify the underlying causes of challenging behaviors and show your child more effective ways to express her needs, such as signaling for a break rather than fleeing. To ensure that your therapist is employing techniques supported by research, ask if they are trained in applied behavior analysis.

Speech Therapy

Your child can address a range of communication-related problems, including word articulation, sentence construction, and listening abilities, by working with a speech therapist. A therapist may work with your child one-on-one or in a small group with peers who are developing similar skills, depending on your child’s individual needs. The focus of a session might be on comprehending verbal instructions, reacting to social cues, asking and responding to questions, or taking turns in a conversation. Your child can receive the precise instruction, feedback, and practice he needs to improve his communication skills in an intimate, regulated setting. Additionally, speech therapists can assist you in determining whether any assistive communication devices are a worthwhile investment.

Occupational Therapy

Your child gains more independence in daily living activities with the aid of occupational therapy. Sessions may concentrate on motor skills like gripping a pencil or improving body coordination, or on life skills like eating or getting dressed. Interactive exercises are used by occupational therapists to strengthen the abilities your child needs to become more independent.

Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)

The most popular form of therapy for autistic kids, ABA, uses techniques like positive reinforcement, meaningful rewards, and consequences to help kids with their social skills, language proficiency, and good behavior.

Some of the most common ABA goals are listed below:

  • Better social skills
  • Effective expressive and receptive communication
  • Improved hygiene and self-care
  • When playing with others, encourage cooperative behavior.
  • reducing unproductive behavior

ABA therapy is the most comprehensive program for autism intervention. In order to address issues like effective communication, skill imitation, cognitive abilities, self-regulation, recreational and interpersonal skills, behavioral management, and safety skills, ABA therapy is crucial for kids with autism.

Relationship Development Intervention (RDI)

This approach teaches autistic kids how to develop relationships with their parents and other family members. This family-based therapy includes elements of flexible thinking, social interaction, and psychology. Additionally, children must learn how to handle transitions, which can be particularly challenging. As part of the RDI program, parents receive training and act as their child’s primary therapist.

Play Therapy

When compared to play therapy for other illnesses, autism play therapy is unique. When it comes to autism therapy, therapists are much more prescriptive than they are when treating anxiety or other mental health issues. Children with autism are helped through play therapy to interact with others in a way that makes sense to them. For instance, autism has an impact on how kids interact with one another; a person with autism might focus mainly on one feature of a toy and rarely engage in pretend play.

A speech-language therapist can support children in engaging with others by assisting them in broadening their focus and approach. This kind of therapy can help a child expand their play beyond their own limited experiences and into a world of relationships and group activities. By pursuing their interests, kids can explore their surroundings, emotions, and relationships. If you are looking for a speech therapist near Baltimore, MD or Houston, TX, then Total Speech Therapy can help your kid with the best therapy in their own setting.

Sensory-Integration Therapy

This particular form of occupational therapy concentrates on the challenges many autistic children face when processing sounds, lights, textures, and other sense-related triggers. Through play-based activities, the sessions gradually increase your child’s tolerance to these anxiety-producing triggers. According to recent research, this technique may assist the brain in relearning how to react in a more controlled and positive way. According to one study, children who received sensory-integration therapy in addition to other ongoing therapies improved more than their peers who did not receive this component. Sensory-integration therapy may be a helpful, efficient way to tackle the problem head-on if your child has trouble with stimuli like the feel of food or the noise of a busy room.

Social Skills Therapy

You might choose to sign your child up for therapy sessions that concentrate on fostering and honing social skills. These groups are often led by speech therapists or autism specialists, and they provide a safe environment for children to learn and practice social skills. Children on the autism spectrum frequently require a little more guidance and feedback than typically developing children do in order to learn the unspoken rules of social interaction. Sessions give children explicit modeling and feedback, frequently through entertaining stories and programs, giving them enduring cues and reminders they can refer to as needed.

