Speech Therapy

Our Approach

Franciscan Health Speech Therapy provides comprehensive care to each patient through an individualized program of therapy determined to meet the personal goals of the patient and family. Our therapists can also work with registered dietitians and audiology to provide multi-disciplinary services.

What does Speech Therapy help with?

Speech therapists offer evaluation and treatment of outpatient speech, and language and cognitive deficits.

Speech Therapy can address things like:

• Dysphagia (swallowing disorders)
• Central auditory processing
• Voice disorders including laryngectomy
• Speech fluency and apraxia
• Pediatric speech, language and swallowing

Our certified speech-language pathologists will build a customized treatment plan based on the latest medical evidence available. We'll help you set goals for success and continually update your treatment plan as you improve your skills.

How will Speech Therapy help me?

• We can help you learn how to speak sounds correctly.
• If you have a voice disorder, we can help you develop proper control of your vocal and respiratory systems.
• If you stutter, we can work with you to increase fluency.
• If you have aphasia, we can help you improve your comprehension of what others say and what you are read, as well as your ability to speak and write.
• We can talk with your family members to help them better understand your condition and needs so they can provide the proper support for you at home.
• If you have difficulty with problem solving and memory following a head injury, stroke or other neurological diagnosis, we can help you work to regain these cognitive skills.
• We can evaluate your ability to swallow safely and make recommendations to help with swallowing or receiving nutrition safely.
• Our pediatric speech therapy services can work with children who have language disorders to improve grammar, vocabulary and conversation skills. We have a pediatric feeding team and can also help your child with a variety of swallowing issues.

Speech Therapy treats speech, cognition, feeding and swallowing disorders

Speech Therapy focuses on receptive language, or the ability to understand words spoken to you, and expressive language, or the ability to use words to express yourself. It also deals with the mechanics of producing words. While many of our patients are children with developmental disorders, we also treat many adults who have suffered from a stroke, head injury or other diseases. Speech Therapy services also include evaluation and treatment of feeding and swallowing concerns.

How do speech therapists help with swallowing?

Speech-language pathologists work with individuals with dysphagia or difficulty swallowing, such as an infant with difficulty tolerating feedings to an adult with difficulty swallowing after a stroke. If you or your loved one demonstrates any of the below signs of a swallowing difficulty, he/she could benefit from an evaluation by a speech-language pathologist.

What are signs of swallowing difficulty in adults?

• Coughing/choking during eating or drinking
• Pain during swallowing
• Unintentional weight loss
• Recurrent pneumonias and/or recurrent respiratory infections
• Feeling like food or drink gets stuck in your throat or chest

What are signs that a baby or child might have a problem swallowing?

• Coughing/choking during meals/feedings
• Avoidance of certain textures
• Difficulty gaining weight or unintentional weight loss
• Difficulty breast or bottle feeding
• Recurrent pneumonias and/or recurrent respiratory infections
• Difficulty breathing during meals/feedings
• Color change, arched back, raised eyebrows or stretched hands during feeding