Speech therapy includes the evaluation and treatment of speech, language and swallowing disorders. These disorders can result from a variety of causes, including developmental delays, cleft palate, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, emotional problems, brain injuries and strokes.

If you have a speech, language or swallowing issue, you may want to ask your doctor about receiving speech therapy.

If you have any of the following issues, a speech therapist may be able to assist you:

• Dysphagia
• Difficulty swallowing, including choking and/or coughing
• A speech impairment
• A developmental delay in communication (language and/or speech)
• Dyslexia
• Difficulty understanding or following spoken language, commands
• Memory loss
• Difficulty conveying thoughts into words

Dysphagia (swallowing difficulty) includes problems with:

• Trouble chewing or swallowing
• Choking when swallowing certain foods
• Coughing as you begin to swallow or just after swallow
• Having “aspiration” pneumonia more than one time in your life

Speech disorders include problems with:

• Articulation (pronouncing sounds and words)
• Fluency (the flow of speech)
• Voice (pitch, volume or quality of the voice)
• Motor skills (swallowing or eating)

Language disorders include problems with:

• Reception (understanding or processing language)
• Expression (putting words together, using language appropriately)

The speech therapists at Alta Vista Regional Hospital can work with children to seniors. Outpatient rehabilitation services are located near the main entrance to the hospital, to the right after entering the lobby.

*Physician order is required for therapy.