Autism is still not fully understood, but with early therapy, children can successfully develop the abilities and tools they need to thrive. A speech therapist can help direct you to the best treatment options for your family, regardless of the specific symptoms and behaviors displayed by your child.

Are you looking for a company to grow with, gain diverse office experience, and build a long-term career?

 

Together we can stand even stronger behind our mission to bring children and families first-class speech and language services. As industry leaders, we’ll continue to bring you unrivaled opportunities for professional and personal growth.

 

Total Speech Therapy is currently interviewing Speech Language Pathologists with at least two years of experience in servicing the Baltimore City and surrounding areas population.

 

Our team constantly raises the bar to excite, inspire, and connect to our patients as best as possible. Join our team today! Together we can continue to transform lives and make a difference.

 

Our SLPs now have access to even MORE:

  •   Opportunities to Grow
  •   Career Possibilities
  •   Support & Stability
  •   Job Security

 

Qualifications:

  •   Graduate from a Speech Pathology program
  •   Current license as a Speech Language Pathologist in MD
  •   At least two years of clinical experience

 

Benefits Made for You:

  •   Full health benefits
  •   Professional Development Opportunities
  •   Clinical Support
  •   Online resources, ASHA-approved webinars, therapy ideas, and free CEUs
  •   Referral bonuses for every new hire & more!

 

Feel free to call +1 410-696-3301 or email at yasminah@totalspeechtherapy.com. Or visit https://www.totalspeechtherapy.com/jobs/ to apply for your job.

 

There are different stages or methods for developing vocal abilities in young children, and there is no one-size-fits-all solution. When you look at other young children of similar ages, you can see the differences between them. Although this is not the best way to conclude your child’s vocal development because all children develop at their own pace, there are clear milestones you should keep in mind and monitor.

 

Even if the teacher has warned you about stuttering, letter inversion, or distorted words, don’t panic. Consider meeting with a speech-language therapist who can assist your child with specific difficulties.

 

My child struggles to communicate:

All of these bad reflexes, such as zoning, stammering, difficulty pronouncing certain letters (the R, for example) or sounds (the ch becomes s or j), and distorted words (the roar of “r” for a car), can be corrected in a few sessions. Often, it is the fact that he is still sucking his thumb or using a pacifier that is in question: the speech therapist will primarily recommend tongue positioning work in the form of games. If there is a language delay (limited vocabulary, difficulty constructing a sentence, etc.), the follow-up will take longer: the sooner you intervene, the better.

 

Their voice is hoarse:

Dysphonia, or persistent voice disorder, means your child may shout excessively or breathe incorrectly, straining their vocal cords. Speech therapy sessions can improve the child’s vocal quality and help improve their breath control and use of voice.

 

He has reading difficulties:

In kindergarten, we can see that he does not associate a letter with a sound. In first grade, he stumbles on the syllables, jumps or confuses the letters, mixes up similar words, deciphers with difficulty, and does not understand what he reads? The child may be experiencing dyslexia. There are techniques for treating this reading disorder and assisting the child in developing compensatory strategies. Many of them connect letters and sounds to shapes and images. Books and software can also help with learning. If other problems are present, a comprehensive follow-up with a psychomotor therapist and an occupational therapist is scheduled to avoid school failure.

 

Here are some indicators to help you see a little more clearly and identify if a visit to the speech therapist would benefit your little one. Consider your child’s age and whether the signs of difficulty listed below describe your child. If this is the case, it is strongly advised that you begin the process of meeting with a speech therapist.

 

At the age of 1:

  • Your child does not or only occasionally babbles
  • He does not express his needs through sounds or gestures
  • He doesn’t smile or pay attention to his parents when they interact with him
  • He does not respond to his name

 

At the age of 1½:

Your child does not use simple words

 

At the age of 2:

  • Your child does not mimic your words or games
  • Your child’s vocabulary is limited to a few simple words
  • He does not form a sentence.
  • Your child does not ask questions.
  • Does not comprehend basic instructions.

