Speech and Language Therapy
Speech and language therapists at are specialists in assessing, diagnosing and managing people who have communication and/or swallowing problems.
Speech and language therapists work closely within multi-disciplinary teams particularly in areas of neurology, neurosurgery, stroke, critical care, health services for the elderly, oncology and the Ear, Nose and Throat Department.
Treatment of communication and swallowing disorders occurs for in-patients as part of the multidisciplinary treatment, with physiotherapists, occupational therapist, dietitians and the medical team.
Patients may have:
- Oral or pharyngeal dysphagia of an acute, neurological or mechanical nature.
- Communication or swallowing difficulties associated with tracheostomy.
- Speech, language and cognitive communication difficulties due to a neurological disorder e.g. Parkinson's disease, dementia, stroke and motor neurone disease.
- Voice problems of an organic, functional or psychological nature.
Specialist diagnostic and therapeutic assessment of dysphagia includes videofluoroscopy (modified barium swallow) and, in conjunction with ENT doctors, fibre-optic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES).
The department is located on level 7 at Derriford Hospital, near the restaurant.