Speech Therapy
Speech therapy services help children and adults improve communication and swallowing disorders.
Losing the ability to communicate well or eat with ease can be frustrating, isolating and upsetting.
Many medical conditions or injuries can lead to speech, language, voice, memory and thinking, and swallowing disorders. Speech therapy can help individuals from birth to adults.
Your speech-language pathologist will work with you to assess, diagnose and treat your condition. Our highly skilled speech-language pathologists treat individuals of all ages with conditions including:
- Speech and language delay and disorders
- Communication disorders
- Voice disorders
- Cognitive disorders
- Swallowing disorders
- Post laryngectomy
- Trachea-esophageal voice prosthesis
- Alternative Communication Devices
During your initial evaluation, we will ask questions to understand your therapy needs. We'll get to know you and how your condition interferes with your daily life.
The speech-language pathologist may have you complete tasks to measure your current strengths and weaknesses. Finally, you will work with the speech-language pathologist to determine functional therapy goals to improve your quality of life.
Your treatments will consist of specific therapeutic activities designed for you to meet your therapy goals.
What to Expect with Speech Therapy
Your speech-language pathologist will work with you to assess, diagnose and treat your condition. Our highly skilled speech-language pathologists treat individuals of all ages with conditions including:
- Speech and language delay and disorders
- Communication disorders
- Voice disorders
- Cognitive disorders
- Swallowing disorders
- Post laryngectomy
- Trachea-esophageal voice prosthesis
- Alternative Communication Devices
During your initial evaluation, we will ask questions to understand your therapy needs. We'll get to know you and how your condition interferes with your daily life.
The speech-language pathologist may have you complete tasks to measure your current strengths and weaknesses. Finally, you will work with the speech-language pathologist to determine functional therapy goals to improve your quality of life.
Your treatments will consist of specific therapeutic activities designed for you to meet your therapy goals.
IU Health speech-language pathologists can diagnose the cause and provide a personalized treatment plan to help improve or reverse communication and swallowing disorders.
Communication Disorders
Our speech-language pathologists diagnose and treat the following common speech and language disorders in adults and children:
- Aphasia: This involves the loss of ability to understand others and/or express oneself. This can include problems with reading, writing, telling time or using numbers. The most common cause of aphasia is stroke.
- Cognitive-communication disorders: Problems with thinking and communication can affect each other. Some examples are difficulty paying attention, remembering, organizing thoughts and solving problems.
- Apraxia of speech: Speech difficulties that arise from problems planning motor movements. It is caused by damage to the parts of the brain that are involved in speaking.
- Dysarthria: Speech difficulties (e.g., slurred speech) due to weakness of muscles involved in breathing or speaking.
- Voice disorders: Changes in pitch, loudness, and vocal quality that weaken communication. These changes happen for several reasons, including nodules on the vocal cord, overuse/misuse of voice (e.g., yelling), and diseases such as Parkinson’s or Multiple Sclerosis
Treatment for Communication Disorders
Treatment will vary based upon your type of communication disorder and the severity. Our goal is to help you achieve functional and effective communication.
Swallowing Disorders
The ability to eat and drink is critical to maintaining good health. It promotes recovery from illness or injury. Food is also a social experience. It can provide enjoyment to you as part of a fulfilling life. Some medical conditions in adults make eating and drinking difficult. These are called swallowing disorders (dysphagia).
Treatment for Swallowing Disorders
Swallowing is a process involving many muscles and organs. The root of the problem varies, and the type of treatment depends on the cause of the swallowing problem.
In severe cases, some people may need to get nutrition in other ways, such as through a feeding tube. Other people may need to eat a modified diet of foods that are easier to chew and swallow. The goal is to make these short-term solutions—getting you back to eating foods you enjoy.
Diagnoses and Treatment Options
IU Health speech-language pathologists can diagnose the cause and provide a personalized treatment plan to help improve or reverse communication and swallowing disorders.
Communication Disorders
Our speech-language pathologists diagnose and treat the following common speech and language disorders in adults and children:
- Aphasia: This involves the loss of ability to understand others and/or express oneself. This can include problems with reading, writing, telling time or using numbers. The most common cause of aphasia is stroke.
- Cognitive-communication disorders: Problems with thinking and communication can affect each other. Some examples are difficulty paying attention, remembering, organizing thoughts and solving problems.
- Apraxia of speech: Speech difficulties that arise from problems planning motor movements. It is caused by damage to the parts of the brain that are involved in speaking.
- Dysarthria: Speech difficulties (e.g., slurred speech) due to weakness of muscles involved in breathing or speaking.
- Voice disorders: Changes in pitch, loudness, and vocal quality that weaken communication. These changes happen for several reasons, including nodules on the vocal cord, overuse/misuse of voice (e.g., yelling), and diseases such as Parkinson’s or Multiple Sclerosis
Treatment for Communication Disorders
Treatment will vary based upon your type of communication disorder and the severity. Our goal is to help you achieve functional and effective communication.
Swallowing Disorders
The ability to eat and drink is critical to maintaining good health. It promotes recovery from illness or injury. Food is also a social experience. It can provide enjoyment to you as part of a fulfilling life. Some medical conditions in adults make eating and drinking difficult. These are called swallowing disorders (dysphagia).
Treatment for Swallowing Disorders
Swallowing is a process involving many muscles and organs. The root of the problem varies, and the type of treatment depends on the cause of the swallowing problem.
In severe cases, some people may need to get nutrition in other ways, such as through a feeding tube. Other people may need to eat a modified diet of foods that are easier to chew and swallow. The goal is to make these short-term solutions—getting you back to eating foods you enjoy.
You may have many questions at your first appointment with a speech-language pathologist. Some of the questions you might ask at that appointment include:
- What can I do at home to improve my condition?
- What foods are safe for me to eat?
- How can I better communicate with my loved ones?
- How can speech therapy help me get back to doing what I love?
Questions to Ask Your Speech-Language Pathologist
You may have many questions at your first appointment with a speech-language pathologist. Some of the questions you might ask at that appointment include:
- What can I do at home to improve my condition?
- What foods are safe for me to eat?
- How can I better communicate with my loved ones?
- How can speech therapy help me get back to doing what I love?
Oct 17
For Jason Ponder life in a hospital and growing up with doctors has always been the norm. Since he was a baby, Ponder has struggled with many illnesses.
Patient Stories for Speech Therapy
Oct 17
For Jason Ponder life in a hospital and growing up with doctors has always been the norm. Since he was a baby, Ponder has struggled with many illnesses.