Formerly known as SMILE Therapy for Kids Calgary
5970 Centre St S, Unit 100 Calgary, AB, T2H0C2
Speech-Language Pathology
What does a Speech Language Pathologist Do?
At Canadian Centre for Development, our Calgary Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist helps children with most aspects of communication and feeding. Being that communication can come in many forms, such as body language, eye gaze, vocalizations, language, sign language, written, AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) and other expressions, these are all areas that our SLPs explore with clients.
SLPs also look at oral motor skills and manners in which under-development may be limiting the child with eating, speaking, drooling, having proper mouth rest posture, and breathing.
Not sure which of our SLPs would be most fitting for your child and their challenges? If so, be sure to give us a call and we'd be happy to guide you in your decision.
The first appointment will allow us to learn all about your child and create a plan of action to get them to your/their goals.
Types of Communication Challenges:
At the Canadian Centre for Development we support all children whom are struggling with communicating their needs and wants. Most speech disorders fall into the following categories:
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Speech delays and disorders including articulation, phonology and motor speech disorders
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Language delays and disorders, including expression and comprehension in oral and non-verbal contexts
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Voice and resonance disorders
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Cognitive-communicative disorders including social communication skills, reasoning, problem solving and executive functions
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Pre-literacy and literacy skills including phonological awareness, decoding, reading comprehension and writing
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Neuromotor disorders that limit the child's ability to communicate orally
Conditions that we see at CCD are: Apraxia, Aphasia, Dysarthria, Hearing Disorders, Autism, Physical Disabilities, Late Talkers, Speech Delays, Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders, and others.
Oral Placement Therapy
Oral Placement Therapy (OPT) utilizes a combination of: (1) auditory stimulation, (2) visual stimulation and (3) tactile stimulation to the mouth. It is used to help children and individuals to improve speech clarity and feeding skills. OPT can be used with clients of many ages and ability levels. It can be incorporated into program plans for many types of speech disorders. Clients with motor and/or sensory impairments benefit from the tactile and proprioceptive components. We utilize some tools and tehniques
Orofacial Myology (or 'Oral Facial Myofunctional Therapy')
The assessment and treatment of the oral and facial muscles and how they affect speech clarity, chewing, collect a bolus, swallowing, dentition, proper mouth resting posture, mouth breathing, thumb or clothing sucking, tongue thrust, and others.
Augmented and Alternative Communication (AAC)
SLPs work closely with clients to assess their unique communication challenges, considering factors such as speech, language, and motor abilities. They then collaborate with individuals and their families to select appropriate AAC strategies and devices tailored to the individual's specific needs. SLPs provide training on the effective use of AAC systems, helping clients develop the skills to express themselves successfully.