Progressive Therapy Services, Inc. & Positive Progressions Therapy (in ND)

07/05/2022

Current research indicates that a child is born with 100 billion nerve cells which immediately begin making connections. This network of connections forms the basis of the child's ability to learn and grow. Stimulation such as reading, playing, cuddling, movement, and talking helps to form this network. While all children grow and change at their own rate, some children can experience delays in development. Sometimes this can be a cause for concern. Early intervention may -
1. Help answer your questions about your child's development.
2. Improve both developmental and educational growth.
3. Help children with developmental delays become more independent.
4. Help prevent the need for more costly intervention in the future.
5. Help communities become more aware of the gifts and abilities of all their children.
*We offer skilled speech-language services to ALL ages. Call 701-324-4192 to schedule a free consultation/screening or to learn more about our services.
*In-person and teletherapy available
*We accept ND and WY Medicaid, Medicare, BCBS, Private Pay

01/13/2020

TUESDAY'S TIP
Q: What does auditory processing disorder mean?
A: An auditory processing disorder is, in simple language, the inability to understand spoken language in a meaningful way in the absence of what is commonly considered a hearing loss.
Auditory processing problems can affect learning, particularly in areas like spelling and reading. They can also look similar to ADD/ADHD. It is important to identify problems early and help the child acquire adaptive strategies to compensate.

What you can do to help:
-Gain the child's attention before giving directions
-Speak slowly and clearly, but don't over-exaggerate speech
-Use simple, brief directions given in a logical, time ordered sequence
-Use words that make sequence clear, such as first, next, last
-Use visual aids and write/or use pictures to supplement spoken information
-Emphasize key words when speaking
-Pre-teach new information, emphasizing main ideas
-Check comprehension by asking questions or for a brief summary
-Paraphrase instructions in shorter and simpler sentences
-Encourage the child to ask questions for further clarification
-Make transitions clear
-Review previously learned information
-Recognize periods of fatigue and give breaks as necessary
-Avoid showing frustration when child misunderstands the message
-Avoid asking the child to listen and write at the same time
-For children with severe auditory processing problems, ask a friend to take notes, or ask the teacher to provide notes. Tape recording classes is another effective strategy.

If your child is a "poor" listener, frequently misunderstands speech, and has difficulty following directions, give us a call for a FREE consultation at 701-324-4192. We offer individualized, research based programs to help your child succeed!! We accept Medicaid, BCBS, and most private insurances.

01/06/2020

LONG TERM RECOVERY AFTER STROKE
Perhaps the most pervasive message that people with aphasia and their families have for others is to persevere, to never give up! Improvement from paralysis may indeed occur more rapidly than improvement in communication. In fact, speech and language change is slower. One of the most important points of information for people with aphasia is that change in communicaiton ability can continue beyond the first 3 to 6 months after the stroke. Speech-language pathology services are in many cases quite effective even when they occur some time after the early phases. Many speech-language pathologists have observed continued improvements in communication long past stroke.

Keeping the faith is active. In some cases, it might mean continuing to seek self-improvement in communication. In all cases, however, it means learning to live gracefully with aphasia. Aphasia is often a chronic problem, but it does not worsen, except when complicating medical conditions develop. Is there life after aphasia? YES!!! And there are hundreds of people who have been there and will testify to it!

For more information or for a FREE consultation, contact our certified speech-language pathologists at 701-324-4192.

*information from ASHA
*picture from visualphotos.com

07/22/2019

WE'RE MOVING!!! August 1st we will be in our new location - in Dr. Robb's clinic/building, on main street (Lincoln Ave) in Harvey, ND!!

05/28/2019

Great article!

Communication difficulties are often not limited to the realm of communication difficulties. Like cancer, they can spread and impact areas of life in entirely unexpected ways.

05/12/2019

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association Pediatrics, diagnoses of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) by trained professionals in children as young as 14 months are remarkably stable, suggesting that accurate screening and earlier treatment is feasible.

Growing evidence suggests ASD has its origins in prenatal life -- most likely during the first or second trimester of pregnancy -- and children begin to display symptoms of the condition by their first birthdays, such as failing to respond to their names or positively interact with others.

Early diagnosis of ASD means earlier intervention and improved therapeutic benefit. "The sooner you can address issues of ASD, the better the outcome for the child," said the study's first author, Karen Pierce, PhD, professor of neurosciences and co-director of the UC San Diego Autism Center of Excellence.

"Once a toddler is identified as ASD, there is an extremely low chance that he or she will test within typical levels at age three or four, so it's imperative that we use every effective tool as early as we can to begin treating diagnosed children to the benefit of them and their families over the long-term."

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/04/190429111803.htm

04/02/2019

"I was lucky to be surrounded by a supportive team of adults from almost the very beginning. Excellent educational intervention, which began at age two-and-a-half, was crucial for my success. The most important aspect of my early intervention was keeping my young brain 'connected to the world.' My typical day included speech therapy (FREQUENT THERAPY SESSIONS PER WEEK!!), three Miss Manners meals, and hours of turn-taking games with my nanny (WE DO THIS TOO!!).

