Speech-Language Therapy in Albert Lea

Do you have communication, swallowing or voice difficulties? Speech-language pathologists assess, diagnose, treat and help prevent communication and swallowing disorders. Speech-language therapy will help patients develop and maintain their ability to speak more clearly, understand and express thoughts and feelings, and eat and swallow safely.

Speech-language therapy can help patients:

• Coordinate and strengthen the muscles used to swallow.
• Increase their ability to read and write correctly.
• Learn alternate communication methods, such as picture communication, for those with little or no speech capability.
• Learn ways to cope with communication disorders.
• Improve their voice and breathing pattern.

How it works

Your healthcare team will refer you for speech therapy, if needed. During your initial visit, you will discuss your goals for therapy, and the speech-language pathologist will evaluate your speech-language function.

After the evaluation, your speech-language pathologist will diagnose the concern and develop an individualized treatment plan with you. Your therapy team will provide education, treatment, intervention, management and counseling for you and your family. It is important your family and caregivers are involved to ensure improvement continues at home.

Please check with your insurance plan to see if speech therapy services are covered. Availability of specific care and treatment may vary by location.

Care is available for a variety of communication disorders

Speech-language pathologists can help with:

• Aphasia
• Apraxia
• Articulation problems
• Augmentative and alternative communication systems
• Cleft palate
• Cognition
• Communication problems associated with autism, cerebral palsy, emotional concerns, head injury, hearing loss and pervasive developmental disorders
• Delayed/disordered speech and language
• Dysarthria
• Difficulty swallowing, also known as dysphagia
• Executive function, such as difficulty planning and carrying out tasks
• Laryngitis or hoarse voice
• Laryngectomy
• Oral, oropharyngeal (mouth and pharynx) or nasopharyngeal (nose or nasal cavity) cancer complications
• Problem-solving and reasoning
• Stroke-related deficits
• Stuttering
• Traumatic brain injury
• Voice disorders

Services and treatments

Speech therapy offers these services and treatments:

• Cancer rehabilitation
• Electric stimulation therapy
• Fiber-optic endoscopic swallowing evaluation
• Evidence-based therapy for neurological conditions
• Neuromotor clinic
• Parkinson's disease therapy to improve balance, daily activities and self-care, mobility, voice communication and quality of life
• Pediatric speech therapy
• Swallowing difficulties and video swallowing studies
• Videostroboscopy

Video swallow studies are completed at the main campus. All other outpatient speech-language services are provided at the Health Reach campus.