Everyone has unique needs and we understand that the best outcomes are achieved when goals are worked on in collaboration with individuals, their families and significant others to fully understand and address concerns.
At Speechworx, we work to improve function and independence through meaningful and fun activities. We work with individuals with various conditions and functional levels, from those who are non-verbal, right through to verbal communicators. Therapy is targeted to the individual and may include a combination of techniques. The Speechworx team have specialist skills in all aspects of speech pathology to individuals with a disability. However, the primary focus of assessment and intervention at Speechworx is:
– Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) to increase an individual’s independence with communication
– Swallowing and Feeding Management (including those who have alternate feeding regimes).
Augmentative and Alternative Communication
AAC provides communication strategies, techniques, and interventions for people with a range of communication needs. The term ‘augmentative’ means supplemental or additional to speech. Augmentative techniques (e.g. gestures, facial expressions, and items of reference) are commonly used when communicating and interacting with others. The use of the term ‘alternative’ acknowledges that there are some individuals whose speech is sufficiently impaired that they must rely completely on strategies, systems, and techniques which do not augment but are alternatives to speech. An AAC system is an integrated group of components used to enhance communication, including the use of aided or unaided forms of AAC and communication strategies, including:
– Aided AAC: is where an external item is used to aid communication (e.g. object symbols, communication boards, books, key-ring mini-cards, wallets, speech generating device, computer, mobile phone, or tablet). Aided AAC is often divided into high technology and low / light technology systems
– Unaided AAC: refers to communication techniques that do not require the use of an external aid. Instead, unaided AAC involves use of whatever is available to the person, generally involving their own body. Unaided AAC includes signing, or the use of eye gaze, facial expression, body language and gestures, which have been formalised through training of communication partners to consistently associate them with specific meanings.
Mealtime Management
Swallowing disorders, also called dysphagia (dis-FAY-juh), can occur at different stages in the swallowing process. For a variety of reasons babies, children and adults can have problems with feeding and eating at mealtimes. Individuals with feeding and swallowing problems can present with a wide variety of symptoms. Not all signs and symptoms are present in every case. The following can be signs and symptoms of feeding and swallowing problems:
– problems with sucking and swallowing
– refusing the bottle / breast
– difficulty breastfeeding
– arching or stiffening of the body during feeding
– irritability or lack of alertness during feeding
– refusing food or liquid
– failure to accept different textures of food (e.g., only pureed foods or crunchy cereals)
– long feeding times (e.g., more than 30 minutes)
– difficulty chewing
– food refusal or only accepts limited types of foods
– coughing or gagging during meals
– excessive drooling or food/liquid coming out of the mouth or nose
– difficulty coordinating breathing with eating and drinking
– increased stuffiness during meals
– gurgling, hoarse, or breathy voice quality
– frequent regurgitation or vomiting.
Some risk factors for people with swallowing issues can include:
– dehydration or poor nutrition
– aspiration (food or liquid entering the airway) or penetration
– pneumonia or repeated upper respiratory infections that can lead to chronic lung disease
– embarrassment or isolation in social situations involving eating
– weight loss, difficulty with weight gain or growth.