Many speech-language pathologists provide care to tracheostomy patients with speech and/or swallowing issues as evidenced by the references published 1,2,3.  The American Speech and Hearing Association has acknowledged our participation by stating that the care of atypical communication and swallowing issues associated with such laryngeal anomalies as tracheostomy patients is within our scope of practice […]

Patient-Centered Approach to Determining the Plan of Care for Dysphagia Patients (Part 1)

Patient-centered care essentially revolves around the patient.  The idea is that the patient knows best how to meet their needs, and it is the patient’s view that correlates with outcome or satisfaction.

Continuum of care is a concept involving a system that tracks […]

Research Article

Effects of Respiratory Exercise on Post-Stroke Cognition

Melody L. Sheldon, ^{a, b} Kenneth O. Simpson, ^a John McDonough, ^c

Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to assess the effects of a self-administered respiratory exercise on cognition in individuals with chronic stroke. The questions investigated included the effects on working memory, sustained attention, executive functioning, […]

Cognitive-linguistic therapy seeks to address difficulties that patients experience related to their thinking and to their language. The term “cognitive” refers to processes that involve information processing. This includes attention, memory, executive functions (i.e., planning, organization, sequencing, problem-solving, decision-making, etc.), and social communication. “Linguistic” refers to aspects of a person’s language, both language production (output), […]

SPEAK OUT! Therapy Program is a research, evidence-based speech therapy program specific for Parkinson’s and other related neurological disorders to help patients regain and retain their speech and swallowing. This program combines individual speech therapy, education, daily home practice, and ongoing support. It was developed by Parkinson Voice Project in Richardson, Texas and you can […]

What is aphasia?

Aphasia is an impairment of language affecting the ability to produce, understand, read and/or write. Aphasia can be caused by brain injury, but most often by stroke.

Why would a stroke affect your language?

Strokes (aka brain attacks) stop blood flow to the brain. When that occurs, access to that area of brain is damaged. […]

When I had my first child, I bought a book called, “The First 12 Months of Life,” by Frank Caplan. It outlined what a parent can expect from their baby each month. I combined the information from Caplan’s book with all of the  text books from my Master’s Degree program and made a big, big […]

You might ask, “Why are speech therapists interested in treatments for sleep apnea?”  The answer is simple.  Many of our stroke and heart attack patients with a history of sleep apnea, end up with speech and swallowing problems.  You might also ask, “Is there a correlation between sleep apnea and stroke or heart attack?” And […]

There is a difference between sight and vision. Eye sight is assessed based upon the ability to see at a distance of 20 feet and identify letters on the Snellen chart.    A determination is made regarding the eye’s ability to make clear an image at a distance.  The ability to see clearly, however, is only […]