Speech & Language Therapy

Speech-language pathologists at Ballad Health help your loved one talk, think and swallow better. Count on us to teach skills needed to communicate, build relationships and get enough nutrition, so your family can enjoy a better quality of life.

Team up with friendly speech and language therapists at locations near you throughout East Tennessee and Southwest Virginia. You’ll get care you need to reach your potential.

Conditions we treat

Your loved one may benefit from speech therapy if he or she has:

• Aphasia – Loss of speech or language skills after a stroke or head injury
• Articulation disorder – Problems pronouncing certain sounds or words
• Cancer-head, neck, oral, laryngeal, esophageal or lung
• Cognition issues
• Deconditioning or weakness
• Delayed language – Starting to speak and understand words later than most children
• Dementia
• Dysphagia – Trouble swallowing
• Esophageal motility disorder (EMD)
• Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
• Respiratory failure
• Stroke (CVA)
• Stuttering – Repeating the start of a word several times
• Voice disorders – Speaking too loudly or softly or sounding strange
• Tracheostomy

How speech therapy helps

Depending on your loved one’s age and abilities, a speech therapist may:

• Order a modified barium swallow study to see how well he or she swallows
• Show how to more easily swallow, sometimes using VitalStim therapy (gentle electrical stimulation on the neck)
• Teach basic language and speech skills and voice control
• Talk with your family about how to help your loved one do better at school, at work and with friends
• Explain how to prevent speech and language disorders

Well-rounded care

Your loved one might have trouble speaking or swallowing because of another condition, such as stroke, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, a mental disability or a traumatic brain injury.

That’s why our care team might include not only a speech therapist, but also a:

• Neurologist – Doctor who treats the brain and nervous system
• Psychiatrist – Doctor who treats mental illness
• Primary care provider – Your family member’s main medical caregiver

Need help?

To find out how to get started or learn more, please call Ballad Health home care – 800-327-5447.