Juniper Speech Therapy opens new Phoenix clinic

Juniper Speech Therapy has opened a new pediatric clinic inside The Motherhood Co. in Phoenix, widening access to speech, feeding and myofunctional therapy for families across the metro area. The move adds in-person capacity alongside in-home and virtual services as demand for specialized children’s therapy continues.

Why it matters: - The new Phoenix location gives families in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley and nearby communities another place to get specialized speech, feeding and myofunctional therapy. - The expansion increases access to services that can affect a child’s communication, oral development and breathing habits. - The clinic also adds another family-focused provider inside The Motherhood Co., which concentrates services for mothers, infants and children.

What happened: - Juniper Speech Therapy opened a new clinic at 13802 N. 32nd St., Unit 8, Phoenix, AZ 85032, inside The Motherhood Co. - The office sits a few blocks west of Arizona State Route 51 near the Thunderbird Road exit. - The practice is a Phoenix-based pediatric clinic specializing in speech therapy and myofunctional therapy. - Founder Julie Mercadante is a licensed speech-language pathologist.

The details: - Juniper Speech Therapy provides speech-language evaluations and therapy, feeding therapy and myofunctional therapy for children. - The practice serves families in clinic, in-home and through virtual services across Arizona. - Mercadante said many parents know about speech therapy, but may not realize breathing, tongue posture, sleep quality and feeding patterns can affect communication development. - Mercadante said the practice aims to identify root causes behind speech and feeding challenges and help children build long-term skills. - Mercadante has nearly three decades of experience as a speech-language pathologist. - Mercadante founded Juniper Speech Therapy nearly six years ago. - The practice works with children who have persistent speech challenges, including articulation disorders involving sounds such as R and S, as well as feeding difficulties and oral-motor concerns. - Myofunctional therapy focuses on how the tongue, lips, jaw and facial muscles function during breathing, eating, swallowing and speaking. - The clinic says those foundational skills can help improve speech clarity, feeding abilities, oral development and healthy breathing habits. - Juniper Speech Therapy says it has a full team of therapists serving families and patients across The Valley. - More information and scheduling details are available at Juniper Speech Therapy. - The practice also shares updates on Instagram and Facebook.

Between the lines: - The move suggests Juniper Speech Therapy is betting on local, in-person access even as it keeps virtual and in-home options. - Placing the clinic inside a parent- and child-focused wellness space may help the practice reach families earlier, when speech, feeding and oral-motor concerns are first identified. - The emphasis on root causes points to a broader approach than articulation therapy alone.

What's next: - Juniper Speech Therapy is positioned to expand its reach across the Phoenix metro area with the new office and its existing mobile and virtual services. - Mercadante said the practice plans to continue expanding access to specialized speech and myofunctional therapy services in Phoenix. - Families can contact the practice to schedule evaluations at the new location or through its Arizona-wide service options.