When we know better we do better

At Wildlings Speech Therapy we believe in an individualized assessment and treatment plan which may include referrals to outside professionals. Services are offered in the clinic, school, or daycare setting. These services are offered by a speech-language pathologist or a communicative disorder assistant/ speech-language assistant.

Our approach

We are excited to offer services that improve breathing, feeding and speech. We love Early Intervention which allows families gain knowledge and establish confidence from the start! We strongly believe in educating families about oral structures and their functions (because they do so much for our whole body!!)

What are Oralfacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMD)?

An OMD includes one or more of the following: abnormal labial-lingual posture, bruxism (teeth grinding), poor nasal breathing, tongue protrusion while swallowing, poor mastication, and bolus management, atypical oral placement for speech, lip incompetence, and/or digit habits and sucking habits (such as nail biting). These conditions can co-occur with speech misarticulations. In these instances, the articulation disorder is not developmental or phonological in nature, but rather a results of poor oral placement and inapproparite muscle development. OMD may reflect the interplace of functional behavious, physical/structural variables, genetic, and enviornmental factors. (Billings et al., 2018, p. 1; Doshi & Bhad-Patil 2011; Hanson &Mason, 2003).

Area’s Targeted in Intervention may Include One or More of the Following:

FEEDING AND SWALLOWING:

  • Aerophagia (excessive swallowing of air while feeding)

  • Deficits in oral motor development such as not integrating the rooting reflex or failure to develop a rotary chew

  • Difficulties with oral preparation or oral transit including tongue thrust swallow, poor or inefficient chewing, messy eating, and/or audible eating

  • Difficulty nursing (coordination with suck, swallow and breathing, latch issues, and failure to thrive).

  • Difficulty transitioning from breast/bottle to straw/cup

  • Difficulty transitioning to pureed and/or solid foods

  • Gagging/vomiting before or after meals

  • Immature or disordered swallowing patterns

  • Inadequate mastication

  • Picky eating habits

  • Prolonged hard-spout sippy cup usage

  • Prolonged sucking habits

  • Self-limited diet

  • Tongue protrusion past the lower lip during feeds

ORAL HABITS:

  • Bruxism (teeth grinding)

  • Daytime breathing habits including open mouth posture and audible breathing

  • Excessive mouthing of objects

  • Low jaw posture

  • Nail biting

  • Open mouth posture at rest

  • Prolonged non-nutritive sucking habits (i.e., thumb sucking, soother use)

  • Tongue protrusion past the lower lip at rest

  • Tongue suckling/sucking

SPEECH SOUNDS:

  • Atypical speech sound elicitations with abnormal lingual dental articulatory placement for /t, d, l, n/ due to low forward tongue position, ankyloglossia and/or atypical swallowing

  • Challenges with palatal sounds which require back tongue side spread such as /ʧ, ʤ, ʃ, ʓ, r/ secondary to ankyloglossia, high vaulted palate, hypotonia or inability to stabilize the tongue blade with elongation of the lateral margins of the tongue

  • Distorted productions of /s, z/ often with an interdental or lateral lisp correlated with a tongue thrust swallowing pattern and/or ankyloglossia

  • Fronted velar phonemes /k, g/ due to ankyloglossia, low forward tongue carriage and/or weakness with lingual retraction

  • Hyper- or Hypo- nasal speech x Lateralized air emission on all fricative and affricative phonemes

  • Poor overall intelligibility

  • Weakness for bilabials and labiodentals due to inadequate lip closure, open mouth posture, lip tie and /or labial insufficiency



    Adapted and expanded from Robyn Merkel-Walsh (2020) paper.

Head over to our ‘Resources’ for additional reading.

Our rates

Speech Assessment

Completed by a certified Speech-Language Pathologist

Approximately 45 mins to an 75 mins in length | $400 | Includes Assessment time, Report, Overhead fees.

Infants 0-11 months are offered a reduced rate to ensure timely care is available for feeding needs. Please see ‘Services’ for more information.

Speech Therapy

By Speech-Language Pathologist

Virtual or in-person, this time will be spent working towards your individualized goals.

30 mins Virtual or in Office| $110.00 | Includes Documentation

45 mins Virtual or in Office | $ 140.00 | Includes Documentation

30 mins Community | $150 | Includes Documentation, Travel, Communication with family and community partners

45 mins Community | $165 | Includes Documentation, Travel, Communication with family and community partners.

Please check ‘Services’ for additional prices for specialized types of therapy.

Speech Therapy Speech-Language Assistant

Services offered in child’s daycare or school with communicative disorder assistant/ speech language assistant. Fees include services, travel and documentation time. In addition, the SLP reviews all documentation, goals, and involvement with parent/community partners.

30 mins | $130 |

45 mins | $150 |

Upcoming Conferences

Please check back.

Check your insurance.

Covered by most well known insurance companies! We offer receipts following services and then you are required to submit to your insurance company.

Get started with Wildlings Speech Therapy, today.