 

At the age of 3:

  • Your child creates sentences out of only two words
  • Your child is having difficulty naming pictures or making requests
  • He does not communicate with any adults other than his parents.
  • Your child is unable to tell a familiar story or hold a brief conversation
  • He struggles to answer the questions “who,” “what,” and “where.”

 

At the age of 4:

  • Your child only speaks in short sentences of 2-3 words
  • He struggles to answer “why” and “when” questions
  • Your child has difficulty understanding long instructions without assistance
  • He has trouble grasping spatial concepts (for example, on, up, down, in)
  • Strangers find it difficult to understand him

 

At the age of 5:

  • Your child has trouble pronouncing sounds
  • Your child’s sentences lack determinants or pronouns
  • Your child has difficulty matching words in sentences
  • When your child speaks, he stutters
  • Your child struggles to tell a story
  • He has difficulty responding to your questions

 

When your child exhibits some or all of the above symptoms at the specified age, you should consider booking an appointment with a speech-language therapist near you. If you stay somewhere near Baltimore or Houston, Total Speech Therapy can help you in a great way to improve the speech capabilities of your child through their professional speech therapy.

Bringing speech therapy to the home via teletherapy for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an excellent option to help the children develop their communication skills since most of their communication development occurs at home. Parents and caregivers are the primary facilitators of speech development for children, and their collaboration with a speech therapist produces optimal results because the child spends most of their time with the family and the training continues on an as-needed basis.

Speech-language pathologists can better guide parents with the appropriate activities to develop their children’s communication skills at home from early childhood to young adulthood.

 

The Role of a Speech Therapist at Home:

Parents are usually very busy, and getting to and from the center can be challenging. Total Speech Therapy, on the other hand, brings the necessary therapy to the patient’s home via teletherapy. Second, the child feels more comfortable at home and accepts treatment more easily. Finally, the parents become involved in the training process and carry on with the activities between therapy sessions. Using speech strategies at home during caregiving, playing, and other regular activities helps generalize what the child is learning in treatment.

Speech therapy does not require you to force your child to sit and learn; however, it requires a lot of time and patience on the part of the parents. When children perform activities such as playing, eating, walking, and bathing, it is an excellent opportunity to work on their communication, learning, and memory. Eventually, parents or caregivers can incorporate the therapy into more challenging tasks as the child progresses.

 

Speech Therapy Activities for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders:

The more you communicate with the child, the better the outcome. Begin with short communication sessions with the child and gradually increase their length, which can be accomplished by slowly introducing new routines and activities for the child throughout the day.

Each child’s speech therapy needs are unique. So, a speech-language therapist can develop a personalized training strategy and activities based on a family’s priorities and a child’s functional requirements.

Training at home allows parents and caregivers to learn how to best use daily activities as learning opportunities. However, communication strategies differ for children of different ages. Here are some tips to help you understand other methods:

 

#1. Speech Therapy for Children Aged 0 to 3 Years (Infants and Toddlers) 

The first thing parents can do for their children with autism is to encourage engagement and interaction rather than speech.

Parents should focus as much as possible on engagement, meaningful play, gestures, and interaction for infants and toddlers. Parents should be more animated while performing household tasks such as dressing, bathing, feeding, and playing with their children. Use animal noises and toys to attract their attention.

 

#2. Speech Therapy for Children Ages 3-5 (Preschoolers) 

Parents and caregivers of preschoolers with autism should start focusing on interactions with their children in places such as the playground, daycare, or preschool.

Use games and role-playing activities to help the child begin meaningful interactions.  Make picture cards for example, and encourage the child to match the pictures to the words.

 

#3. Speech Therapy for Children Age 6 to 12 (School Age) 

School-age children can continue interacting with their parents and improve nonverbal communication skills, such as understanding body language and facial expressions.

Use cartoons and drawings to help children express their emotions. During regular home activities, parents should act like their children’s friends and help them understand social skills and behaviors.

