Speech Therapy

Speech language pathologists at Palmdale Regional Medical Center’s Rehabilitation and Orthopedic Institute provide evaluations and speech therapy for a variety of communication and swallowing disorders. We create and implement an individualized treatment plan for each patient that focuses on re-establishing functional and reliable communication. Patients with swallowing disorders are seen for a comprehensive evaluation. This may include a video fluorographic swallowing study to achieve safe swallowing, followed by swallowing treatment and diet modification, as needed. Treatment goals may also address specific deficits through a variety of treatment techniques.

Speech therapy can benefit people with acquired difficulty in speech, language, memory, cognition and swallowing secondary to:

• Stroke (CVA)
• Brain tumor
• Neurological conditions
• Neuromuscular disease
• Head and neck surgery

Speech Disorders We Treat

Specific disorders treated include:

• Aphasia
• Apraxia
• Dysarthria
• Dysphagia
• Voice disorders
• Laryngectomy
• Glossectomy

Speech Therapy Treatments We Provide

Treatment may include:

• Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)/speech-generating device (SGD) evaluation and treatment
• Aphasia therapy – Difficulty with receptive language (listening and reading) and difficulty with expressive language (speaking and writing)
• Dysarthria therapy (speech production)
• Preoperative counseling and postoperative treatment
• Voice therapy
• Stuttering therapy
• Cognitive therapy (memory, problem solving, reasoning, attention, executive functions)
• Clinical swallow assessment
• Modified barium swallow studies
• Dysphagia therapy (difficulty swallowing)
• Patient/family education

Our Specialty Treatments

• VitalStim: The use of electrical stimulation to retrain the muscles needed to complete the swallowing process.
• LSVT LOUD: The first speech treatment with level 1 evidence and established efficacy for treating voice and speech disorders in people with Parkinson’s disease with application to other neurological disorders.

Speech Therapy Program Goals

• Restore functional cognitive and communication skills
• Promote safe oral feeding and swallowing
• Educate patients and their families on compensatory strategies and home programs