We are currently on a waitlist for new clients! Call (843) 410-8122 or email Meghan@LTSSC.com to join the waitlist.
Lifespan
Therapy Specialists, LLC
A client-focused, evidence-based private Speech-Language Pathology clinic with a focus on feeding/swallowing across the lifespan and specialized treatment modalities including Myofunctional Therapy.
Click below to schedule a FREE 20 minute virtual Discovery call to ensure our services are a good match for your needs!
Contact Us
(843) 410-4466 (office)/ (843) 410-8122 (mobile/text)
Meghan@Ltssc.com
www.Ltssc.com
We are based in Bluffton, South Carolina offering services in Bluffton, Hilton Head Island, Beaufort and Savannah and surrounding regions*.
*A travel fee may be imposed for some locations
Virtual Consultations and Services available for Family Education & Training.
Our Philosophy
"Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live."--Jim Rohn
At Lifespan Therapy Specialists, LLC we strive to support families through their communication, feeding & swallowing challenges. Whether it is breast- or bottle feeding an infant, transitioning a toddler to solids, assisting a school-aged child through an orofacial myofunctional disorder impacting articulation or assisting an adult through their airway journey, we aim to arm you with the tools to find success and happiness in whatever stage of life you find yourself.
Getting Started
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Navigate to our client-friendly portal to schedule a FREE 20 minute Discovery Call to determine if our services and approach are a good fit for you and your family.
Our services begin with an evaluation to develop a comprehensive picture of current abilities, challenges, and preferences. In some cases, if a recent evaluation in all areas of concern has been completed, we can likely use that to get started.
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Following the evaluation, we will collaborate to develop a plan of care that aligns with your family's goals and preferences. The length and frequency of our sessions will be determined based on areas for growth found in the assessment, an individual family's needs and overall goals for improvement.
We always provide our clients with comprehensive written evaluation reports with accompanying images demonstrating specific areas for growth. This is a key element to our collaborative model of care.
Once therapy begins, we will monitor progress to make sure we are meeting our goals, and make adjustments to a plan of care, if needed. We will also regularly check in with parents, caregivers and other providers to offer home practice tips/tools and a collaborative approach to care.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why choose a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) for services?
- SLPs are highly trained in the structure and function of the mouth and treating dysphagia (impaired swallow function) across the lifespan. After all, many of the muscles that work together for production of speech sounds and voicing are the same muscles we use for eating and swallowing.
- SLPs are specifically trained to address all 4 phases of the swallow. That means from the moment food or liquid enters your mouth until it reaches your stomach, it is within an SLPs scope of practice to address and treat any dysfunctions that may arise.
Why does Lifespan Therapy Specialists, LLC use a team-based approach?
- Swallowing requires the use of over 30 muscles and nerves functioning both volitionally (under our control) and reflexively (on their own). We are literally connected from the tip of our tongue to the tip of our toes!
- As such, feeding & swallowing disorders (including Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders) often require management from a variety of disciplines (e.g. PT, OT, Lactation, ENT, orthodontists, Specialized Dentists, etc.).
- At LTSSC, LLC we choose to use a collaborative, interdisciplinary team approach to address all aspects of a feeding/swallowing disorder to maximize functional outcomes for our patients and families.
- It is important to us to have a specialist addressing each element of dysfunction from head to toes. It is hard to be a specialist and a "jack of all trades" and we rely on our network of trusted providers to provide high-level, comprehensive care.
- Given an SLP's expertise, training and experience in the management of ALL aspects of feeding & swallowing dysfunctions, across the lifespan, we know the importance of our role as care manager for families helping them to navigate referrals, follow-ups and help to provide answers to questions you might not even know you had.
Our Services
Click below to schedule a FREE 20 minute virtual Discovery call to determine if our services and approach are a good fit for your and your family!
Insurance
Lifespan Therapy Specialists, LLC does NOT accept insurance at this time and is considered an OUT-OF-NETWORK PROVIDER for ALL insurances. We also do not contract with Medicare or Medicaid at this time.
Why?
As a small practice, it is important to us to invest our time, energy and resources in our patients and ensuring best outcomes. This also allows us to create an appropriate treatment plan focused on you, your family and appropriately meeting the needs we have identified together in the development of our treatment plans.
We do offer Superbills, which are itemized statements that include all necessary information, including diagnostic and treatment codes. You can individually submit these documents to your insurance for reimbursement through out-of-network benefits.
