Dena Freedman-Muchnick, M.S., CCC-SLP, CLC, Owner/Director

Hello, my name is Dena Freedman-Muchnick, M.S., CCC-SLP, CLC and I am the Owner and Director of Speech Language Spot, its partner sites Myofunctional Spot and The Voice Spot and it's parent site Lactation Spot, a Private Lactation Consulting Practice based in Cooper City, Florida. I live with my husband, two teenage "babies" and four fur babies. I earned a Master's Degree in Speech Language Pathology from Nova Southeastern University in 2000. Prior to that, I earned a Dual Bachelor's Degree in Speech Language Pathology and Audiology from the University of Florida (Go Gators!) in 1997.

I have worked as a Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist in the areas of speech, language, voice, feeding & swallowing for over 23 years. I have practiced in various clinical settings including Miami Children's Hospital, Acute Inpatient Rehabilitation Centers, Outpatient Clinics, Public and Private Schools from KG to 12th grade and in Private Practice. I have extensive experience with various populations and developmental/medical complexities that impact speech, language and feeding development from birth to adulthood. 

As a Certified Lactation Consultant, I utilize my clinical experience on a private consultative basis to provide Oral Motor & Feeding Support in helping to identify, diagnose and remediate infant feeding issues such as Oral Restrictions (i.e., tongue ties or lip ties/TOTS) to help make breast and bottle feeding successful for mom and baby. I partner with many local Pediatricians (and other pediatric healthcare providers) in providing professional training and education regarding speech/feeding development, as well as evidence based lactation resources to encourage appropriate identification of atypical speech, language and feeding development and/or red flags that would require further assessment. Additionally, I provide parental education and private prenatal breastfeeding classes within the community. Early identification and remediation of infant oral motor or feeding dysfunction is critical in oral motor development as it encourages the proper movement of the tongue and lips, helping to prevent many speech and feeding issues further down the road. 

With toddlers and preschool aged children, I provide Early Intervention Assessment to identify Developmental Delays, Speech Articulation or Receptive/Expressive Language Delays, Voice and Fluency Disorders, Oral Motor Dysfunction and more. With school aged children K-12, I provide age-appropriate standardized assessment in the areas of Articulation/Intelligibility, Oral Motor/Myofunctional Development, Receptive & Expressive Language, Pragmatic/Social Language, Fluency/Stuttering, Voice/Resonance Disorders, Cognition, Vocabulary and more. 

With older children and adults, I provide Pre & Post Frenectomy Care & Myofunctional Therapy to clients of all ages, from children to adults, who are experiencing life altering symptoms related to Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders and who are undergoing various treatments. My specialized training and experience in the areas of swallowing and orofacial function has led me to expand my practice to provide specific Voice Therapy Treatment for all vocal pathologies, post-surgical voice rehabilitation & voice modification for people of all ages.

All areas of assessment are conveniently offered in person (office or school) as well as via Telehealth. Virtual and in-person therapy is provided based on availability. Myofunctional Therapy is provided on a consultative basis and via Telehealth as well. I collaborate closely with a network of medical/academic professionals on a case by case basis to help improve client clinical outcomes. 

In my free time, I enjoy visiting local farmer's markets, practicing yoga, cooking organic gluten/dairy free meals, harmonizing to broadway music with my husband and daughter, thrift shopping, traveling and chasing the most beautiful sunsets.

I am so grateful to be doing what I absolutely love. I consider it a privilege to help each and every family who allows me to assist in their speech, language, voice, feeding and myofunctional development ♥️

Unsure if an assessment is needed? Would you like some guidance about your next steps? Allow me to help you! We can schedule a free phone consultation to discuss your specific questions or concerns, and determine if your child would benefit from further evaluation of their communication skills and/or developmental milestones. Let's Talk!

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), often called speech therapists, are clinical specialists in the study of human communication, typical development, and identifying communication disorders. SLPs assess speech (articulation, fluency/stuttering, voice), language (expressive and receptive), cognitive-communication, myofunctional development and oral-motor/feeding/swallowing skills. If you have concerns regarding any area of your child's communication skills, an SLP can help to identify a problem and the best way to treat it.