The speech-language specialists at Total Speech Therapy can significantly assist families and teachers in implementing various classroom strategies that increase students’ access to the curriculum and minimize the gap between their learning styles, abilities, and academic demands.

 

#4. Speech Therapy for Children Aged 12 and Up (Adolescents and Young Adults)

Transition planning requires extra effort from parents of adolescents and young adults with ASD. Work with a speech therapist to help them prepare for advanced academic, workplace, and community settings.

 

Training at home with an experienced speech therapist can result in better results for children of any age group. Total Speech Therapy is an excellent choice if you need a speech therapist in Baltimore or Houston to help improve your child’s communication and social skills. The practice has a team of dedicated, and compassionate professional speech and language therapists who provide therapy in schools, daycare centers, and home daycare centers. Contact Total Speech Therapy to assist you with your speech therapy needs!

Children develop different skills much faster during their first couple of years. Just in a matter of months, they learn to crawl, walk, talk, and even to socialize with others. Every passing month your child reaches a specific milestone, For example, a majority of babies begin to crawl between 6 to 10 months of age and by 16 months they can walk on their own.

The same is true when it comes to speech. By the age of 1, your child should say their first word and about 5 or more words by 18 months. If you find your child is unable to reach these targets, don’t panic. The pace of learning of each child is different. Some are quicker and some are comparatively slow. Your child may be slower than his or her peers in developing language skills. Be patient and try to communicate with the child as much as possible to develop the skill. If nothing works, then you can largely benefit from working with a speech therapist.

If your child is having difficulties with speech, language, swallowing, or cognition, come see us at Total Speech Therapy. We offer a welcoming and friendly environment for children that can help them develop the essential skills they need to lead a fulfilling life. Our expertise & unique approach to addressing a variety of issues related to speech will immensely help your child to learn quickly.

Support for speech and language: 

Speech therapy from an expert can help your child develop their speech and language skills. In some places though speech and language overlap, the two are slightly different when looked at at an acute level. Children may have difficulty either with speaking or language, or both that a speech therapist can ascertain and take the best approach to improve the child’s communication skills.

Working With Speech: 

Speech involves 3 things and they are articulation, voice, and fluency. A child needs all three aspects of speech to work together for effective verbal skills. Articulation skills help our lips, tongue, and mouth to move in a way to produce certain speech sounds. A child with a problem in this area may find it difficult to produce certain letters such as “r” or “th”. Voice is a function that uses breath and vocal folds to make sounds. It is not always necessary for your child to be loud, but they should be able to speak at an understandable volume. Fluency is also an important aspect of speech. Children struggling with fluency may stutter or stammer.

Working With Language:

Language is a skill that refers to the use of words and how they are being used to share your ideas. Language includes 4 aspects and that is speaking, understanding, reading, and writing. A child with a language disorder may have difficulties with one or more of these skills.

Let’s Understand Language:

Understanding the meaning of a word is important. Some words have more than one meaning and the same word can give different meanings depending on its use. A child lacking this ability will have trouble understanding what others say. It is called receptive language disorder while having problems sharing our thoughts, ideas, and feelings is called expressive language disorder.

When is it time to see a speech therapist?

As mentioned before, every child develops speech and language skills at their own pace. However, if you notice your child is not at all or grasping things very very slowly, it may be time to consult a speech therapist and plan speech therapy as soon as possible. Following are some of the aspects to evaluate your child:

  1. A child uses less than 20 words at 18 months and less than 50 words by age 2
  2. A child uses only a few sounds to pronounce all words
  3. A child is having trouble understanding simple sentences by age 2 
  4. A child speaks infrequently and doesn’t use appropriate social language
  5. A child speaks an unclear or immature speech

When a child shows one or more such behaviors mentioned above then it might be time to book an appointment with a speech therapist. If you’re concerned about any of these issues in your child then go for a quick assessment.

