What are your hours?
The Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. We are closed major holidays. If you have questions or need an appointment, please call the center at (806) 359-7681 or 1-800-687-7681.
What are the warning signs of a possible hearing loss?
  • The volume on the television is turned up too loud
  • Difficulty hearing someone from a distance or from behind
  • Difficulty hearing in social situations
  • Ringing in the ears
  • Complaining that everyone mumbles
  • Talking loud
  • Difficulty on the telephone
  • Speech and language problems
  • Tugging at the ears
  • Problems with discipline, behavior, and academics in school
Can anything help my hearing?
If you think you have a hearing problem, you should see an audiologist for a complete hearing test. If a hearing loss is found, you may be referred to your doctor for a medical evaluation. Hearing aids and/or assistive listening devices may be recommended. The audiologist will recommend the best amplification for your hearing loss and needs.
What are the different types of hearing aids?
There are many different types and styles of hearing aids available today. Two different types of hearing aids are advanced technology and traditional hearing aids. Advanced technology hearing aids are programmable and the volume is automatically adjusted for different situations. Traditional hearing aids amplify everything on an equal basis. There are many styles of hearing aids from behind the ear to completely in the canal. They style of hearing aid should be determined by the degree of hearing loss and the needs of the individual.
Will I have to wear two hearing aids?
People who have hearing loss in both ears should wear binaural hearing aids to provide a good balance of sound and to know where the sound originates. With two hearing aids, a person should be able to understand speech better in a noisy environment.
How do hearing aids work?
The hearing aid is simply a miniature amplifying system. The microphone picks up sound waves, converts them into electrical signals and sends them to the amplifier where they are made stronger. The signal is then sent to the receiver where it is converted back to sound waves conducted into your ear. There are many varieties of hearing aids available that have different electronic circuits. The audiologist will determine what is best for you. Remember a hearing aid is not a cure for hearing loss or deafness.
Is my child's speech development normal?
All children develop at different rates; however, there are norms for each year of development that should be taken into consideration. Please refer to our section on Developmental Checklists for detailed information. If your child has not met the majority of the criteria, a speech language pathologist should evaluate him. These checklists should only be used to identify a possible problem or delay.
My child has begun stuttering. Does he need therapy or will he outgrow this problem?
A small percentage of children who begin to stutter will continue stuttering into adulthood. Children, boys more often than girls, will often experience a period of dysfluency that will disappear without remediation; however, a few of these children will continue to experience difficulty when speaking. A speech language pathologist should evaluate your child if he/she is frustrated or withdraws from expressing himself/herself, seems to be "getting worse", has stuttered for more than 6-9 months, or is over the age of 4.5 years. Therapy will focus on teaching the child to use strategies/techniques to decrease the dysfluent speech.
What causes speech and language disorders?
There are many factors that can contribute to speech or language disorders. Some of the most easily diagnosed are 1) hearing loss 2) head injury 3) complications at birth 4) congenital disorders and 5) psychological disorders. Many times the "cause" is unknown.
What is dysphagia?

Dysphagia is an impairment in the ability to chew or swallow foods/liquids. Dysphagia is related to neurological disorders and occurs in infants, children, and adults.

Symptoms of possible dysphagia include:

  • choking/coughing frequently at meals
  • feeling as if food is stuck (won't go down)
  • food/liquids coming out of the nose
  • inability to contain food/liquids in the mouth
  • difficulty chewing food
  • runny nose/watery eyes at meals
  • significant weight loss
  • vocal changes during oral intake

If you experience any of the above symptoms or others not mentioned you should see your physician and be evaluated by a speech language pathologist to determine the degree of impairment and receive instructions on how to decrease the risk for pulmonary involvement.
What is the difference between aphasia and dysarthria?
Both disorders are caused from some type of neurological involvement. Both also affect verbal expression to some extent. The difference between the two is how it affects a person's speech.