Speech-Language Pathology

The scope of practice for speech-language pathologists includes communication sciences and disorders and upper aerodigestive disorders. The following are general categories of the common disorders we treat:

• Language disorder − Characterized by difficulty understanding language or following directions, or the inability to choose appropriate words and combine them correctly for sentences.
• Articulation disorder (speech) − Characterized by the inability to produce individual speech sounds, or difficulty combining sounds correctly for words that are clear. Speech sounds may be incorrectly substituted (“tun” for sun), omitted (“ool” for school) or distorted (“shlun” for sun).
• Fluency disorder (stuttering) − Characterized by an abnormal amount of involuntary repetitions, hesitations, prolongation, blocks or disruptions in the natural flow or rhythm of speech. This is often accompanied by secondary characteristics (tics and other movements).
• Voice disorder − Characterized by abnormal vocal pitch, loudness, quality or resonance.
• Feeding or swallowing disorder (dysphagia) − Characterized by difficulty with normal oral feeding or swallowing.

See Scope of Practice of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Before the evaluation, we will gather information regarding your child’s medical and developmental history and review the concerns of the physician.

During the evaluation, the speech-language pathologist will gather additional information from family members, observe the child’s communication interactions and administer standardized formal tests. If a problem is identified that is not “developmental” (in other words, he will not “grow out of it”), speech and / or language therapy is usually recommended.

The speech-language pathologist will thoroughly explain the problem to you and your family and make specific recommendations for treatment. Occasionally, your child will be referred to other specialists for assessment or treatment. Finally, information will be given to you about how to work with your child at home.

At Cincinnati Children’s, we provide individual therapy for communication and feeding / swallowing disorders. When it is in the best interest of a child, group therapy is provided.

For the best long-term prognosis, treatment of children with communication disorders should be initiated as soon as the problem is identified. The length of therapy and ultimate success depends on the cause and severity of the problem, and on the child’s motivation. One of the most important predictors of success is the frequency with which prescribed activities are practiced at home.

The speech-language pathologist will analyze the specific difficulties that your child is experiencing and develop individualized strategies. Once your child is able to perform a therapeutic task, frequent practice at home is essential.

Parents are important members of a child’s treatment team. Therefore, our speech-language pathologists work closely with you and your family, training you to work with your child at home to achieve the best outcome in the shortest amount of time.

To teach parents how to work with a child at home, we encourage them to observe all treatment sessions through our closed-circuit system and to record sessions for viewing at home. In addition, you will be given specific instructions on working with your child at home between sessions. The more your child practices the task between sessions, the faster she will make progress in therapy. Regular attendance in therapy is also important so that there is no disruption in her progress.

Because children with chronic or complex conditions have multiple medical needs, we take an interdisciplinary approach to care. Our speech-language pathologists work closely with your child’s physicians and other healthcare providers. We often provide co-treatment sessions for your child with other disciplines. Children who are seen by many specialists may be followed by one of our interdisciplinary teams, clinics or programs, which include the following:

• Auditory Processing Team
• Center for Eosinophilic Disorders
• Cochlear Implant Program
• Craniofacial Center
• Division of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics (DDBP)
• Ear and Hearing Center
• Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) Clinic
• High Risk Infant Follow-Up Clinic
• Home Care Program
• Interdisciplinary Feeding Team Clinic
• Kelly O’Leary Center for Autism Spectrum Disorders
• Neurological Diagnostic Apraxia Clinic
• Pediatric Rehabilitation (inpatient and outpatient)
• Pediatric Voice Center Clinic
• Psychiatric Services (inpatient and outpatient)
• Thomas Center for Down Syndrome
• Velopharyngeal Insufficiency / Incompetence (VPI) Clinic 
• Video Swallow Study (VSS) Clinic

Our clinical specialists pass additional competencies in specific areas and participate on specialty teams to continue to develop their high level of expertise. Our specialty teams keep up with the literature and the latest techniques and often contribute to the literature for the education of others. Our specialty teams include:

• Apraxia of speech
• Auditory processing disorders (APD)
• Augmentative communication (AC)
• Autism spectrum disorder
• Down syndrome
• Early intervention (EI)
• Feeding and swallowing disorders
• Fluency disorders (stuttering)
• Hearing loss and deafness
• Orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMD)
• Pediatric rehabilitation
• Resonance
• Voice 

For more information about these and other speech-related conditions, please visit our Health Topics.