Speech Therapy

Inpatient speech therapy patients come to St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center with many different needs, so offering patients highly individualized rehabilitative care is a priority. After undergoing a complete diagnostic assessment, each patient begins a program that may include work in the areas of verbal expression, comprehension,voice, speech clarity, memory, reading, writing and orientation. Treatment plans take into account each patients’ prior level of function and personal interests together with current concerns, and goals are discussed with the patient and family members.

Since swallowing skills are so often affected along with speech, St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center has developed a comprehensive dysphagia program that takes the patient through each stage of recovery. Whether the patient is on a modified diet using thickened liquids or needs special training to safely have a regular diet, our highly skilled Speech Language Pathologists will determine the best treatment. The safety of the patient is of the utmost importance, and our staff will educate the patient, family, and caregivers to help provide a seamless transition to home or outpatient therapy.

In addition to providing personalized care, training and education are given during the inpatient stay so that concepts that have been worked on in speech therapy can be reinforced at home after discharge. Patients and their families also receive training in how to deal with swallowing dysfunction, along with the special dietary requirements that accompany these disorders. If patients need additional services after being discharged to home, appropriate referrals are made including Outpatient Speech Therapy as appropriate.