Our Services

Speech-Language
Therapy

Whether your child is slow to start talking, struggling to be understood, or having a hard time keeping up with peers, you deserve clear answers and a real plan. Our ASHA-certified speech-language pathologists work with children and adults across a wide range of communication challenges -- and we will be honest with you about what we find and what will help.

Book an Evaluation (201) 509-8205
About This Service

What Is Speech-Language Therapy?

Speech-language therapy helps people who have difficulty with how they produce sounds, how they understand and use language, or how they swallow. A speech-language pathologist (SLP) figures out exactly where the breakdown is happening and builds a plan to address it. For children, that might mean learning to say sounds clearly, putting words together, or finding ways to communicate when spoken language is a struggle.

At Speech Therapy Plus, every therapist on our team holds the Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC-SLP) from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. That credential matters -- it means graduate-level training, supervised clinical experience, and a commitment to ongoing education. Several of our therapists also carry PROMPT certification for motor speech disorders and PECS training for augmentative and alternative communication, so we can match the right approach to your child's specific needs.

We also know that what happens in therapy only goes so far if it stops at our door. Parents and caregivers are part of the team from day one. We give you real strategies to practice at home -- things that fit into your daily routine, not extra homework. And because Fair Lawn is home to so many multilingual families, our bilingual therapists provide services in 8+ languages, working within your child's full language environment rather than treating it as a complication.

A speech therapist working one-on-one with a young child during a session

Our Credentials

  • ASHA Certified (CCC-SLP) — The national standard for clinical competence in speech-language pathology
  • PROMPT Trained — Hands-on technique for children with motor speech difficulties like apraxia
  • PECS Certified — Picture-based communication for children who need alternatives to spoken language
  • Bilingual Services — Therapy available in 8+ languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Korean, and more
Specializations

Conditions We Treat

Communication difficulties show up in many different ways. Here are some of the most common reasons families come to see us.

Articulation Disorders

When a child says "wabbit" instead of "rabbit" or drops sounds from words, that is an articulation issue. Some sound errors are normal at certain ages, but others signal that a child needs targeted help to learn where to place their tongue, lips, and jaw for clear speech.

Phonological Disorders

Unlike articulation errors that affect one sound at a time, phonological disorders involve patterns -- a child might leave off the ends of all words, or replace all back sounds with front sounds. Therapy focuses on breaking those patterns so the child's speech becomes more understandable over time.

Childhood Apraxia of Speech

With apraxia, a child knows what they want to say but their brain has trouble coordinating the muscle movements to get the words out. It can be deeply frustrating for kids and parents alike. Our PROMPT-trained therapists use gentle touch cues on the jaw, lips, and face to help children learn and repeat the motor plans for speech.

Language Delays & Disorders

Some children struggle to understand what is said to them; others have the ideas but cannot find the words or put sentences together. Many have a mix of both. We work on the specific areas holding your child back -- whether that is building vocabulary, forming sentences, following directions, or telling a story in a way others can follow.

Autism Spectrum Disorder

Children on the autism spectrum often experience communication differently -- they may have difficulty with back-and-forth conversation, reading social cues, or using language flexibly. We support social communication skills, joint attention, and pragmatic language, and we are experienced with AAC systems like PECS for children who benefit from visual or device-based communication.

Fluency & Stuttering

Stuttering can look different from child to child -- repeating sounds, stretching them out, or getting stuck entirely. It is more than a speech issue; it often affects confidence and willingness to speak up. We use both fluency shaping and stuttering modification approaches, tailored to what works best for each person.

Voice Disorders

When something sounds off about a child's or adult's voice -- persistent hoarseness, strained quality, unusual pitch -- there is usually a reason. We work with conditions like vocal nodules, vocal fold paralysis, and muscle tension dysphonia, using specific voice therapy techniques to restore healthy vocal function.

Selective Mutism

A child with selective mutism may talk freely at home but go completely silent at school or around unfamiliar people. It is rooted in anxiety, not defiance. We take a gradual, low-pressure approach to help children become comfortable speaking across different settings and with different people.

Auditory Processing & AAC

Some children hear just fine but have trouble making sense of what they hear, especially in noisy environments like a classroom. We also help families set up and learn AAC systems -- communication tools like devices and picture boards -- for children and adults who need more than spoken words to express themselves.

How We Work

Our Approach to Speech Therapy

1

Comprehensive Evaluation

We start by getting the full picture. That means standardized testing, careful observation, and a real conversation with you about what you are seeing at home. We look at all areas of speech and language -- not just the concern that brought you in. For bilingual children, we assess both languages, because a true diagnosis requires understanding how your child communicates across their whole world.

2

Individualized Treatment Plan

Once we understand what is going on, we build a therapy plan with clear, specific goals -- not vague promises. The strategies we choose depend on your child's age, diagnosis, and how they learn best. We also ask about your family's priorities, because therapy should reflect what matters most to you. As your child grows and changes, we adjust the plan accordingly.

3

Family-Centered Care

The work you do at home matters just as much as what happens in our sessions. We give you practical activities and coaching so you can reinforce skills during meals, play, bedtime -- the moments that already fill your day. We also stay in touch with your child's teachers, pediatrician, and any other professionals involved, so everyone is working toward the same goals.

Early Intervention

Signs Your Child May Need Speech Therapy

It is not always easy to know when to be concerned. Every child develops at their own pace, and that is normal. But there are some milestones and patterns worth paying attention to. If any of these sound familiar, a speech-language evaluation can give you real clarity.

Not babbling by 12 months of age
Not using single words by 18 months
Not combining two words by age 2
Difficulty being understood by unfamiliar listeners by age 3
Frustration when trying to communicate
Stuttering or repeating sounds and words frequently
Difficulty following simple directions
Limited social interaction or eye contact
Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

There is no single "right" age, but earlier is generally better. If your child is not babbling by 12 months, not using single words by 18 months, or not combining words by age 2, those are signs worth taking seriously. That said, children at any age can benefit from speech therapy. If something feels off to you, trust that instinct -- an evaluation will give you a clear answer either way.
Think of it this way: a speech disorder is about the mechanics -- how clearly your child produces sounds and words (like articulation errors or stuttering). A language disorder is about meaning -- how well your child understands what others say or puts their own thoughts into words. Some children have one; some have both. An evaluation helps us sort out exactly what is going on.
Honestly, it depends. The type and severity of the issue, your child's age, and how much practice happens at home all play a role. Some children make noticeable progress in a few months. Others need longer-term support. We will not keep your child in therapy longer than necessary -- we set clear goals, track progress, and tell you where things stand along the way.
Yes, we do. Speech Therapy Plus has therapists who provide services in 8+ languages, including Spanish, Arabic, Korean, Hindi, Urdu, and Russian. This matters because bilingual children need to be assessed and treated in the context of all the languages they use -- not just English. We work within your child's full language environment so nothing gets missed or misdiagnosed.
PROMPT stands for Prompts for Restructuring Oral Muscular Phonetic Targets. In practice, it means the therapist uses carefully placed touch cues on your child's face, jaw, and mouth to physically guide the movements needed for speech. It is particularly helpful for children with apraxia and other motor speech disorders, where the challenge is not understanding language but getting the muscles to cooperate. Yes, we have PROMPT-trained therapists on our team.
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Get Started

Schedule a Speech-Language Evaluation

If you have been wondering whether your child's speech or language development is on track, the best thing you can do is find out. An evaluation gives you a clear picture -- and if therapy is needed, starting sooner makes a real difference. Reach out to schedule a time with one of our certified speech-language pathologists.

Book an Evaluation Call (201) 509-8205