Rehabilitation

Speech Pathology & Swallowing

Our board-certified speech pathologists offer comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services. The team provides therapeutic intervention for a wide range of diseases and conditions that affect communication and swallowing.

Using state of the art, evidenced-based assessment and treatment techniques, patients are evaluated and treated with impairments in swallowing or dysphagia, speech, voice, receptive and expressive language, and cognitive-linguistic function.

Communication impairment caused by:

• Stroke
• Neurodegenerative diseases and conditions such as ALS, MS, Gillian Barre, Parkinson’s
• Respiratory and pulmonary disease such as COPD
• Tracheostomy and ventilator dependence
• Dementia
• Laryngeal Cancer
• Oral Cancer
• Traumatic Brain Injury

Swallowing problems caused by:

• Neurological causes such as stroke, ALS, Parkinson’s disease and cerebral palsy
• Respiratory causes impacting coordination between breathing and swallowing
• Traumatic causes such as head injury
• Infectious and inflammatory causes such as acid reflux, viral conditions
• Structural abnormalities such as diverticula, esophageal stricture, or tumor
• Medication-induced abnormalities related to antipsychotics, muscle relaxants, or anticholinergics

Feeding and swallowing problems caused by:

• Nervous system disorders, like cerebral palsy or meningitis
• Reflux or other stomach problems
• Prematurity or low birth weight
• Heart disease
• Cleft lip or palate
• Breathing problems like asthma or other respiratory diseases
• Autism
• Intellectual disability
• Muscle weakness in the face and neck
• Medicines that effect arousal or hunger
• Sensory impairment
• Behavior problems

At the Outpatient Center for Digestive Diseases and Swallowing Disorders, patients are evaluated using both radiological and endoscopic instrumental tools. The medical speech pathologists are part of a comprehensive team of interdisciplinary medical specialists including neurologists, pulmonologists, gastroenterologists, otolaryngologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, palliative care specialists and dieticians to optimally manage the patient with swallowing impairment.

Signs and symptoms of swallowing problems include:

• Difficulty controlling saliva or food in the mouth
• Difficulty accepting food in the mouth
• Feeding refusal
• Difficulty chewing
• Coughing before, during or after swallowing
• Weight loss
• Frequent upper respiratory infections
• Pneumonia (resulting from overt and silent aspiration)
• A gurgly or wet voice after food or liquid intake
• Pain upon swallowing
• Regurgitation of food or liquid after meals

Click here for Speech Language Pathology and Swallowing flier

Click here for Adult Swallowing flier

Click here for Pediatric Feeding & Swallowing flier