Take Note:
Our lead therapist, Meghan, is licensed to provide Speech-Language Therapy Services in SC, GA and MD. Consultations can be offered in other states and countries, however, those services are ALL OUT-OF-POCKET. No superbills can be provided.
Just a friendly reminder: It is the family’s responsibility to save copies of all treatment notes, evaluations, progress reports, invoices, and superbills from handling any insurance claims.
About Us
Meghan received her undergraduate degree in Communication Sciences & Disorders and her graduate degree in Speech-Language Pathology from James Madison University. She has served individuals of all ages in schools, daycares, homes, hospitals and rehabilitation centers.
Meghan began her private practice in 2023 as a solution to the growing need for high-quality, convenient, and family-centered therapy in the Lowcountry. As a therapist with over a decade of experience and a mom of 2 children with pediatric feeding disorders, she understands how busy life is and how important it is to families to have a trusted resource to guide them through their child's development.
Meghan's approach to therapy combines research-based methods with fun and creative activities to keep her clients motivated and having fun! For the past several years, Meghan has honed her skills in the areas of Tethered Oral Tissues (tongue, lip, and buccal ties), Orofacial Myology, and Feeding/Swallowing (from birth through adulthood). She completes well over the required hours of continuing education, for which she has received the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's (ASHA) Award for Continuing Education (ACE Award).
When Meghan isn't focused on serving her clients and their families, she enjoys cooking, spending time outdoors in the beautiful Lowcountry and making memories with her children, husband, and their dog, Minnie.
From the First Feeding & Beyond...
we are below to help you achieve your feeding goals!
You have heard "feeding your baby is natural," but that doesn't mean it is always easy, happens quickly or goes according to our initial plan. That is especially true when there are underlying issues (e.g. weak or disorganized suck, poor latch, nipple trauma, delay in milk arrival) that you may not have been prepared for or even know exist.
We have extensive training in oral motor dysfunction for breast and bottle feeding as well as extensive experience & training in tethered oral tissues (TOTs). Pediatric feeding difficulties can occur for a variety of reasons. It is important to get to the root cause, as this will help to create a comprehensive treatment plan that will establish long-term feeding success.
Did you know we are connected from the "tip of our tongue to the tips of our toes?" Collaboration with other professionals in the area, to holistically address factors impacting an infant or child's feeding difficulties is at the core of our treatment planning. We aim to ensure families reach their individual feeding goals and feel supported along the way.
Signs of Potential Oral Motor Dysfunction
- Refusing breast/bottle/pacifier
- Poor and/or shallow latch
- Loss of milk from corners of mouth (breast or bottle)
- Nipple pain or damage
- Biting, chewing on nipple
- Milk tongue (white coating)
- Lip Blisters
- Open mouth posture at rest/ low resting tongue posture
- Poor or slow weight gain
- Poor endurance or falling asleep during feedings
- Clicking or squeaking noises during feeding
- Coughing/Choking during feeding
- Extended mealtimes (> 20 minutes)
- Difficulty accepting solids at 6-7 months
- Difficulty progressing in textures by 8 months
- Unable to drink from straw or opencup by 12-18 months
- Messy eating
- Overstuffing, spitting foods out, gagging or vomiting
- Limited variety of foods consumed
Infants & Children at Risk of Feeding Challenges
- Prematurity
- Birth Trauma (complicated delivery, long labor, in utero position)
- Tongue/Lip/Buccal Ties
- Torticollis/Neck Tension
- Head Turn Preference
- Head Shape differences (flatness, asymmetry)
- Body/Fascial Tension
- Hypo- or Hypertonia
- Laryngomalacia/Tracheomalacia
- Cardio-respiratory disorder
- Neurological Disorder
- Cleft Lip/Cleft Palate
- Severe reflux
- Constipation
- Food allergies or sensitivies
- Developmental Delays
- Tube feeding or history of tube feed
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
Click below to schedule a FREE 20 minute virtual Discovery call to determine if our services and approach are a good fit for your and your family!
Starting Solids &
Picky Eaters
Feeding your baby or toddler is an individualized process that encompasses your child's needs and your family's feeding goals.
For each family we serve, we develop an individualized feeding plan encompassing a sensory-oral motor approach, addressing the root cause, to guide you through starting solids, advancing textures and navigating picky eating.
Click below to schedule a FREE 20 minute virtual Discovery call to determine if our services and approach are a good fit for your and your family!
