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JAX Fresh Start - Jacksonville Florida Speech Therapy

July 2023 issue 5

Happy Disability Pride Month and Cleft & Craniofacial Month from Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists!

July is Disability Pride Month and Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness Month! No one wants to celebrate more than Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists! 

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Disability Pride & Occupational Therapy 

Occupational therapy (OT) plays a vital role in helping individuals with disabilities live their best life! Occupational therapy has been used for decades to help people of all ages and disabilities, whether their disabilities are mental or physical. 

Occupational therapy is a process of enabling people with disabilities to engage in meaningful activities and achieve greater independence. This is accomplished by addressing physical, cognitive, sensory, and emotional challenges. Here are just a few of the ways occupational therapy can be beneficial to persons with disabilities:

Designing Individual Treatment Plans

Every person and disability is unique. That’s why Occupational Therapists conduct comprehensive assessments to identify a person’s strengths, limitations, and goals. They then create personalized treatment plans that focus on enhancing skills and allowing the patient to be as independent as possible. It is important for Occupational Therapists to see each patient as a person and not just a disability, and align treatment plans to match with their specific needs and goals. 

July 2023 issue 5

Happy Disability Pride Month and Cleft & Craniofacial Month from Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists!

Continued…

Improving Daily Living Skills

One of the hardest aspects of living with a disability is difficulty with living skills. OT helps individuals develop or relearn essential activities of daily living such as dressing, grooming, bathing, and eating. These skills are crucial for maintaining independence and participating in society and can be damaged by a stroke or a mental disability, as well as physical disabilities. Luckily through Occupational Therapy people with disabilities can regain some confidence and independence. 

Enhancing Fine Motor Skills

Occupational therapy can improve fine motor skills, enabling individuals to perform tasks that require precise hand movements, such as writing, using utensils, or buttoning clothes. This is especially important for persons suffering from a tremor, recovering from a stroke, or any other disability that impacts the usage of your hands. Through Occupational Therapy they can more comfortably perform fine motor skill tasks and regain independence and confidence. 

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July 2023 issue 5

Happy Disability Pride Month and Cleft & Craniofacial Month from Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists!

Continued…

Adapting and Using Assistive Devices

Occupational therapists help individuals choose and use appropriate assistive devices to facilitate independent functioning.These tools can range from wheelchairs and prosthetics to hearing aids and tremor-resistant cutlery. By helping their patients use adaptive tools, OT helps people live a more independent life. 

Workplace and School Support

Sometimes, Occupational therapists will collaborate with employers and educators to ensure that the work or learning environment is conducive to the individual’s needs and abilities, making accommodations when necessary. This allows the patient to have more comprehensive care with a network of people to help them. 

Occupational Therapy for those with Disabilities 

Overall, occupational therapy is important for people with disabilities. It empowers them and helps to maximize their enjoyment of life by helping them participate in meaningful activities, socialize, work and lead fulfilling lives. Occupational therapy helps them adapt to challenges and build on their strengths. It enhances their overall quality of life and promotes independence in various aspects of daily living.

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July 2023 issue 5

Great Moments in the History of Occupational Therapy

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Don’t forget about Speech Therapists and Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness Month!

July isn’t just Disability Pride Month, it is also Cleft & Craniofacial Awareness month! These disorders of the cleft palate and facial bone structure can present significant challenges in speech. This can leave individuals suffering from these disorders without an adequate ability to express themselves, and everyone deserves to have a voice! 

 

That’s where Speech Therapists come in. Read on to learn how Speech Therapists can help those with Cleft and Craniofacial problems, giving them their voice and improving their lives! 

Feeding and Swallowing Therapy for Infants

Infants born with cleft lip and palate may experience difficulties with feeding and swallowing. Speech therapists can provide guidance and exercises for parents to help babies develop appropriate sucking and swallowing patterns before the cleft lip and palate can be corrected by surgery. 

Pre-Surgery Counseling

Most cleft lips and pallets can be corrected with surgery once the child is of a certain age. However, this can be a scary and daunting process for both parent and child. Speech therapists can provide counseling and education to parents and caregivers before cleft and craniofacial surgeries, explaining what to expect and how speech and language development might be affected. They can also provide therapy afterward to get the patient used to their new palate and how it works. 

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July 2023 issue 5

Happy Disability Pride Month and Cleft & Craniofacial Month from Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists!

Continued…

Articulation Therapy

Cleft lip and palate can affect the placement of the articulators (lips, tongue, and palate), leading to speech sound errors. This frustrating affliction can make it difficult for a child to communicate, causing them to lash out in anger and frustration. Speech therapy can help individuals learn correct tongue and lip placement for producing sounds accurately, which in turn can make it easier for the patient to express themselves. 

Resonance Therapy

Individuals with cleft and craniofacial conditions may experience issues with resonance in their voice due to the placement of bones in their face. Lack of resonance can lead to hypernasal or hyponasal speech, and can be hard for those afflicted. Speech therapists work on improving resonance and achieving a balanced nasal resonance during speech by careful speech exercises involving the placement of the tongue and teeth. 

Language Development

Speech therapy addresses language delays or disorders that may be associated with cleft and craniofacial conditions. Delayed language can make a child feel like they cannot connect with their peers, causing self esteem and social issues. Therapists help develop expressive and receptive language skills to enhance communication abilities, allowing children to express themselves and develop relationships. 

Voice Therapy

Some individuals with craniofacial problems may have voice-related challenges, such as hoarseness or vocal strain. This can affect both children and adults who have had to compensate for their craniofacial bone development. Speech therapy can help improve vocal quality and promote healthy vocal habits so that person can comfortably speak without damaging their voice. 

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July 2023 issue 5

Happy Disability Pride Month and Cleft & Craniofacial Month from Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists!

Continued…

Social Communication Skills

For older children and adults, speech therapy can address social communication difficulties, such as pragmatics and social interaction, to enhance overall communication effectiveness. This helps those with speech problems feel less alone, and interact with others more meaningfully. 

Articulation and Palatal Speech Appliance Training

In some cases, speech therapists work in collaboration with orthodontists and prosthodontists to help individuals adjust to speech with orthodontic or palatal speech appliances, as well as being able to understand with the use of hearing devices 

Happy Disability Pride Month and Cleft & Craniofacial Month from Occupational Therapists and Speech Therapists! 

A collaborative approach involving speech therapists, occupational therapists, and other healthcare professionals can greatly improve the lives of people living with disabilities and cleft palates. 

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