Previously Better Hearing and Speech Month, National Speech-Language-Hearing Month provides an opportunity to raise awareness about
The Role of the SLP and Audiologist
Restore Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists are part of the interdisciplinary team in Assisted Living and Skilled Nursing Facilities and Outpatient Clinics.
Speech-Langauage Pathologists work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat
- Aphasia
- Apraxia
- Dysarthria
- Dysphagia
- Speech
- AAC
- Writing
- Language
- Articulation
- Cognition
Audiologists are healthcare professionals who work to aid in the prevention, identification, diagnosis, and treatment of hearing, balance, and other auditory disorders for people of all ages.
Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists provide professional and personalized services to minimize the negative impact of theses disorders leading to improved outcomes and quality of life.
Swallowing problems like dysphagia are determined by the specific deficits and/or difficulties experienced by the person receiving treatment. Treatment may focus on swallowing exercises that focus on improving the person’s muscle function or coordination for swallowing. Swallowing techniques or compensatory strategies can be utilized in treatment to facilitate improvement in safety and efficiency of the swallow.
Medical Conditions That May Warrant a Speech Evaluation *
- Stroke (CVA)
- Dementia
- Brain Tumor
- Alzheimer’s Disease
- Huntington’s Disease
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Traumatic Brain Injury
- Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Myasthenia Gravis
- Cerebral Palsy (CP)
- Head and Neck Cancers
*List not all-inclusive
Conditions That May Lead to Voice Disorders
- Upper Respiratory Infections
- Inflammation or Swelling of the Vocal Cords
- Trauma to Vocal Cords
- Acid Reflux
- Vocal Abuse/Misuse
- Benign Growths
- Neuromuscular Conditions (Parkinson’s Disease, Stroke)
- Laryngeal Cancer
- Habitual Coughing or Throat Clearing
A voice disorder is an abnormal change in the way a person’s voice sounds. A voice disorder occurs when voice quality, pitch, and/or loudness differ or are inappropriate for an individual’s age, gender, cultural background, or geographic location. Voice issues become a problem when the attention is given to abnormal change in voice rather than to what the speaker is saying. It is also a problem if the speaker experiences pain, fatigue, or discomfort when speaking or singing.
Speech-Language Pathologists work with an interdisciplinary team to treat voice with one or a combination of treat voice with one or a combination of medication, voice therapy, or surgery. Voice therapy is an individualized combination of vocal hygiene recommendations, modification of vocal behaviors, and exercises designed to address specific vocal problems. A customized treatment program can be recommended bya Speech-Language Pathologist following a voice evaluation.
For more information on National Speech Language Hearing Month, visit ASHA.
#restorethegood #NSLHM