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Speech-Language Pathology Services

What is Speech and Language Therapy?

In Speech-Language Pathology, our specialists provide evaluation and therapy for all types of adult and child language disorders. We provide speech training for a wide range of patients, including those with articulation disorders, motor speech and fluency disorders. We also have Spanish-speaking specialists who can offer services to patients in Spanish.

• alaryngeal patients (after surgical removal of the larynx for cancer)
• adults who experiencedlanguage disorders in childhood
• adults who have suffered injury such as cerebrovascular accident or head trauma
• children and adults with neurological disease such as Parkinson' Disease, Huntington' Disease and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, or Lou Gehrig' Disease)
• adults and children with disorders of structural development such as cleft palate or velar-pharyngeal insufficiency
• children and adults with articulation, motor speech, and fluency problems
• children and adults with disorders of swallowing (dysphagia).

Voice and Speech Therapy

Voice and speech rehabilitation addresses all types of impairments in articulation, motor speech, and fluency. In addition to serving patients with a variety of physical impairments, we evaluate and provide therapy for language development delay in hearing impaired children and adults, children of Spanish-language backgrounds, and others.

For patients with physical impairments, voice analysis lab allows us to measure the physical parameters of a patient' voice, and helps determine appropriate vocal and/or cognitive treatment. Techniques are highly individualized and may include training in use of esophageal speech, voice prostheses, tracheoesophageal (TEP) valves, or other devices.

Augmentive Communication Devices - Artificial Voice Prostheses

Another unique aspect of the Speech-Language Pathology program is in evaluation and training with Augmentive Communication Devices. These devices are used by persons with expressive disorders, in which the ability to formulate an idea is intact, but the motor ability is limited by disease processes, as in ALS. The devices may be used to provide an artificial voice to express the patient' thoughts.

Laryngectomee rehabilitation

Patients who have had their larynx removed due to cancer have special needs. In Speech-Language Pathology, our specialists work with laryngectomee patients to gain communication through voice prostheses such as tracheoesophageal (TEP) valves.

Neurologic Disorders

The Speech Pathologists are especially involved with neurologic disorders, such as Parkinson' Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig' Disease) and Huntington' Disease. We are intensively involved with the Parkinson' Center, the ALS Center, and the Huntington' Disease Center of Excellence, all of which are part of the Neurological Institute at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center.

In these illnesses, swallowing difficulties can be a major problem for the patient and family. Our Speech Pathologists are currently involved in a major research program (Protocol 201) comparing dietary and postural therapies for individuals with Parkinson' Disease and/or dementia who have swallowing problems. Our division is also a participant in national study funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD).

Swallowing Disorders

Many adults and children experience swallowing problems, or dysphagia, for reasons including gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), stroke, the presence of a tracheostomy tube, tumors, surgery, and other conditions. In Speech-Language Pathology, we evaluate and treat all types of dysphagia. Our therapists train adults and children in dietary, postural, and other methods of treating swallowing disorders. Our Pediatric Speech and Swallowing Program extends to young children in particular, providing feeding and swallowing assessment and therapy for children and their families.

Research

Numerous physicians in the Audiology and Speech Pathology Division are actively engaged in research and publishing. Subjects under study include: basic research on the inner ear, rehabilitation of the deaf, implantable hearing devices, the impact of micronutrient deficiency on hearing, the impact of early speech intervention after stroke, and central auditory processing. Our physicians have pioneered technologies for the evaluation of swallowing problems, and today they continue to improve upon these advances. A special study called Protocol 201, evaluating swallowing therapies in people with Parkinson's Disease and/or dementia, is also in progress.