Outpatient Services - Speech and Language Rehabilitation

What is Speech and Language Rehabilitation?

Difficulty with speech or swallowing affects people of many ages for a variety of reasons. The causes may include disease, injury or genetic factors. Regardless of the cause, speech or swallowing problems can make life difficult for children, adults and the elderly. Southwest's Speech and Language Rehabilitation program uses current technology to help relieve this difficulty. It is designed to address many speech-related problems, such as:

• Difficulty with swallowing
• Acquired speech and language disorders
• Developmental delays of speech or language
• Motor speech disorders
• Cognitive-linguistic disorders
• Stuttering
• Voice disorders
• Aural rehabilitation

The Benefits of Speech and Language Rehabilitation Include:

• Improvement in the ability to understand and express thoughts, ideas and feelings
• Intelligible speech
• Increased ability to problem-solve in an independent environment
• Improved swallowing function and safety
• Achievement of school readiness skills
• Development of pre-literacy skills
• Improved vocal quality
• Fluent speech
• Development of practical social skills
• Better quality of life
• Greater self-esteem
• Increased independence

A Program Designed to Your Needs

Each therapy program is set up to meet the special needs of the individual. Therapists and other professionals at Southwest Regional Rehabilitation Center will work as a team to bring about the most improvement possible. Southwest staff will also work with the family to help them better understand the challenges faced by their family member.

All patients work under the direction of certified speech language pathologists, the same professionals who work with hospital inpatients. In fact, once inpatients are released, they often continue to work with the same therapist on an outpatient basis.

Southwest also offers swallow evaluations using video fluoroscopy and motion studies to determine functional capacity. Therapists can then improve specific swallowing functions or work on ways to compensate for deficits in swallowing function. Southwest provides the results for these evaluations to the patient and the referring physician on the same day the test is conducted.

Southwest Regional Rehabilitation Center has particular strength in working with children. The staff includes therapists who have advanced training in child development. Special "play-based" therapy is often employed to rehabilitate children with difficulties in swallowing or speech.

Southwest Regional Rehabilitation Center prides itself in its responsiveness to patient needs. If you or a family member require speech-language or swallowing therapy, we attempt to schedule patients within 24 hours, if the patient's schedule allows it. For more information, contact: 269-965-3206.

 

Southwest Regional Rehabilitation Center 393 E. Roosevelt Battle Creek, Michigan  49017 269 .965.3206