Speech-Language Pathology

Speech-Language Pathology

Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs) assess, diagnose, and help prevent communication and swallowing disorders in patients who may have suffered a stroke, brain injury, hearing loss, development delay, cerebral palsy, emotional problems, or a variety of other medically impairing events.

At SRMC, our licensed speech-language pathologists recognize the importance of effective communication in daily life. We are dedicated to assisting our patients in achieving their maximum communication potential through rehabilitation efforts.

Speech-Language Pathology Providers

786

We Offer The Following Services to Pediatric, Adult, and Geriatric Populations:

Aphasia Therapy

Aphasia is a neurological condition that affects language skills, often resulting from a brain injury, especially in the left hemisphere. At SRMC, our certified speech-language pathologists develop an individualized treatment plan to address language deficits that affect the patient’s ability to communicate in all environments. Patients with aphasia and/or acquired language disorders may have difficulty with the following:  

  • Understanding words, questions, directions, or stories
  • Producing words and sentences
  • Reading and writing

Ask your doctor to consider a referral to a speech-language pathologist. The speech-language pathologist will test your language skills and will ask you about the problems you have and what you want to work on. Next, they will test how you understand words, questions, directions, and stories; produce words and sentences; read and write; and find other ways to share your ideas when you have trouble.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Evaluation and Therapy

At SRMC, our goal is to provide all individuals with a mode of communication that allows them to express their wants, needs, and ideas and to further develop their social communication skills. Our therapists provide assessments to determine the best AAC option for the individual and therapy services to develop AAC competencies so the individual can communicate more effectively. Our therapists provide individualized assessment and treatment to find the communication modality that best fits the patient's needs.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication utilizes low-tech and/or high-tech communication options to promote communication for individuals in a variety of environments. The overall goal of AAC therapy is to provide access to expressive communication. AAC therapy may be suggested for both adult and pediatric patients. AAC therapy at SRMC includes the following strategies to help an individual become a successful communicator or maintain successful communication:

  • Developing AAC competencies with targeted goals
  • Using core word teaching strategies
  • Supporting children and adults who use AAC
  • Integrating literacy instruction
  • Supporting communication partners and caregivers
  • Increasing engagement and motivation for communication
  • Facilitating carryover of skills to all communication environments

Cognitive-Communication Therapy

The speech-language pathologists at SRMC can assist patients who are experiencing difficulty carrying out activities of daily living. The most common causes of cognitive-communication deficits include dementia, brain tumor, stroke, and traumatic brain injury (TBI). Cognitive-communication therapy focuses on promoting independence and increasing quality of life for those living with cognitive-communication deficits.

Possible symptoms of a cognitive-communication impairment include difficulty performing personal lifestyle management activities and reduced self-awareness, memory, judgement, ability to initiate tasks, social communication, and ability to communicate.

Dysphagia Therapy

Speech therapy plays an important role in the management and treatment of dysphagia, a condition that affects a person's ability to swallow. Dysphagia can occur in people of all ages, from infants to the elderly, and can be caused by a variety of conditions, such as stroke, Parkinson's disease, and head and neck cancer. SLPs are trained to evaluate and treat dysphagia. The first step in treatment is a thorough evaluation to determine the underlying cause of the swallowing difficulties and to assess the extent of the problem. Based on the evaluation, the SLP will develop a personalized treatment plan that may include exercises to improve swallowing function, education on proper eating and drinking techniques, and recommendations for appropriate food and liquid consistencies. The goal of treatment is to improve swallowing function, reduce the risk of aspiration (when food or liquid enters the lungs), and improve overall quality of life.

Modified Barium Swallow Study (MBSS)

A Modified Barium Swallow Study is a widely used video fluoroscopic evaluation of the functional anatomy and physiology of swallowing that permits visualization of food or liquid flow from your mouth to your esophagus. The information gained from the examination is critical for identifying the type and severity of swallowing impairment, determining the safety of oral intake, and formulating oral intake recommendations and treatment planning. The test will help you, your doctor, and the SLPs plan what type of foods and liquids are easiest for you to swallow. The SLPs will also identify positions and ways to help you swallow more easily and safely.

Parkinson’s Disease/LSVT LOUD

LSVT LOUD is an effective speech treatment for people with Parkinson's disease (PD) and other neurological conditions. LSVT LOUD trains people with PD to improve their speaking volume to achieve an average level of loudness while speaking at home, at work, or in the community. It is essential for patients with PD to learn how to recalibrate their perceptions to understand how loud or soft they sound to other people. This will help them feel comfortable using a stronger voice at a normal loudness level.

Speech Therapy

Speech therapy is the assessment and treatment of communication problems and speech disorders. Speech therapy techniques are used to improve communication. These include articulation therapy, language intervention activities, and others depending on the type of speech or language disorder. Speech therapy may be needed for speech disorders that develop in childhood or are acquired in adulthood. Acquired adult speech disorders may be caused by an injury or illness, such as a stroke or brain injury. SRMC Speech Therapy can help with the following disorders:

  • Articulation disorders (speech sounds)
  • Fluency disorders (stuttering, cluttering)
  • Resonance disorders
  • Receptive disorders (understanding language)
  • Expressive disorders (producing language)
  • Cognitive-communication disorders
  • Aphasia
  • Dysarthria

Voice Therapy

Voice disorders can change the quality, pitch, or loudness of your voice. Your voice may sound strained, husky, or weak. Sometimes, your voice becomes a whisper or disappears altogether. Voice disorders affect your voice box (larynx) and can cause a consistent or inconsistent change in your voice. A speech-language pathologist guides you through voice therapy exercises to eliminate or prevent harmful vocal behaviors, help vocal cords heal after surgery or injury, and promote healthy vocal behaviors. Voice therapy can help children and adults. Your healthcare provider may recommend voice therapy if you have any of the following voice disorders:

  • Laryngitis
  • Muscle tension dysphonia
  • Spasmodic dysphonia/vocal tremor
  • Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD)
  • Vocal cord lesions
  • Vocal cord paralysis

Speech-Language Pathology treatments focus on the development of receptive and expressive language, feeding and swallowing abilities, social skills, and cognitive needs that include the following:

  • Apraxia
  • Articulation disorders
  • Auditory processing and comprehension
  • Oral motor delays with feeding
  • Our speech-language pathologist can also assist families with the use of augmentative and assistive communication (AAC) devices.
  • Receptive and expressive language deficits
  • Social skill and attention difficulties
  • Voice deficits and hearing delays