The Center for Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine

Speech Therapy 

We understand speech; language and swallowing disorders can be very challenging. Our Speech Language Pathologists (SLP) provide comprehensive diagnostic testing and treatment for communication, voice, memory and swallowing disorders. Our Speech Language Pathologists care for individuals of all ages from newborns to seniors in two comfortable, convenient locations: Beverly Hospital and Addison Gilbert Hospital.

Children

We are sensitive to the special needs of children. There are many reasons a child would experience delays in speech or language. Our team specializes in developmental delays, Autism Spectrum Disorders, intellectual differences or disorders, children with hearing loss, head injury, processing disorders, apraxia, and fluency disorders or differences.

• Articulation disorder/delay
  • Involves inaccurate pronunciation of various speech sounds
  • Sounds can be substituted, omitted, added, or changed
  • A child should achieve mastery of all speech sounds by age 7
• Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
  • AAC is utilized for children with severe expressive or receptive communication delay. Our staff is experienced with identifying the need and assisting in selection of an appropriate device to help aid communication at home, school, or in therapy.
• Central auditory processing disorder (CAPD)
  • Broad term for those that experience difficulty with in the processing, analysis, and retention of incoming information.
  • Complaints often include: difficulty paying attention or remembering information, difficulty carrying out multi-step directions, poor listening skills, longer processing time, difficulty with new information, poor academic performance, behavior problems, language difficulty, and difficulty with vocabulary or comprehension tasks.
  • Usually not associated with disorders of hearing.
• Childhood apraxia of speech
  • A neurological speech sound disorder that involves difficulty in the motor plan for underlying speech in the absence of neuromuscular deficits.
  • Feeding / swallowing can also be affected
• Stuttering
  • The loss of fluency in connected speech
• Phonological disorder/delay
  • Involves errors in sound sounds in patterns and in language that are necessary for speech, reading, and writing development.
  • Delays in phonological development are strongly correlated to delays in literacy development.
• Social language disorders / Pragmatics
  • Social / pragmatic disorders involve a difficulty in using language, changing language and following rules of language.
  • Can be related to Autism Spectrum Disorders, but can also stem from coexisting language or vocabulary difficulties that impact ability to function in social settings.
• Receptive and expressive language disorder/delay
  • Delays in the ability to understand language and/or the difficulty in the use of language.
  • Complaints in receptive language include: difficulty following directions or routines, difficulty answering questions, and/or difficulty identifying various items.
  • Complaints in expressive language include: poor vocabulary, difficulty grammar or syntax, difficulty expressing thoughts, difficulty communicating with adults or peers, and/or limited expressive output.
• Voice disorders
  • Voice disorders includes the difference in pitch, quality, breath support, speech rate/rhythm, tone or volume of the voice. Some complaints include hoarseness, harshness, hypernasality or hyponasality.
• Vocal Fold Dysfunction (VFD)
  • VFD is a vocal disorder that is often associated or misdiagnosed as "exercise induced asthma." We see many athletes that experience throat tightening during execution. It is often characterized by "inability to get air in." Often, these athletes do not respond to inhalers, as it is not a lung issue, but a vocal chord issue.

Adults

We offer evaluation and treatment of a variety of speech/language disorders in adults stemming from a variety of medical or non-medical diagnoses including:

• Aphasia
  • Aphasia is the impairment of receptive or expressive language in adults after sustaining head injury, stroke, degenerative diseases or related to age.
• Dysarthria
  • Acquired speech deficit impacting articulation and speech intelligibility. Often can be described as "slurring" of speech.  This can occur due to head injury, stroke, degenerative disease, or age related changes.
• Memory / Cognitive Disorders
  • Acquired memory or cognitive disorders that involve the targeting of difficulty with attention, processing, retaining and organizing of information.
• Swallowing Disorders / Dysphagia
  • Swallowing disorders can occur for a variety of reasons including stroke, head injury, radiation related to head/neck cancer, digestive disorders, pulmonary dysfunctions, degenerative diseases, age, etc. Swallowing disorders can lead to medical complications and should be taken very seriously. Speech language pathologists work to rehabilitate the swallow so that the swallow is safe and diet modifications are in place for safety of swallowing.
• Voice Disorders
  • Voice disorders affect the quality, tone, loudness, pitch, and volume of the voice.  Complaints include hoarseness, harsh quality, strangled quality, decreased breath support, or laryngitis.

Modified Barium Swallow Studies

Modified Barium Swallow (MBS) studies evaluate the upper digestive tract. Our SLP's work in conjunction with a radiologist to rule out aspiration or other deficits in the oral and/or pharyngeal cavities. Our staff will work with patients and their families to modify diet textures and consistencies and create safe swallow strategies to prevent aspiration and prevent malnutrition or dehydration.

Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing

Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) is an instrumental evaluation provided by specially trained speech-language pathologists to evaluate the swallow function in individuals with dysphagia. FEES enables the speech-language pathologist to evaluate dysphagia with greater sensitivity, and to provide appropriate diet recommendations, safe swallowing strategies, and a plan of care. Fiberoptic endoscopy may also be utilized as a therapeutic aid and biofeedback tool during the course of a patient's swallowing treatment.

LSVT® LOUD

"If only we could hear and understand her speech…." This was the wish of Lee Silverman's family, a woman who sought therapy for Parkinson Disease (PD) in 1986. At the request of the Silverman Family, researcher Dr. Lorraine Ramig and speech therapist Carolyn Bonitati, developed a voice therapy that helps people with PD and other neurological conditions regain their ability to speak. In honor of Mrs. Silverman and the success of this therapy, the technique was named LSVT®Lee Silverman Voice Treatment.

Virtually every person with Parkinson Disease will have problems with speech that will progressively diminish their quality of life. Common problems include: soft voice, mumbled monotome speech and hoarseness. More than 15 years of research funded by the National Institute of Health has documented that LSVT® LOUD Parkinson specific speech therapy is effective. The results of the treatment last up to two years, making LSVT® LOUD the "gold standard" in treating speech disorders for people with PD.