Speech Therapy

Speak Effectively With Our Therapy

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Lisa Reid is a speech-language pathologist

Practicing in Summerfield and Ocala, Florida. She received her Masters from Adelphi University in Garden City, New York. She is licensed in Florida as a speech-language pathologist. She holds her Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American Speech Hearing Association (ASHA). Lisa provides each individual with a specific treatment approach based on their strengths, needs and unique abilities to increase progress during therapy. She possesses extensive clinical experience working with preschool and school aged children as well as adults in the following areas:

Cognitive Disorders

Cognitive disorders are conditions that cause individuals to have difficulty thinking. Cognitive dysfunction can be attributed to injury (Traumatic Brain injury, stroke, concussion), a neurological disorder (Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease, ALS) or a part of normal aging. Speech therapy can help individuals improve cognitive skills such as vocabulary, sentence formulation, memory, word finding, sequencing and processing speed necessary to fully participate in activities of daily living.

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Swallowing Disorders

Dysphagia or difficulty swallowing can occur in children and adults. Dysphagia may be caused by acid reflux, stroke, vocal fold paralysis, cancer or surgery to the head, neck or esophagus or progressive neurological disorder. Many swallowing disorders may be helped by swallowing therapy. A speech pathologist can provide patients with diet modifications, exercises to help strengthen and coordinate the swallowing muscles, and Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (Vital Stim) to stimulate the muscles responsible for safe swallowing. Our speech therapist is a certified VitalStim Therapy provider.

Adult Speech and Voice Disorders

Patients with a speech disorder are unable to produce speech sounds correctly and clearly. Adults may experience difficulties due to brain damage or neurologic disease. Patients may have apraxia and experience difficulty sequencing sounds, syllables or words; or dysarthria which occurs when muscles of the face, mouth and respiratory system are weakened or slow moving. Patients with speech disorders may exhibit slurred speech, slow rate of speech, reduced vocal volume, rapid rate of speech or mumbling. Patients may also experience changed or altered vocal quality including hoarseness, breathiness, vocal fold paralysis or laryngitis due to illness or vocal abuse. Treatment can help patients reduce vocal misuse, increase vocal hygiene and improve vocal quality.

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LSVT LOUD

Our speech therapist is certified and experienced in the delivery of the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT LOUD) which is highly effective in improving the voice quality, vocal volume and speech intelligibility for patients with Parkinson’s Disease and associated neurological disorders.

Aphasia

Aphasia is a language disorder caused by damage to a specific area of the brain due to stroke, head injury or brain tumor. Symptoms can vary based on the type of aphasia and area of the brain affected. Patients can experience difficulty with speech fluency, language comprehension and object naming. The goal of speech-language therapy is to improve the patient’s ability to communicate for functional independence, safety and quality of life.

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Augmentative and Alternative Communication Device (AAC)

Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) includes forms of communication other than oral speech. People with severe speech or language problems may rely on AAC to supplement or replace speech that is not functional. AAC aids may include low tech solutions such as picture and symbol books or boards or high tech electronic devices that produce voice output (speech generating devices or SGD’s). AAC can help patients integrate into their environment, decrease frustration and increase feelings of self-worth.

Stuttering

Stuttering is a speech disorder in which the normal flow of speech is disrupted. The patient’s speech may include repeated or prolonged sounds, syllables or words. They may also exhibit struggling behaviors such as rapid eye blinks, muscle tension or decreased eye contact. Stuttering can make it difficult to communicate with others and may decrease a person’s quality of life. The goal of speech therapy is to help the patient implement strategies to change motor speech patterns as well as perceptions and attitudes which are interfering with their ability to speak fluently.

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Articulation (Speech) Disorder

Children with a speech (articulation) disorder lack the ability to correctly produce and use age-appropriate speech sounds because of imprecise placement, timing, speed and flow of movement of the lips, tongue and respiratory structures. Our speech therapist possesses specialized Level II training in Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets (PROMPT) which is a tactile-kinesthetic approach that uses touch cues to the articulators to help the patient develop motor control and proper oral muscular movements.

Expressive Language Disorder

Children with an expressive language disorder may understand spoken language but experience difficulty expressing their wants, needs and ideas.

Receptive Language Delay

Children with receptive language delays demonstrate difficulty understanding language. They may exhibit an inability to follow directions, sustain attention or follow details of a story.

Oral Motor

Children with oral motor deficits may have difficulty with chewing, sucking, swallowing or speech. They may exhibit drooling, flaccid facial appearance, open mouth posture at rest (mouth breathing), slurred speech and difficulty swallowing or using a straw.

Autism Spectrum Disorders

Our speech-language pathologist has extensive experience providing high-quality therapy to children with autism. She has worked closely with educators using various strategies including Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA), Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), Strategies for Teaching Based on Autism Research (STAR), Verbal Behavior Milestones Assessment and Placement Program (VB-MAPP) and Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) to increase progress during therapy.