Speech Therapy

Our goal for you when you receive speech therapy is to be able to communicate with others. 

Speech therapy at Lakes Regional Healthcare is offered to pediatric and adult outpatients, through our Home Care and Hospice service, and is also provided to inpatients, beginning during hospitalization following stroke or surgery and for other needs as well.

Speech therapy can be used to help a number of disorders:

• Articulation – the inability to properly form certain word sounds. 
• Fluency – the flow, speed, and rhythm of speech. A common fluency disorder is stuttering. 
• Resonance – a resonance disorder is when a blockage or obstruction of regular airflow in the nasal or oral cavities alters the vibrations responsible for voice quality. They are often associated with cleft palate, neurological disorders, and swollen tonsils. 
• Receptive – trouble understanding and processing what others say. Receptive disorders can be caused by other language disorders, autism, hearing loss, or a head injury. 
• Expressive – difficulty conveying or expressing information. It is associated with developmental impairments such as Down syndrome or hearing loss or result from head trauma or a medical condition. 
• Cognitive-communication – Difficulty communicating because of an injury to the part of the brain that controls your ability to think is referred to as cognitive communication disorder. It can result in memory issues, problem solving, difficulty speaking, or listening. It can be caused by biological problems such as abnormal brain development, certain neurological conditions, a brain injury, or stroke. 
• Dysphagia – difficulty swallowing foods and liquids. 
• Aphasia – affects a person’s ability to speak and understand others and to read and write. Stroke is the most common cause of aphasia. 
• Dysarthria – slow or slurred speech due to a weakness or inability to control the muscles used for speech. It is often caused by nervous system disorders and conditions that cause facial paralysis or throat and tongue weakness. 

When you come in for speech therapy, you receive a thorough assessment by one of our speech language pathologists. They will assess your communication abilities and difficulties and then implement appropriate goals and methods to improve your communication. 

Your treatment plan may include:

• Problem solving, memory and organization exercises aimed at improving cognitive communication
• Instruction on how to read, write, speak, and swallow
• Education about how to vocalize sounds and syllables correctly
• Conversation to improve social communication
• Play, using books, pictures, and other objects to stimulate language
• Activities to do at home

Learn More About 4 Ways To Expand Your Child’s Language!

To schedule an appointment with a speech pathologist, please talk with your healthcare provider.