At Total Speech Therapy, our speech specialists provide one-on-one therapy that can help your child improve and master their speech and language skills. We are one of the leading speech and language therapy centers in Baltimore and Houston helping children alleviate any the conditions such as Autism, Developmental delays, Cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome, Dysphagia, etc. Visit Totalspeechtherapy.com for more information and call 410-696-3301 to book an appointment over the phone today.

Strokes and heart attacks are two different diagnoses. Although the terms seem ambiguous, let’s understand that any blockage in the blood flow to the heart defines the cause of a heart attack while any blockage in the blood flow to the brain causes a stroke. Both of these health emergencies need immediate action. But only having medical attention may not be sufficient enough for a patient to completely recover from a stroke. Specialized stroke therapy helps the patients to regain the possible speech, language, swallowing, or memory loss because of a stroke. One-on-one therapy sessions improve the quality of life of a patient in a much better, and faster way.

The severity and complexity of a stroke varies from person to person. So no two people need the same type of therapy. Depending upon the part/s of the body affected by the stroke, the rehabilitation program is selected. Different therapies such as daily speech, language, oral motor, or swallowing exercise, cognitive, diet modification, etc. are available for the patients. They may need one or multiple at a time depending on the impairment the stroke has brought to the patient. Out of the above, cognitive stroke therapy or dysphagia therapy (swallowing) may be a bit more complex and could require special care while imparting the therapy.

What does cognitive therapy include?

Cognitive ability refers to the mental ability that helps a person in thinking, planning, reasoning, problem solving, speaking, etc. Regaining mental ability is very much important after a stroke.

This process includes: 

1. Speech therapy to improve cognitive skills such as memory processing, reasoning, and social skills

2. Speech therapy to dissipate communication disorders such as speaking, listening, and comprehending

In addition to this, sometimes a patient may need psychological evaluation, counseling. Antidepressants may also be prescribed by doctors to improve the alertness level of stroke patients.

Stroke therapy should be started as quickly as possible for better outcomes. Once the medical risks are under control, the patient should be exposed to the prescribed therapy. There is no process available to calculate the time one needs to completely regain the lost skills. It depends on the severity of the stroke. Most often it lasts for a couple of months and some may need long-term therapy lasting for some years. As the patient improves,  the process changes.

Speech disorder is one of the major issues that impairs a person to communicate with the world outside and needs specialized care from professional Speech and language therapists. They help improve the language and the swallowing ability of a patient. So always do some good research before selecting a speech therapist.

Total Speech Therapy, a certified member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), has been providing individualized stroke therapy to adults in Baltimore and Houston. The multi-disciplinary approach to treatment plans and one-to-one sessions ensure the best outcomes.

Total Speech Therapy has a team of compassionate speech and language therapists delivering better care to stroke patients within their natural environments, even at their homes. Talk to a Speech-Language Therapist today, call 410-696-3301 or email yasminah@totalspeechtherapy.com and book a free consultation.

Living healthy has always been a priority for mankind. This is the reason why the health industry is consistently working to bring wonderful solutions to face all kinds of health challenges. Though the research and innovation process has never been stopped, it still has a long way to go to crack the mysteries of many diseases and develop potential solutions. Disorders like Autism still need mountains of research to improve the health of children and adults around the world living with the diagnosis. The exact reason why a child exhibits ASD is unknown but some of the research suggests that it is a combination of genetic, non-genetic, and environmental factors. It is a kind of neurological developmental disorder prevalent in children of 18 months or younger.

What are the symptoms of ASD?

When a baby grows its response to different things in the environment improves. But in the case of a child with autism spectrum disorder, it doesn’t happen in the way it should. ASD limits the ability of a child to communicate well with the world outside. A variety of symptoms can be seen in an autistic child. Here are some of the easily noticeable symptoms which indicate the parent to seek the help of a professional speech therapist:

  • Delayed speech, and communication skills
  • Avoid eye contact
  • Can’t respond to name even after 9 months
  • Getting upset about minor changes
  • Unusual response to sound, test, and smell
  • Making strange noises
  • Unusual mood swing, or reaction
  • Strange eating, and sleeping behavior
  • Hyperactive
  • Restricted movement skills

How is autism spectrum disorder treated?