Tethered Oral
Tissues
Sometimes, feeding difficulties can be caused by tethered oral tissues, also known as tongue, lip and/or cheek ties. These are restrictions that can lead to discoordinated, disorganized and/or weak oral motor movements requiring baby to compensate during feedings.
These compensations are often missed when a child is assessed simply through the lens of looking at their anatomy (e.g. sticking out their tongue; lifting their lip up). It is not enough to look just at their anatomy--we must look at FUNCTION and determine individually how your child's structures are impacting their individual feeding skills.
Feeding is a whole body process--the muscles and movements in the mouth and face require stability and support throughout the body to be successful. As such, our treatment approach encompasses the whole body, including referrals to bodywork professionals to maximize success. We develop dynamic, individualized home programs based on your child's needs, areas for growth and are continually reassessing the exercises, strategies and techniques utilized to ensure your child is maxmizing their feeding success.
If you are considering a release of tethered oral tissues for your little one, please reach out to us to discuss best practices and the importance of a team based approach.
Click below to schedule a FREE 20 minute virtual Discovery call to determine if our services and approach are a good fit for your and your family!
Myofunctional Therapy
According to the American Speech Language Hearing Association (ASHA), Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders (OMDs) can affect individuals across the lifespan from birth through adulthood. OMDs are inappropriate movement patterns of the structures and musculature of the face and mouth (e.g. lips, tongue, jaw) which can also impede the normal growth and development of the bones and muscles in these structures. The facial and oral structures are vital for everyday tasks like breathing, talking and chewing/swallowing. Learn more about OMDs, signs/symptoms, causes and the potential whole body impacts here.
*American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. (n.d.). Orofacial myofunctional disorders. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Retrieved November 11, 2022, from https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/orofacial-myofunctional-disorders/
What are Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders?
What is Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy?
Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy is a neurological re-education exercise program provided by a specially trained professional that works to retrain the affected structures and muscles to maximize function.
Because many individuals with OMDs present with low resting tongue posture and mouth breathing, myofunctional therapy goals often include improving proper oral rest posture, nasal breathing, improving lip seal, as well as optimizing chewing and swallowing patterns to assist in remediating the associated feeding, breathing, and speech impairments.
The LTSSC Approach to Myo
"Orofacial Myology is the study and treatment of oral and facial muscles as they relate to speech, dentition, chewing/bolus collection, swallowing and overall mental and physical health."
--Sandra R. Holtzman, MS CCC-SLP, COM, QOM
The most effective treatment for an OMD utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach to address both the structure and function of a patient. A properly trained myofunctional therapist is one member of the team that will successfully treat an OMD. Other professionals may include an airway-centric dentist, orthodontist, allergist and/or a bodyworker who will assist in creating a whole body treatment plan to maximize a patient's structure and function.
At LTSSC, LLC, our lead Speech-Language Pathologist has completed extensive training in orofacial myology. We also collaborate with a team of preferred providers including ENTs, Orthodontists, Dentists, Oral Surgeons, and bodywork professionals in the Coastal Empire to provide a holistic, person-centered approach to assist our patients in reaching their maximum potential.
Click below to schedule a FREE 20 minute virtual Discovery call to determine if our services and approach are a good fit for your and your family!
Community Support
Support and Education are some of the core values at Lifespan Therapy Specialists, LLC. Not only are we professionals in the space, but we are also parents (many of us have experienced feeding/swallowing difficulties with our own children) and have experienced the isolation, feelings of frustration and rollercoaster of emotions that is the parenting journey.
Along with area healthcare providers, our Owner/Lead SLP, Meghan Olsen, MS CCC-SLP founded the "Discovering your Village" Community Support Forum in Bluffton, SC. The goal is to provide area moms, in all stages of motherhood, a space to feel empowered, supported and heard as they maneuver through the challenges of the motherhood journey.
Scan above or click Discovering your Village--Bluffton to visit the group's Facebook page for updates and information about community activities.
Click below to schedule a FREE 20 minute virtual Discovery call to ensure our services are a good match for your needs!
Contact Us
(843) 410-4466 (office)/ (843) 410-8122 (mobile/text)
Meghan@Ltssc.com
www.Ltssc.com
We are based in Bluffton, South Carolina offering services in Bluffton, Hilton Head Island, Beaufort and Savannah and surrounding regions*.
*A travel fee may be imposed for some locations
Virtual Consultations and Services available for Family Education & Training.