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!

https://globalteletherapy.com/can-speech-therapy-prevent-mental-health-problems/

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.

01/14/2019

5 SIGNS THAT YOUR CHILD MAY NEED SPEECH THERAPY (A mom's point of view, from Blessed Beyond a Doubt)

"Being a parent of many children, I have experienced a child that needed speech therapy in his younger years. He is now 14 years old and shows no signs of ever having a speech impediment.

When my child was around two years old, I started doing some research about some red flags to look for to determine early signs of a possible speech impediment. I know as parents, we want to what’s best for our child and any signs that your child may be developmentally delayed in any way can be worrisome.

However, with all the research and resources available today, there are many solutions that will aid your child in being developmentally up to par for his age. It might take time and effort on your part, but I know you would not be reading this post if you didn’t want what’s best for your child.

Of course, these signs are just suggested red flags, but it can point you in the right direction if needed.

1. Your baby only makes a few sounds between the ages of 7-12 months. Your child mostly just points to communicate his needs.
2. Your child doesn’t communicate or play with others in a social setting after the age of 18 months with peers their own age.
3. You or others have a hard time understanding what your child is saying at the ages of 18 – 2 years.
4. Your child hasn’t started to combine two or more words to make sentences at the age of two.
5. Your child struggles to make easy sounds or words after the age of 2 1/2.

Please keep in mind that these are just signs to look for and you will need to have your child evaluated by a professional. I was able to take my child to the public school for speech therapy even though we chose to home school. My child required speech therapy for 3 years. He absolutely loved it. It was a win, win for everyone. The speech therapist provided homework for us to practice daily. It was all fun and games for him.

And this mama was relieved that her son was excelling in his speech.

I hope these signs encourage you that there is help out there for your child with many solutions if they need speech therapy. My child started speech therapy when he was 3 years old."

Positive Progressions Therapy in Harvey offers free screenings to children of all ages. Call 701-324-4192 to schedule. If it is determined that your child's speech, language, or play skills do need a boost, Medicaid covers 100% of speech therapy sessions, most BCBS policies cover 80%. We can help you determine what your policy covers.

01/02/2019

For Parents, Teachers, and Professionals: 10 Red Flags for Language Delays

1) Filler words like “thing” and “stuff.” Every member said this was a big one to watch out for. We often hear this when a student is describing something or trying to tell you about something and they can’t find the right word. “I can’t find my thing.” These can indicate limited or weak vocabulary and/or word-finding issues.

2) One of my biggest red flags and also mentioned by Ashley from AGB Speech Therapy is incorrect verb tenses and incorrect subject/object pronoun usage. “Her is going to the playground.” “I runned fast.”

3) Collette from Alberta Speechie mentioned students not being about to follow classroom routine and directions. Specifically if the directions are given orally and during noisy environments, this can pose greater challenges.

4) Tami at TLC Talk Shop wants people to be on the look out for students who have a hard time responding to basic WH-questions about a sentence or short story.

5) Sarah from Speech is Beautiful said to always look for kids with off-topic comments. Maybe during small group time when the teacher is asking discussion questions and a student gives a random response that doesn’t have anything to do with the discussion at hand.

6) Jennifer from Speech Therapy Fun mentioned watching out for when a student doesn’t ask for help when needed. Either they don’t have the words to ask or don’t know how to ask for help.

7) Anne from Beautiful Speech Life said she always wants teacher to be concerned when a student (often upper elementary or middle school) has trouble with math word problems. This is a HUGE language weakness red flag.

8) Lisette from Speech Sprouts said one of her red flags was difficulty telling a short story. Maybe they recently went on a family vacation or had a party. Are they having trouble retelling details?

9) Linda from Looks Like Language said she is always on the watch for students who have trouble comprehending what they read. They can read the words fine, but they can’t tell you what they just read.