To be very frank it is a challenge still to be addressed. So, as of now there is no such proven cure available to remedy ASD. However, some therapists such as speech and language therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, occupational therapy, nutritional therapy, and even daily exercises do a lot to dissipate the symptoms of ASD. Routines including the multiple therapy suggestions listed above along with developing a routine, daily exercise, and curating positive habits as children grow into adulthood may help those diagnosed with ASD lead a fairly normal life, depending on the severity. No two cases are alike so some may need individualized care more than others. Parents, getting advice and consultation from medical professionals will always be our advice to you because some unconventional methods, if not done correctly for your child’s needs, may create trauma for your child and hinder their overall potential growth and development.

Very often it is difficult to identify ASD only from the appearance but may have a significant impact on a person’s speech, and activity. This makes speech and language therapy an important treatment option. Please do some research to make sure you get an experienced speech therapist for your child to see effective results. Total Speech Therapy with a team of professional autism therapists in Baltimore providing the best care to people suffering from ASD. The one-on-one therapy sessions in conjunction Awith a multi-disciplinary approach to treatment plans have brought a lot of honors, and awards for them. Total Speech Therapy is an autism therapy center in Maryland that strives to provide children help with their speech and language development in their very own educational (childcare centers, special programs, etc) and home environments (depending on COVID-19 company restrictions). Call 410-696-3301 or email yasminah@totalspeechtherapy.com to talk to a Speech-Language Therapist and book a free consultation.

Total Speech Therapy is proud to announce and reveal to the whole world its new office at Houston, Texas. A Speech and Language Therapy practice has been relentlessly devoted to providing the best possible care and results for people who suffer from speech, language, cognitive or swallowing disorders.

Communication is the process by which people exchange information. Language is the process by which thoughts, feelings, and emotions are generated using a recognizable verbal or written system. It includes both receptive and expressive skills. During the rehabilitation process, the SLP, along with other members of the multidisciplinary team, provide quality care to help the patient reach his or her fullest physical, psychological, social, vocational, and educational potential.

Our expertise & unique approach to address a variety of causes that contribute to difficulties with speech, language, swallowing or cognition, makes us highly effective. Whether you’re at home, in adult living centers, the hospital or at schools/daycare facilities, we ensure the best possible care & results to help you reconnect with the world and with this we are proud to announce the opening of the new office in Houston to make accessibility easier. We offer individualized, comprehensive, high quality outpatient speech therapy services in Baltimore and Houston and nearby areas.

Our goal of speech, language, and cognitive-based therapy is to improve communicative effectiveness, efficiency, and naturalness. We make use of a few verified therapeutic approaches; which can be used to achieve these goals. The first is to restore lost function. This effort aims to reduce impairment and targets deficits directly. Achieving success with this approach depends on the etiology and course of the disease, as well as the type and severity of the disorder. The second approach is to promote compensatory abilities and the use of residual function. Compensation can take many forms; for example, a patient might be instructed in speech-enhancing strategies or the use of augmentative devices or alternative means of communication (gestures, functional communication board, etc). A third approach encompasses strategies to reduce a patient’s need for lost function by modifying the environment and facilitating more effective speaker–listener interactions. Through education and counseling, SLPs also help patients and their families adjust and cope.

If your child or loved one is having difficulty with communication or needs speech therapy please do not hesitate to talk to a speech-language therapist in the nearby areas.

To find a high quality speech-language pathologist, select Total Speech Therapy in Baltimore, or Total Speech Therapy in Houston, where you can better diagnose the condition of your child, yourself or an adult loved one to get better speech therapy solutions. You can either drop an email at yasminah@totalspeechtherapy.com or even call us at 410-696-3301 for personalized suggestions.