Should you set up services with a speech therapist in Englewood NJ? Many speech therapy clients are referred by their physician, educational professionals, or other rehabilitation specialists, but others are not sure if or when they should seek speech therapy. Here are five of the biggest signs that you should look for a speech therapist near you!
1. Your Child is Not Meeting Speech Milestones
When you visit your pediatrician, he or she should assess your child’s speech development. If you have other kids or a big family, you may be familiar with these age-based milestones, and may notice problems such as a child that does not speak by a certain age, or an elementary school student who still cannot speak clearly enough to be understood by strangers. If you have concerns, or during your regular well-child exams, make sure that your doctor is checking in on speech milestones. Early speech-language services help children to learn better, make more friends, and have better self-esteem!
2. Your Speech Has Declined Due to Injury or Illness
After an injury, such as a brain injury or stroke, or illness such as Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis, you may find that your speech has changed or declined. This can include anything from difficulty pronouncing certain words, to a stutter, to slowed speech that makes it hard for others to stay focused. Expert speech therapists have tools to help your regain your speaking ability. Don’t feel trapped in your own brain—find a speech-language pathologist to help you re-learn how to communicate.
3. You Struggle to Swallow
Swallowing isn’t speech, but wouldn’t it be weird if we referred to speech therapists as “mouth and tongue therapists?” Just like pronouncing words, your ability to swallow depends largely on how you use your mouth, tongue, and throat, making swallowing a lesser-known skill that expert speech therapists in Englewood NJ know well. From dry mouth to choking to biting your tongue, our speech therapists can help with it all, helping you to regain independence and enjoy your meals again.
4. You “Just Don’t Get It”
Speech isn’t all about the physical expression. Receptive language is your ability to understand what other people are saying when they communicate, and has a lot to do with memory, listening skills, and mental organization. If you find that you or a loved one just don’t understand what others are saying, speech therapy can help! Activities, memory games, and mental tools help to rebuild comprehension and improve functional communication.
5. You “Just Can’t Get the Words Out”
If you know what you want to say, but just can’t put the words together, or if others just can’t seem to get your point, you may have challenges with expressive language. You don’t need to leave your home in Englewood NJ for speech therapy—you can learn to express yourself more accurately right from your home!
Speech therapy can do so much more than just help you speak. Problems communicating clearly can make it feel like you are walking around with tape on your mouth, unable to express your needs or engage with your loved ones like you used to. Build or rebuild those skills and maximize your quality of life Speech therapists in Englewood NJ are waiting for your call, and are available for in-home rehabilitation services today!