What is Speech-Language Therapy
A speech-language therapist specializes in the evaluation of patients with speech, language, swallowing, and cognitive impairments.
Speech therapy can be used to correct andmanage deficits following:
- Stroke
- Traumatic brain injury
- Diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease, such as:
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Cerebral Palsy (CP)
- Huntington’s Disease
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Muscular Dystrophy (MD)
- Myasthenia Gravis (MG)
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Diagnosis or treatment of head/neck cancer
- Development of vocal fold nodules/polyps
- Any change in speech, voice, communication, swallowing, or thinking skills
Conditions Treated
A speech therapist works with patients who may present or be diagnosed with the following conditions:
Aphasia – reduced language abilities such as difficulty understanding what others say or difficulty expressing oneself using correct grammar and appropriate vocabulary.
Apraxia – difficulty planning and coordinating muscular movements of the lips, tongue, and mouth to form intelligible speech.
Dysarthria – reduced strength and range of motion of muscles of the speech mechanism resulting in impaired sound pronunciation, reduced loudness, or change in vocal quality.
Dysphagia – difficulty with any level of swallowing, including chewing and managing food in the mouth and safely passing food through the throat into the stomach.
Cognitive-Communication Impairments – problems thinking due to difficulty paying attention, remembering information, organizing thoughts, or solving problems.
Voice Disorders – ineffective use of voice through inappropriate pitch, loudness, nasality, or vocal quality or inability to produce voice secondary to tracheostomy placement.
Fluency Disorders – difficulty with fluency of expression (stuttering).
Evaluation and Treatment
A thorough evaluation will involve a comprehensive interview with patient and family. Depending on patient complaints, language, communication, and/or cognitive testing will be administered. Swallowing evaluations may be performed as well.
An individualized treatment plan will be developed for each patient and may include:
- Language therapy
- Utilizing current technological activities such as iPads with apps and alternative communication devices
- Learning strategies to understand conversation and express oneself
- Cognitive therapy
- Utilizing current technological activities such as iPads with apps and alternative communication devices
- Learning strategies to complete functional, real-life tasks
- Vocal exercises
- Swallowing exercises
To schedule an appointment, ask your healthcare provider for a referral or call:
Wellsboro: 570-723-0120
Williamsport: 570-321-2605