Speech and Language Therapy

Myofunctional Problems and Tongue-Tie

Speech and Language Therapy

Pediatric Speech and Language Therapy focuses on receptive language, or the ability to understand words spoken to you, and expressive language, the ability to use words to express yourself. It also deals with the mechanics of producing words, such as articulation, pitch, fluency, and volume. For our children, it generally involves pursuing milestones that have been delayed. Some children only need help with language, others have more problems with the mechanics of speech, and some need both kinds of help. Our caring speech-language pathologists will work to find fun, sensory enhanced activities to strengthen your child's skills. For mechanics, this might involve exercises to strengthen the tongue and lips, such as blowing on whistles or licking up Cheerios. For language, this might involve games to stimulate word retrieval, comprehension or conversation.

Oral Motor/Feeding Therapy

Myofunctional Problems and Tongue-Tie

Speech and Language Therapy

Oral-Motor/Feeding Therapy helps the child to gain better awareness of and control over the muscles in their mouth. The ultimate goal is to facilitate clear speech production and safe feeding ability, as well as decrease drooling and stress on the teeth which may result in significant orthodontic problems down the road. Feeding therapy can help kids chew and swallow more skillfully, and thereby help picky eaters expand their range of accepted foods, and decrease stress on the whole family at mealtimes! The goal is to help the child be a healthier eater and a full participant in family and social mealtimes. Play-based desensitization techniques are often combined with oral-motor therapy to help picky eaters.

Myofunctional Problems and Tongue-Tie

Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) affect the functions and muscles of the mouth and face. OMDs can lead to a myriad of issues either directly or indirectly. From difficulty breastfeeding, stunted facial skeletal growth and development, problems chewing, swallowing difficulties, speech impediments, alignment of the teeth, temporomandibular joint movement/disorders, poor oral hygiene, stability of orthodontic treatment, facial aesthetics, and more. Many people mouth-breathe more than they should. As a result, the muscles and the orofacial functions tend to adapt to a disordered breathing pattern, which in turn creates many OMDs.

Myofunctional therapy helps by training the soft tissues of the face, neck, and mouth to function at the height of their ability. Myofunctional therapy can help enable one to enjoy eating, speaking, breathing, and even sleeping more soundly. Additionally, the cosmetic benefits can improve self-esteem.

Reference:

"14 Signs Baby Has Tongue Tie" https://www.theearlyweeks.com/14-signs-baby-has-a-tongue-tie/

PEDIATRIC SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS

Whitney Blankenship, M.Ed. CCC-SLP

Whitney has over 20 years of experience as a pediatric speech-language pathologist. She was born and raised in Atlanta,

Whitney has a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Disorders from the University of Georgia and a Master of Education in Speech-Language Pathology from Valdosta State University. She holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence. Whitney is licensed by the State of Georgia and certified by the American Speech Language Hearing Association.

Whitney's passion has always been working with children. She specializes in pediatric speech, language, feeding and swallowing disorders. She has worked with children diagnosed with developmental delays, autism, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, apraxia of speech, traumatic brain injury, oral myofunctional disorders, and language disorders. In addition, she has worked in adult neurology.

Whitney's work settings have included hospitals, rehabilitation centers, public and private schools, clinics and home health. She enjoys expanding her professional knowledge with continuing education courses related, not only to speech pathology, but also within other disciplines to better serve diverse client population.

Whitney believes in a positive child-centered approach, family education and evidence based practices.

Michelle Bank Levy M.Ed. CCC-SLP

Michelle is a speech-language pathologist focused on articulation and language disorders. Her pediatric experience includes working with preschool and school-age children in the home, clinic, and school setting for over 20 years. Michelle’s areas of focus are expressive and receptive language disorders, articulation disorders, auditory processing, ASD, apraxia, and oral motor development.

Michelle is licensed by the State of Georgia and certified by the American Speech Language Hearing Association. She received her Bachelor of Science and Education from the University of Georgia and her Masters Degree in Speech and Language Pathology from Georgia State University.

Michelle is P.R.O.M.P.T. trained and has completed training in Lindamood-Bell programs including the LiPS program and Visualizing and Verbalizing. She has also completed the comprehensive Orton Gillingham training. Michelle lives in Dunwoody with her husband Scott and their daughter Lauren.

Anna Marshall, MS, CCC-SLP

Anna Marshall is a dedicated Speech-Language Pathologist with experience in preschool, school, and private clinic settings. Anna is licensed by the State of Georgia and holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Anna completed her Bachelor's degree in Communication Disorders at Utah State University and earned her Master’s degree in Communication Disorders from East Carolina University.

Anna has worked with a variety of populations, including preschoolers, school-age children, and middle school students, addressing a range of communication disorders. These include articulation and phonological disorders, as well as conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder, Developmental Delays, Apraxia and Down Syndrome. She has sought extensive continuing education, completing trainings in DIR Floortime, Lindamood Bell's Visualizing and Verbalizing, and Orton-Gillingham.

Lindsay Medwed, MA CCC-SLP

Lindsay has experience in early intervention, school and private clinic settings. Lindsay is licensed by the State of Georgia and certified by the American Speech Language Hearing Association.

In addition to receiving her Bachelor's Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from The University of Florida, and her Masters of Arts in Speech-Language Pathology from The George Washington University.

Lindsay has experience with a variety of diagnoses including Autism Spectrum, Down Syndrome, developmental delay, Apraxia of Speech, Auditory Processing Disorders, articulation and phonological disorders. She has sought extensive continuing education studies including P.R.O.M.P.T. training, The Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing Program for Reading, Spelling and Speech (LiPS), Beckman Oral Motor, has become certified in the Interactive Metronome program, and has completed the comprehensive Orton Gillingham Training.

Jenny Olson, MS CCC-SLP

Jenny is a licensed Speech Language Pathologist who holds a Certificate of Clinical Competence through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. She has a BS degree in both Communication Disorders and Psychology, and received her Masters degree in Communication Disorders from Appalachian State University.

Jenny enjoys working with children of all ages, and provides evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of a wide range of speech, language and feeding disorders including Articulation, Phonological Process, Childhood Apraxia of Speech, Receptive and Expressive Language, and Pediatric Dysphagia (disorders of feeding and swallowing). She is PROMPT trained and experienced in working with children of all levels of the autism spectrum, and works closely with Occupational Therapists to apply sensory integration techniques as needed.

Annice Saunders, MSP, CCC-SLP

Annice is a speech-language pathologist who has experience working with toddlers, children, and adolescents addressing various communication needs, such as articulation disorders, expressive and receptive language disorders, apraxia of speech, hearing and vision impairments, Down syndrome, autism spectrum disorder, early childhood language delays, stuttering/fluency, traumatic brain injury, and pragmatics (social skills). Annice also specializes in pediatric feeding disorders and works with infants, toddlers, and children who have aversion/sensory feeding disorders, oral motor difficulties, and oral/pharyngeal dysphagia (feeding and swallowing disorders). She is trained in the Sequential Oral Sensory approach to feeding.

Annice is a licensed speech-language pathologist and has a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Language Hearing Association. She received her undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders from the University of Georgia and her Master of Speech Pathology from the University of South Carolina.