10) Susan from Kidz Learn Language said she often sees students who have poor memory retrieval during the early literacy acquisition, then they often will later have vocabulary retrieval problems with Tier 2 and Tier 3 core words.

**Post from speechspotlight

09/11/2018

Is your child difficult for others to understand? Does he use fewer words than other children his age? Or do you notice speech sound errors, such as "tat" instead of "cat?" If you answered yes to any of those questions, we can help. We provide free screenings to children (all ages) to determine if there is a need for speech-language therapy and you, the parent, are an interactive part in the process. Speech-language services are covered 100% by Medicaid. BCBS also covers services.

What does early intervention do and why is it important for my child?

*Early Intervention/speech therapy can reduce the need for additional services later in life. The sooner the developmental "gap" is closed or reduced, the better the outcome (increased success) for your child. Services can begin immediately after an evaluation - there are no hoops to jump through or meetings to attend.
*Early Intervention/speech therapy can positively alter your child's development and improve your child's life, as well as positively impact your family and community.
*Early Intervention/speech therapy is fun for your child! It reduces communication frustration, while improving speech, language, interaction, and play skills.
*Early Intervention/speech therapy helps YOU the parent better advocate for the needs of your child! YOU know your child best, YOU steer the ship.

Message or call us to get started: 701-324-4192.

07/02/2018

9 Reasons private speech therapy may be right for your child.

1. My child has speech/language needs that are outside the scope of the school-based therapy model.
2. My child would benefit from a specialized approach that is not available in the school.
3. My child needs a specific setting in order to target his/her goals. Example, access to a natural environment such as in the home, or a less distracting one-on-one setting in a private clinic/office.
4. My family's participation and carry-over of skills would improve if we could attend therapy sessions regularly with my child.
5. It would be better for my child to have therapy sessions outside of school hours, so he/she does not miss out on instruction or extra-curricular activities with peers.
6. My child needs consistent therapy, even during school breaks and summer vacation.
7. I prefer that my child's need for speech/language (voice, fluency, feeding, etc) therapy not be documented in his/her school records.
8. I prefer to choose my child's therapist based on the therapist's qualifications, specialties, personality, and motivational style and how he/she bonds with my child.
9. Even though my child receives speech therapy at school, I want more frequent sessions so that he can meet his goals at a faster rate. (If your child receives speech at school, you can still receive speech services outside of school - you can do BOTH!! Research shows faster progress when therapy services are delivered more frequently)

If you answered yes to any of these statements, private speech therapy might be a good fit for you and your child. Call us today to set up a free screening - 701-324-4192.

Medicaid covers 100% of speech-language therapy.
We accept BCBS of ND and WY and Medicare.

06/25/2018

Did you know...
-The National Institutes of Health found that parents who signed with their babies, had babies who were more interested in books.
-Babies who use signs have shown an increase in overall language development skills.
-Using signs promotes speaking skills in babies and toddlers.
-When signs are used with children who have delayed speech or language skills, signing acts as a bridge skill, which gives children a mode of communication that they otherwise would not have.
-Signing with your baby decreases frustration for both the child and the parents.
-Signing results in strengthening the child/parent bond.
-Everyone in the family will benefit, as older siblings and even extended family love learning and using signs as well.

Our licensed speech-language pathologists are trained to educate and train children, with speech and language delays, and their parents to use sign language as part of their developing communication systems. If you think your child might have a delay with his/her speech and language skills or if you're interested in learning more about using sign language/baby signs with your child, drop us a message here or call us at 701-324-4192. Screenings are always free.

*We accept Medicaid and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Dakota and Wyoming.

05/16/2018

Who's ready for summer?! We sure are! We are offering FREE summer speech-language and play sessions for toddlers and elementary school students. This is a great way to not only maintain speech, language, and play skills, but also to work on closing any gaps in those milestones! Limited sessions! Contact us to schedule your child's FREE screening to determine if she/he qualifies - 701-324-4192.

Send a message to learn more