Speech and Language Therapy at Roane Medical Center

How Can a Skilled Speech-Language Pathologist at Roane Medical Center Help You?

When it comes to speech therapy, there’s a lot most people don’t know about what this specialized type of skilled rehabilitation therapy is qualified to address.

Commonly referred to as speech therapists, the technical title for those in this discipline of therapy is speech-language pathologists, or SLPs. This title points to the fact that SLPs are qualified to target much more than just speech. 

At Roane Medical Center in Harriman, TN, our skilled SLPs are ready to assist you with a wide range of speech, language, swallowing, voice, and cognitive needs.

What does a speech language pathologist do?

As we mentioned, speech and language pathologists are highly trained rehabilitation professionals, who are qualified to address a wide range of issues with speech, language, cognition, and swallowing function. 

SLPs work with patients in the hospital setting to regain function following a stroke, to enhance functional abilities in those with dementia or traumatic brain injury, and a host of other medical issues impacting our brain, vocal, and swallowing mechanisms. 

What Medical Diagnoses are SLPs Involved in Treating?

Some of the specific conditions SLPs are able to address include—

• Dysphagia (swallowing issues and disorders)
• Receptive and expressive aphasia (language disorders, typically the result of a stroke)
• Apraxia (oral and verbal motor coordination difficulties)
• Dysarthria (oral motor movement and strength issues)
• Cognitive impairment (thinking difficulties)
• Voice disorders (including those related to Parkinson’s disease)
• Laryngectomy
• Pre-radiation or rre-surgery consults for head/neck cancer patients
• Articulation disorders (difficulties with speech sounds)
• Developmental speech/language disorders or delays
• Myofunctional swallowing disorders (tongue thrust)

At Roane Medical Center in Harriman, TN, our skilled SLPs are certified to provide advanced techniques, including Modified Barium Swallow Studies and VitalStim Therapy (electrical stimulation for swallowing disorders).

SLPs are qualified to work with both adults and children with a wide variety of conditions impacting speech, language, cognition, voice, and swallowing. 

The conditions treated by an SLP include—

• CVA/TIA (stroke)
• Head injury (TBI)
• Head, neck, and brain cancers
• Progressive neurological diseases (Parkinsons, ALS, MS, dementia, etc)
• Vocal nodules or polyps
• Vocal misuse 
• Oral or pharyngeal dysphagia (swallowing disorders)
• Genetic disorders 
• Developmental delays

SLPs can also be involved with other medical professionals in the treatment of issues including reflux, poor intake of food and liquid, safe feeding, memory, reasoning, and literacy skills.