Whether it is a lisp, problem-solving, learning how to swallow or even learning how to speak in general, The Speech Emporium helps clients in the Cy-Fair community develop speaking and occupational skills.

Speech language pathologist Jennifer Swearengin opened The Speech Emporium in September 2004 after seeing the need among children for speech therapy while working in local elementary schools.

“My business partner and I were both working in the schools, and we felt like we weren’t doing enough with the kids,” she said. “We would be working with five different children at the same time. So, we wanted to open a practice where we could really collaborate with the parents and help the kids with a one-on-one setting.”

Younger patients can participate in both speech therapy—which focuses on fixing issues with speaking and language—and occupational therapy, which targets fine motor skills and sensory issues. Many patients are children with autism, which Swearengin said is becoming more common.

“We offer speech therapy for children and adults and occupational therapy for children,” Swearengin said. “We offer a broad range of services from kids who just need help with articulation to kids [who] might not be talking at all.”

The practice, which employs 10 speech pathologists and three occupational therapists, is taking new patients. Individuals can set up appointments for themselves or loved ones to receive a free screening.

Karen Glosson, an occupational therapist at The Speech Emporium, said speech and occupational therapists work together when a patient is involved in both therapies.

“You can’t have a cookbook recipe,” she said. “We pick up what we think are the things they need to work on. But if you go in with a cookbook recipe, they’re usually not able to do that.”