About Avivit Ben-Aharon
Founder & Clinical Director at Great Speech Inc. | Providing Innovative Alternatives to Speech Pathology Services
Entries by Avivit Ben-Aharon
How Effective Is Virtual Speech Therapy?
/ by Avivit Ben-Aharon
The need for speech therapy across the United States is growing. It is expected to continue rising, driven by factors such as an aging population and increased awareness of communication disorders. In the last 12 months, nearly 1 in 12 (7.7%) children in the U.S. ages 3-17 have had a disorder related to [...]
How does Down Syndrome Affect Speech and Language Development?
/ by Avivit Ben-Aharon
What is Down Syndrome? Down syndrome is a genetic condition that occurs when an individual is born with an extra copy of chromosome 21. Chromosomes are threadlike bundles of DNA, and chromosome 21 is the smallest human chromosome. Down syndrome is the most common chromosomal condition diagnosed in the United States, occurring in about 1 [...]
What is Cerebrovascular Disease? Understanding the Impact on Speech and Communication
/ by Avivit Ben-Aharon
What is Cerebrovascular Disease? Cerebrovascular disease refers to a group of disorders that interfere with the blood vessels and blood supply to the brain. Some of these conditions cause a reduction of blood flow to the brain due to a blockage, while others cause bleeding due to a rupture in the blood vessels supplying blood [...]
Child Speech Development: How Early Can You Start Speech Therapy?
/ by Avivit Ben-Aharon
Watching your child grow and learn can be a very exciting part of the parenting journey. We celebrate their milestones, from their first smile to their first words. From rolling over to sitting. From walking to running. But what happens when your child no longer appears to be hitting the same milestones as their peers [...]
How Speech Therapy Helps with Phonological Disorders
/ by Avivit Ben-Aharon
What is a Phonological Disorder? A phonological disorder is a type of speech sound disorder. People with this condition have trouble understanding or using the rules of sound patterns (phonology) in their language. Phonological disorders are related to how the brain processes sounds to form words. It can result in additions, substitutions, omissions, and distortions [...]
May 06, 2025 - Great Speech’s Virtual Speech Therapy Services Now Available to Health Plan Members accessing Claritev’s National PPO Networks
/ in Press Releases / by Avivit Ben-Aharon
May 06, 2025 10:02 ET HOLLYWOOD, Fla., May 06, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Great Speech, a national leader in virtual speech therapy, is proud to announce a new agreement with Claritev, formerly known as MultiPlan (NYSE:CTEV), a technology and data insights company focused on making healthcare more affordable, transparent and fair for all. [...]
How Occipital Encephalocele Can Affect Speech and Language Development
/ by Avivit Ben-Aharon
Encephalocele is a rare birth defect that is typically formed when the neural tube (an early form of the brain and spinal cord) does not fully close during the initial stages of pregnancy. A baby with encephalocele will have a gap in their skull that isn’t closed, causing a mass of brain tissue, looking [...]
Dysarthria (Slurred Speech): Symptoms, Causes, & Treatment
/ by Avivit Ben-Aharon
Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder that occurs when muscles used for speech are weak. Motor speech disorders are characterized by difficulty moving the muscles that are needed for speech production. Individuals with dysarthria know what they want to say; they just have a hard time saying it due to muscle weakness. This typically causes [...]
What Causes Hypernasal Speech (Hypernasality)?
/ by Avivit Ben-Aharon
Hypernasal Speech, also called hypernasality, is a speech resonance condition that occurs when sound escapes through the nose during speech production. This results in the voice sounding nasally, affecting speech clarity. What causes hypernasality in speech? Hypernasality in speech can be caused by a physical difference as well as learned misarticulation. It is usually due [...]
Does Speech Therapy Help Children with Asperger's Syndrome
/ by Avivit Ben-Aharon
What is Asperger's Syndrome? Asperger’s Syndrome is a developmental disorder that is classified as a form of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Individuals with this diagnosis tend to have average or above-average intelligence but often struggle with social interactions. People with Asperger’s Syndrome may have difficulties understanding the emotions and body language [...]
What is Spasmodic Dysphonia (also known as laryngeal dystonia) - A Rare Condition That Affects RFK Jr.’s Voice
/ by Avivit Ben-Aharon
What is Spasmodic Dysphonia Spasmodic dysphonia (SD), also known as laryngeal dystonia, is a rare neurological disorder that affects the muscles controlling the vocal cords. This condition results in involuntary muscle spasms in the larynx (voice box) that cause the voice to sound shaky, strained, or even strangled. Spasmodic dysphonia can have an impact on [...]
Recognizing Speech Delays in 2-Year-Olds
/ by Avivit Ben-Aharon
Speech development is a key part of a child’s early years, as it plays a significant role in their ability to communicate, form connections, and learn. By the age of 2, most toddlers begin to form basic sentences; however, some may experience delays with this development. This can be incredibly concerning for parents. Child [...]