Why Receive Services at the Center for Language, Speech and Hearing

at the University of Massachusetts Amherst?

As a potential client, family member, or referral source you may be asking yourself “Why should we consider receiving speech and language or audiological services at the Center for Language, Speech, and Hearing at the University of Massachusetts Amherst?” Here are some reasons why we, believe that the services here are the best in the area:

 ≈   We have a full audiology clinic for clients with a hearing loss or other audiological needs.

≈   We work with all hearing aid companies and dispense all hearing aids.

≈   In audiology clinic, we schedule long time slots, so we provide more personal time and the client will not feel rushed.

 ≈   We service children and adults with a wide range of clinical populations including but not limited to; people with aphasia, Autism, Apraxia of Speech, traumatic brain injury, and disorders of voice, Auditory Processing Disorders, phonology, and fluency.

≈   The graduate clinicians in the speech and language pathology program have, on average, two to three clients on their caseload, allowing for unparalleled individual attention.

≈   The Center for Language, Speech, and Hearing houses a comfortable speech and language pathology clinic with one-way mirrors allowing for family members to observe sessions.

≈   The graduate clinicians in the speech and language pathology program are highly prepared for each session with detailed lesson plans and rationales for all activities.

≈   Many of the speech and language activities are handcrafted, and catered to the individual client’s needs. In addition to these activities, the graduate clinicians also have access to a well-stocked materials room and standardized assessment tools.

≈   We provide more personalized attention, the focus is on patient education.

≈   We write comprehensive reports.

≈   The graduate clinicians have a solid foundation of theory and current research in speech and language pathology and audiology through their course work. Often the content of their classes is transferred directly to the clinics.

≈   Finally, our client base may be eligible to participate in current research that allow us to develop evidence-based practices, help advance our field, and provide better services for our clients.

Selecting the right speech and language pathologist and/or audiologist can be an overwhelming task for families. We hope that this information will help guide you to believe, as we do, that the Center for Language, Speech, and Hearing at the University of Massachusetts Amherst is an outstanding resource available to our community.

Feeding disorders occur in up to 25% of typically developing infants in the United States, and up to 80% of infants with developmental delays.  Some of these difficulties are behavior based.  The way you can identify Behavioral Feeding Disorders is if the child refuses to take any food or drink, if she takes one bite then refuses, or is inconsistent is accepting food.  AND if these behaviors result in weight loss or failure to gain weight.  It’s important to realize that some of these behaviors happen in perfectly normal progression from liquids to eating solid foods.  It is only a problem if the child isn’t gaining weight.

 There are 3 subtypes of Behavioral Feeding Disorders:

1 – Unpredictable food refusal – Infantile anorexia – This is seen ages nine months to one year six months, in transitions between consistencies, and emotionally intense infants.  You may see inconsistent preferences, no hunger cues and low interest in food.

2 – Selective food refusal – Grimacing, gagging, or vomiting at the introduction of new foods, distress if forced to continue eating, but no trouble eating preferred foods.  You may also see hypersensitivity to other sensory input.

3 – Fear based/post trauma food refusal – Often seen after trauma as an infant such as feeding tubes or choking episodes.  You may see crying at the sight of a bottle or spoon, arching, and very intense resistance to feeding.

For more information please feel free to contact us or see these other sites:

www.mealtimestories.com

www.main.zerotothree.org