Welcome!
I'm so glad you're here.
I created The Nook to meet the need for a speech therapy practice with a dedicated focus on early language delays and disorders impacting clarity of speech. I believe this narrowed scope of specialization allows for higher quality, evidence-based care for each of my clients. My goal is always to provide individualized care that allows each child to communicate to the best of their ability.
If your child has difficulty communicating or struggles with the pronunciation of certain sounds, you can reach me by email or text message. Let's work together to give your child the communication skills they need to thrive!
Speech Sound Disorders
A speech sound disorder refers to when a child has difficulty producing certain sounds or sound patterns. This may involve substituting one sound for another, leaving sounds out of words, or distorting the way sounds are produced. Depending on the type of error(s), the disorder may be further categorized as an “articulation” disorder or a “phonological” disorder.
Some signs your child may have a speech sound disorder and need an assessment include:
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Omitting or substituting sounds - for example, saying "tootie" instead of "cookie"
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Distorting sounds – such as a “slushy” s or sh sound
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Struggling with sound patterns and combinations - like "sp", "tr", "dr" sounds
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Being difficult to understand or others commenting they can't understand your child's speech
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A formal speech evaluation can help determine if your child needs therapy in order to improve their clarity of speech. Early intervention is important to help your child communicate clearly.
Childhood Apraxia of Speech
Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult for children to plan out and correctly produce the precise mouth and tongue movements necessary for intelligible speech. Children with CAS know what they want to say, but struggle to coordinate their articulators to form words.
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Signs that your child may have CAS and should receive a professional evaluation include:
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Limited speech or speech that is difficult to understand
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Difficulty combining sounds into syllables and words (the longer the word, the more difficulty)
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Inconsistent speech errors and trouble imitating words
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Frequent vowel errors
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Each child presents differently, so all of these characteristics may or may not be present. I provide formal evaluation for CAS and other speech disorders using standardized assessments. Early diagnosis and tailored treatment is key to helping children with CAS improve their speech.
Early Language Delay
An early language delay refers to when a child's language skills are developing slower than expected for their age. This can affect both receptive language (understanding of others) and expressive language (the way they communicate to others). Children with early language delay may have difficulty following directions or expressing their wants and needs.
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Signs that your child may have an early language delay and should receive a professional evaluation include:
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Limited vocabulary for their age
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Difficulty following simple directions or understanding questions
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Showing frustration when trying to communicate
Many toddlers with early language delays just need a little extra support to make significant progress in their language skills. Early identification and intervention are crucial for supporting language development and preventing potential academic difficulties later in life. While some children do naturally catch up to their peers, professional guidance can accelerate this process and address any underlying factors contributing to the delay.