Neurological Speech & Myofunctional Therapy in Orange County

Specialized speech-language therapy for adults experiencing changes in speech, oral-motor function, and swallowing following stroke, Parkinson’s disease, and other neurological conditions.

Neurological changes can affect much more than speech. They may also influence tongue movement, oral coordination, facial movement, secretion management, and swallowing.

At The Speech Dr., Dr. Bri Langlas, EdD, CCC-SLP, combines her expertise as a speech-language pathologist with specialized training in myofunctional therapy to evaluate how these systems work together.

When clinically appropriate, principles of myofunctional therapy may be incorporated into neurological rehabilitation to support functional speech, oral-motor, orofacial, and swallowing goals.

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Neurological Conditions Can Affect Speech & Oral Function

Speech and swallowing depend on highly coordinated movements involving the brain, tongue, lips, jaw, respiratory system, and other structures.

Neurological changes may affect strength, coordination, timing, sensation, motor planning, or movement.

Depending on the individual, therapy may address:

Speech clarity and intelligibility
Oral-motor coordination
Tongue movement and control
Lip and facial movement
Motor planning for speech
Oral awareness
Secretion management
Swallowing function
Functional communication strategies

Treatment is individualized based on the person's diagnosis, evaluation findings, medical history, functional needs, and goals.

Speech Therapy After Stroke

A stroke can cause sudden changes in communication, speech production, oral movement, and swallowing.

Depending on the location and severity of the neurological injury, an individual may experience difficulties such as dysarthria, apraxia of speech, reduced speech clarity, impaired oral coordination, or dysphagia.

Therapy may focus on improving functional communication while addressing the specific motor-speech and oral-function difficulties identified during evaluation.

When appropriate, principles from myofunctional therapy may complement traditional speech-language pathology techniques by addressing tongue movement, oral awareness, coordination, and functional orofacial patterns.

Parkinson’s Speech & Oral-Motor Therapy

Parkinson's disease can affect the movements required for speech, facial expression, saliva management, and swallowing.

Some individuals may experience reduced vocal loudness, changes in speech clarity, altered rate or rhythm of speech, decreased facial movement, difficulty managing saliva, or swallowing changes.

Treatment is based on the individual's presentation and may incorporate evidence-based speech-language pathology techniques along with targeted oral-motor or myofunctional principles when clinically appropriate.

Therapy does not treat Parkinson's disease itself. Instead, the goal is to address the functional communication, oral-motor, and swallowing difficulties that may occur as part of the condition.

Apraxia & Motor Speech Disorders

Neurological conditions can disrupt the brain's ability to plan or coordinate the movements required for speech.

Individuals with apraxia of speech or other motor-speech disorders may know what they want to say but have difficulty consistently coordinating the movements required to produce it.

Treatment may address speech movement planning, sequencing, articulatory precision, rate, coordination, and functional communication.

Dr. Bri's background in speech-language pathology and myofunctional therapy allows tongue and orofacial movement to be considered as part of the larger motor-speech system.

Oral-Motor & Orofacial Function

Neurological changes may affect the coordination and control of the tongue, lips, jaw, and facial muscles.

Rather than treating these structures in isolation, therapy focuses on how movement relates to meaningful functions such as speech and swallowing.

When appropriate, treatment may address tongue coordination, lip movement, oral awareness, saliva management, oral control, and functional movement patterns.

Swallowing & Dysphagia

Stroke, Parkinson's disease, and other neurological conditions can also affect swallowing.

Signs of dysphagia may include coughing or choking during meals, difficulty managing food or liquids, food remaining in the mouth, difficulty initiating a swallow, changes in mealtime efficiency, or other swallowing concerns.

Swallowing difficulties require appropriate clinical assessment. Instrumental swallowing evaluation, medical evaluation, or collaboration with other healthcare professionals may be recommended depending on the individual's symptoms and history.

Learn More About Swallowing & Dysphagia Therapy →

Where Does Myofunctional Therapy Fit?

Myofunctional therapy is one component of Dr. Bri's broader clinical background—not a treatment for stroke, Parkinson's disease, or another neurological diagnosis itself.

For appropriate patients, myofunctional principles may complement neurological speech-language therapy by helping address functional aspects of tongue movement, oral posture, oral awareness, coordination, and orofacial movement.

This allows treatment to consider the relationship between the neurological diagnosis and the oral structures involved in speech and swallowing.

Collaborative Care

Neurological rehabilitation often requires a multidisciplinary approach.

When appropriate, Dr. Bri may collaborate with physicians, neurologists, ENTs, gastroenterologists, dentists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and other rehabilitation or healthcare professionals.

Additional medical or instrumental assessment may also be recommended when symptoms fall outside the scope of a clinical speech-language evaluation.

Why Choose The Speech Dr.?

Dr. Bri brings together speech-language pathology and specialized myofunctional training to evaluate speech, oral-motor function, swallowing, and orofacial movement from a broader functional perspective.

This approach is particularly valuable for individuals whose concerns involve multiple systems rather than one isolated speech symptom.

Treatment remains individualized, functional, and centered on the needs and goals of each person.

Not Sure Where to Start?

If you or a family member has experienced changes in speech, oral movement, saliva management, or swallowing following a stroke, Parkinson's disease, or another neurological condition, a consultation can help determine the appropriate next step.

Schedule a Neurological Therapy Consultation

Start with a consultation to discuss your concerns and determine whether a speech-language evaluation, swallowing evaluation, myofunctional assessment, or referral to another healthcare provider is appropriate.