Here's a weird one - adult speech therapy?

[Twoboos]

Embarrassing but: ever since I had a retainer (pre braces) I have trouble saying some words. I'm practically elderly now so it's time to take care of it (Ex: Rudy comes out Ru-thee. Water is Wa-ther).

How would I go about finding an adult speech therapist? I've googled and nothing seems right. Or if there are some do-it-yourself programs I could do, I'd be willing to try that, too.

TIA for your suggestions!

[niccig]

Yes, SLPs see adults. You may need to call around to find a practice that sees adults or many clinics see adults and kids. When you call, if they don't take adults, ask who does - it's a small world and they'll probably know who in the area you can see.

I'm in grad school to be a SLP and we have a clinic where see clients. We have adult and child clients for articulation therapy.

They'll give you an assessment to see what sounds you are misarticulating then begin a program with you to correct the sounds.

In some ways I think adult clients are easier as they can understand more what you mean by where to put your tongue/lips, how to control the airflow etc. Some of that is more difficult to explain to kids and you have to keep the kids engaged with fun activities that use the sounds they're working on.

But with adults, you've had many years of saying the sound incorrectly, so you do have to work to change the habit. I do speech therapy because of my paralyzed vocal fold - I need to have better breath support and it's not easy to change how you've coordinated breathing with talking for 39 yrs. It's not impossible to change, but you have to do the homework they give you - practice, practice, practice.

[hellokitty]

My lactation consultant and I were talking about this. DS1 was tongue tied and so we had a discussion about frenectomies and she was telling me that since doctors are so much more reluctant to do frenectomies anymore, that there are more ppl who have speech issues due to this. She said that she even knew an adult who always felt, "off" and had a frenectomy done as an adult. She had to basically re-learn how to speak.

I've had several friends whose kids were tongue tied and the doctors were reluctant to clip when they were an infant, since it wasn't interfering with breastfeeding. However, they ended up being flagged for speech issues later on when they were school aged and then the parents being disheartened to find out that it's a much bigger deal of a procedure the older you get, vs when you are a young infant. DS1 had it done, in fact the ped did a house call (he was on his way out of town, so offered to just stop by my place if I was ok with it).

[DrSally]

SLP's totally do work woth adults. If you find a good one, I'm sure they can be of much help. I'd just start calling around. Even a SLP who works w/ mainly kids should be able to point you to one who could/ would work with your issues, which don't seem that exotic, kwim.

[chays]

in the meantime, try putting an m&m on the roof of your mouth and say the "d" sound while holding it there with your tongue. I'm no speech path, but I think I heard that trick somehere along the way...

[kcimato]

My children received speech services through our county Health Department. The client just before them was a man who had had a stroke and was receiving services.

[tarnator]

I work in an adults only hospital and we have a full set of SLPs working here. Most are working with swallowing issues and stroke patients but one of them used to do a lot of voice coaching for the film industry.

I would call the private ones in the phone book and ask for recommendations on who is best to deal with your issues.