Speech-Language Pathology

We strive to provide quality evaluation and rehabilitation of deficits pertaining to communication, cognition and swallowing for all ages. Our areas of expertise span premature infants through end-of-life care. We work in all inpatient units at Denver Health, and we serve our outpatients in the Rehabilitation Clinic. Our department is comprised of five full-time and two part-time master’s level speech pathologists from all over the United States.

A speech-language pathologist evaluates patients to determine the cause of various speech, language, cognitive-communication and swallowing disorders affecting all ages. Depending on the cause of the problem, therapy is executed to improve deficits. Speech language pathologists obtain a master’s degree to practice. Graduate training includes a strong science foundation with a linguistic component. Prior to graduation, they rotate through various clinical settings for training. Their initial year post academia is spent working under supervision mimicking residency in a physician’s program. Finally, they are required to pass a national certification examination for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Society.

Conditions and Treatments

Communication Disorders affecting Adults

  • Aphasia – language loss after stroke or other neurologic insult 
  • Laryngectomy – electrolarynx training, pre-surgical counseling and communication restoration, including tracheoesophageal prosthesis
  • Voice disorders
  • Communication problems associated with head injury (cognitive-linguistic intervention)
  • Motor speech disorders (apraxia, dysarthria)
  • Pre and post-surgical testing for patients undergoing surgery for chronic seizure activity

Cognitive Disorders Affecting Adults and Children Resulting from Brain Injuries

  • Attention
  • Memory
  • Executive functions 

Communication Disorders Affecting Children

  • Articulation disorders
  • Phonological processing disorders
  • Communication problems associated with autism
  • Picture Exchange Communication Systems trained therapist: this system allows children a way to communicate when they are not using words or when they do not have an otherwise functional communication system. This system has been proven to help children transition to spoken language sooner or to a communication device if appropriate.
  • Stuttering
  • Communication disorders related to hearing loss
  • Language delay
  • Expressive and receptive language disorders
  • Auditory processing disorders
  • Articulation and feeding disorders related to cleft lip and palate
  • Reading disorders
  • Pediatric dysphagia and feeding disorders 

Oropharyngeal Dysphagia – Swallowing Difficulty in the Mouth and Throat Affecting Adults and Pediatrics

  • Clinical swallow evaluation
  • Fluoroscopic swallow evaluation (modified barium swallow study)
  • Dysphagia boot camp (McNeil Dysphagia Therapy Program)
  • Preventative swallow program for patients afflicted with cancer in the head and neck region
  • Pediatric dysphagia
  • Swallowing difficulty

Other Conditions and Treatments