Manage Your Speech Disorder with Speech Therapy
Adult speech disorders are common and can manifest in a variety of ways, such as stuttering, dysphagia, dysarthria (a problem with speech motor control), voice issues, and articulation difficulties. Speech disabilities and impairments can cause more than just difficulty speaking clearly; they can also cause a person to be unwilling to communicate or even lead to emotional withdrawal. Swallowing and drinking problems can be severe as well.
Luckily speech therapy can help many adults improve their speech and communication skills. This encourages the individual to communicate, boosting morale and their sense of purpose in life.
If you have been living with a speech disorder, do not wait any longer to schedule an appointment with our physical therapist. We will make it possible for you to communicate freely again! Request your appointment with GTS Speech Therapy in Mountain Home, AR.
How Can A Speech Therapist Help Me?
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) help people improve their speaking and listening skills, increase the loudness or quality of their voice, eat and drink more comfortably, and retrain cognitive skills such as memory and word-finding.
The muscles of the tongue and throat, like those of the body, require strengthening and coordination in order to speak properly. To help with a variety of speech/language issues, our speech therapists employ a combination of neurological and speech exercises. They can easily identify any issues and then provide the appropriate therapies to address them.
SLPs work with people of all ages, from babies to adults. SLPs treat many types of communication and swallowing problems. These include problems with:
- Speech sounds—how we say sounds and put sounds together into words. Other words for these problems are articulation or phonological disorders, apraxia of speech, or dysarthria.
- Language—how well we understand what we hear or read and how we use words to tell others what we are thinking. In adults this problem may be called aphasia.
- Literacy—how well we read and write. People with speech and language disorders may also have trouble reading, spelling, and writing.
- Social communication—how well we follow rules, like taking turns, how to talk to different people, or how close to stand to someone when talking. This is also called pragmatics.
- Voice—how our voices sound. We may sound hoarse, lose our voices easily, talk too loudly or through our noses, or be unable to make sounds.
- Fluency—also called stuttering, is how well speech flows. Someone who stutters may repeat sounds, like t-t-t-table, use “um” or “uh,” or pause a lot when talking. Many young children will go through a time when they stutter, but most outgrow it.
- Cognitive-communication—how well our minds work. Problems may involve memory, attention, problem solving, organization, and other thinking skills.
- Feeding and swallowing—how well we suck, chew, and swallow food and liquid. A swallowing disorder may lead to poor nutrition, weight loss, and other health problems. This is also called dysphagia.
How Can I Tell If I Am In Need Of Speech Therapy?
Sometimes it is not always crystal clear that you should see a speech therapist. However, if someone is having any of the following difficulties they should seek the aid of a speech therapist at GTS Speech Therapy in Mountain Home, AR.
Here are a few areas Speech Therapy focuses on:
- Muscle weakness or rigidity
- Difficulty understanding written and spoken language
- Changes in memory, attention, orientation
- Any chewing/swallowing difficulties or changes
- Difficulty expressing thoughts or identifying common objects or people
- Changes in the quality of voice
At GTS Speech Therapy, we offer private speech therapy sessions to our clients. Our purpose is to enable a person to improve their communication skills following an injury or illness.
There is no reason to fear when it comes to therapy. In our clinic, there is no judgment, and each of our patients is given the utmost care and attention. Our speech therapist is here to help you and guide your journey to feeling better.
Speech Therapy in Mountain Home, Arkansas
North Arkansas Therapy Services is now GTS Speech Therapy. Founded in 2020 to meet the need for adult outpatient speech therapy in Mountain Home, our team provides speech-language care for adults dealing with voice, swallowing, language, and cognitive-communication difficulties.
Our speech-language pathologists treat voice and swallowing disorders, and work on language, short-term memory, and problem-solving skills.
In-Office Swallow Evaluation (FEES)
We perform Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) in our office. FEES uses a flexible endoscope with a small camera to assess how you swallow. It requires no barium and no radiation, unlike a Modified Barium Swallow Study.
Meet Our Speech-Language Pathologists
Casey Drennin, MCD, CCC-SLP
Casey is a speech-pathologist and endoscopist. She is certified in LSVT LOUD, the Ampcare Swallow Protocol, and Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing, and focuses on voice and swallowing disorders.
Kaytlin Avery, MCD, CCC-SLP
Kaytlin is a speech-pathologist certified in the Ampcare Swallow Protocol. She treats voice and swallowing disorders, cognitive impairments, and receptive and expressive language difficulties.
Mollie Breckenridge, MCD, CFY-SLP
Mollie is a speech-pathologist certified in SPEAK OUT! and the Ampcare Swallow Protocol. She treats swallowing, voice, receptive and expressive language, and cognitive disorders.
Speech Therapy FAQs
We work with all major insurance plans across all of our therapy services.
Coverage varies. Some commercial plans limit the number of visits, while Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans generally have no set limit and cover therapy when it is medically necessary. We verify your benefits before treatment and give you a detailed coverage report.
Sessions are usually about an hour, though the length depends on your individual needs.
There is no fixed length of time. It depends on your needs and goals, with the aim of improving your independence.
Call our office. We will collect some basic information and handle the next steps, including getting approval from your primary care physician and scheduling your first appointment.
Contact GTS Speech Therapy To Schedule Your Appointment
You can be confident that your therapist is a trained professional who will work with you to develop proper speaking, swallowing, and feeding skills, as well as improve your voice quality. For more information on speech therapy, make an appointment with our speech therapists at GTS Speech Therapy!
Your Next Steps…
Request An Appointment
Receive A Custom Treatment Plan
Work Hard and Progress In Your Recovery
Recover & Enjoy Life Pain-Free!