Speech-Language Pathologists are the professionals that engage in the assessment and treatment in the areas of communication and swallowing across the lifespan. Communication areas include: speech production and fluency, language, cognition, voice, resonance, and hearing. Swallowing areas include: swallowing difficulties and feeding behaviors/disorders.  Speech Language Pathologists play a critical role in the diagnosis and treatment of infants to adults with many types of challenges; from autism spectrum disorders and developmental delays to neurological disorders, traumatic brain injury and stroke. 

Common Diagnosis Referred to Speech Therapy Include:

  • Aphasia

  • Apraxia

  • Attention Deficit Disorder

  • Dysarthria

  • Dysphagia

  • Pediatric Feeding Aversions

Common Conditions We Treat:

  • Dysphasia or swallow management to retrain chewing, sucking and swallowing

  • Cognitive therapy to improve attending, memory, problem solving  and sequencing skills

  • Speech therapy to improve pronunciation of sounds for intelligibility

  • Language therapy to help restore both receptive and expressive language skills

  • Voice therapy to obtain use of optimal voice and eliminate abuse

SPEECH THERAPISTS

  • Abby Halvorson MA, CCC-SLP

    Location: Hawarden, Akron Care Center

    Education: Speech Language Pathology, University of South Dakota

    Specialty/Certifications: LSVT Loud/Parkinson’s, VitalStim

  • McKenzie Nothdurft MA, CCC-SLP

    Location: Hawarden, Akron Care Center

    Education: Speech Language Pathology, University of South Dakota

    Specialty/Certifications: Certificate of Clinical Competence, Pediatric Early Language

  • Jaedyn Oplinger, SLP

    Location: Hawarden, Akron Care Center

    Education: Speech Language Pathology, University of South Dakota

    Specialty/Certifications: Early Childhood Language Development