I was non-verbal until age three-and-a-half, but even after that time, speech therapy was a very important part of my intervention. When adults spoke to me in a speedy, everyday manner, their words sounded like gibberish, so naturally I could not respond appropriately. All I heard were vowel sounds - consonant sounds dropped out. But when people spoke slowly, directly to me, I could understand what they were saying. My speech teacher carefully enunciated the hard consonant sounds in words such as 'cup' or 'hat' until I learned to listen for and eventually hear those types of sounds." - Temple Grandin, PH.D. (forward in 1001 Great Ideas for Teaching & Raising Children with Autism or Asperger's)

We offer free screenings and consultations. ND Medicaid covers 100% of evaluations and therapy sessions. It's never too early to give your child the help he/she needs!! 701-324-4192

03/28/2019

From a professional article in April's ASHA Leader:

"Speech-language pathologists are often the first point of professional contact for caregivers on the road to an autism diagnosis for their child. SLPs can use carefully cultivated strategies to ease delicate autism-related conversations and help caregivers see the diagnosis for themselves."

SLPs often see signs (regarding any speech-language difference, not just autism) that other professionals frequently miss. Another vital reason why children should be screened before the age of 2. Progressive Therapy Services, Inc. has a solid history of serving families with children of all ages, including birth to 6. We understand the importance of early intervention. More than anything, we want parents to advocate for their child's needs - from day 1. Know your options, get your child screened before the age of 2, get plugged into services asap (we happen to be early interventionists who don't require a ton of meetings or lengthy evaluations to get started), and never stop asking questions. We're here to help. 701-324-4192

03/26/2019

Early Intervention works - no matter the area of development: speech, language, play, interaction, feeding...

We offer free screenings for all ages. Evaluations and therapy sessions are covered 100% by those with ND Medicaid.

01/29/2019

Case Study. Parkinson's with LSVT.

Tom, a 70-year old retired male, referred himself to our office, after hearing that we offered LSVT for Parkinson’s. Tom was diagnosed with Parkinson’s 4 years prior to his initial evaluation with us. He stated that his speech was quiet and more difficult for others to understand. His wife could not understand him anymore either. He reported that he talked a lot less because of that. Tom was feeling frustrated that he had to frequently repeat himself and even then, his speech wasn’t always understood by others. Tom also reported that on occasion, he had difficulty swallowing liquids (“choking on them a bit”).

During the initial evaluation, Tom’s average volume (loudness) during conversation was less than 65 dB. After 4 weeks of consistent LSVT sessions, Tom’s average volume during conversation improved to 76 dB. He reported that he’s noticed a significant difference in his voice and speech. In fact, other people have commented on his improvement, as well. He is rarely asked to repeat himself, as his voice is not soft or “mumbled” anymore. Tom and his spouse reported that Tom is talking more again. He has regained confidence in speaking now that others understand what he is saying again. Also, since completing the LSVT program, Tom hasn’t had any issues with swallowing liquids (no more “choking”). Tom and his wife are extremely pleased with the outcome of therapy, even at 6- and 12-months post-treatment check-ups (remember Parkinson’s is regressive in nature).

Our therapists in Cody and Harvey are LSVT certified clinicians. We’d love to help you find your voice again. 701-324-4192

01/17/2019

David was 36 months old when his mother brought him in for a speech-language evaluation. He used many words and had much to say. However, only mom could understand him and some times even she didn’t know what he was saying. This made David feel pretty frustrated, sad, and anxious; so mom referred him to our clinic. David was given an articulation (speech sound) test. He had a score of 44 and was at the 2 year, 2-month age equivalence with his speech skills, almost 1 year behind. David’s parents wanted him to get all the help he could before he started school. They knew that difficulty with speech sounds could affect his reading, spelling, and of course his ability to communicate with friends and teachers. David’s parents and the speech-language pathologist (SLP) came up with a plan that would help David. David received speech-language therapy twice a week at the clinic and had homework during his non-therapy days. David and his parents worked hard and committed to showing up for therapy sessions. Less than a year and a half later, David was re-evaluated with the same assessment he was given on his first day. His score was now 120 (was 44) and his age equivalence went from 2 years, 2 months to 7 years, 8 months. David’s speech was understandable 100% of the time by not only his mother, but everyone else. David no longer felt frustrated. He entered preschool and kindergarten confident and set up for literacy, academic, and social success.

Private speech therapy and early intervention work!

01/16/2019

Top 5 Benefits of Private Speech Therapy

1. Immediate Action. Your child can get started without the lengthy wait and headache of all the red tape! An immediate therapy plan is made after the first visit.

2. Family Involvement. This piece of the puzzle is crucial for progress. Caregivers are involved in treatment and/or a recap of each session is given while providing necessary strategies and practices to target during the week. A common problem with school-based services is the lack of parent communication (usually 1-3x/year).

3. Faster Progress. Most children make faster progress in private practice. Clients are seen for highly individualized sessions, rarely in groups. Plans, goals, and frequency of therapy sessions are easily adjusted to focus on meeting objectives.

4. Individualized sessions. Private therapy sessions are not limited to 15-30 minutes with 3 to 4 other children attending sessions. All the therapist's attention is on ONE client at a time.

5. Truly Individualized Treatment Plans. Without the red tape that comes with schools and large clinics, truly individualized treatment plans are based ONLY on client's (family's) needs, not on general benchmarks or clinician's schedule. Goals are updated as progress dictates, not just one time a year.

If your child is covered by Medicaid, speech therapy sessions are covered 100%. If your child has private insurance, most therapies are covered. We can help you find out what your child's benefits are, so he/she can get started - 701-324-4192.