Talk ToolsTM Oral Placement Therapy (OPT) is a unique therapy technique developed by Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson which treats the physical movements of speech and feeding, and addresses the "feel" of speech. Traditional speech therapy methods rely on auditory and visual cues - i.e. looking and listening - to teach children specific sounds. However many children have less mobility, strength and agility in their speech musculature, compared with their typically-developing peers. For these children, teaching them about the feel of speech and targetting age-appropriate motor development is necessary. Oral Placement Therapy, or OPT, is appropriate for any client who cannot accurately produce certain speech sounds by looking and listening alone. It is also appropriate for clients who may be able to produce speech sounds in isolation or in words, but are unable to accurately produce the same sounds in conversation. OPT differs from other oral-motor therapies in that it addresses only speech-like movements; this is what makes OPT unique, and highly effective. 
OPT is used in conjunction with more traditional methods of speech therapy and is therefore fully compatible with clients' NHS therapies. In South West Scotland, OPT is currently only available privately, from my independent speech therapy clinic. Since completing Talk Tools Level 1 training in 2009, I have incorporated OPT into many clients' therapy programs, frequently with astonishing results. I am excited about continuing to develop this side of my practice and I welcome all enquiries about this unique approach to speech therapy. For further information see http://www.talktools.net/s.nl/it.I/id.3/.f | 
