Speech Therapy

Speech Language Pathologists work with acute and chronic injures/health conditions to address language, speech, voice, swallow, and/or cognitive deficits. Therapists may work with cognitive-communication deficits related to memory, attention, organization or reasoning.  They may also work with oral motor issues for communication or for feeding issues including chewing, sipping swallowing and sensory aversion in clients of all ages.  

• oral motor exercises/programs
• sensory integration
• cognitive training including exercises and functional challenges
• client and family/caregiver education
• augmentative device recommendation and implementation
• language skills development
• social language/communication skills to enhance interpersonal communications. 

Our Therapists

• will initiate services upon receiving a referral by a medical professional (physician, Physician assistant or Nurse Practitioner) 
• perform an initial evaluation with detailed information about your medical history, your activities/abilities prior to your injuries as well as your current physical condition and abilities.  
• They will help create goals (short and long-term) to guide your treatment plan
• Create and advance your treatment plan according to your needs and progress
• conduct periodic reassessments to establish detailed information about your progress and modify your plan if needed.
• help to identify barriers for your progress and work with you and the interdisciplinary team to explore ways to overcome those barriers. 
• Communicate with other therapists involved with your care (I.e., physical therapists and occupational therapists), Case managers, medical professionals,  family members/caregivers, etc.  to maximize your success as well as to ensure consistency and accuracy of information. 

Perhaps the most important tool for our therapists is our belief in teaching.  Our therapists strive to TEACH our clients and or their caregivers through EFFECTIVE education techniques for continuing their care and recovery long after their need for skilled therapy intervention.  This may involve:

• repeated actions/skills
• written guides with descriptions and/or pictures
• caregiver education
• asking patients to correctly demonstrate activities on a consistent basis
• helping to establish an accountability record to help patients track their exercises/activities. 

• Attended an accredited institution for Speech Therapy education
• Maintain a current license in good standing for Speech Therapy in the state of Michigan
• Pursue continuing education for Speech Language Pathology issues/treatment strategies according to requirements but also to advance their knowledge and skill for the client populations we serve - including Traumatic Brain Injury and Spinal Cord Injury populations.
• Maintain the utmost ethical standards of practice following the scope of practice outlined by their licensure and the State of Michigan