Speech Language Pathology (Speaking & Swallowing Disorders)

Overview:

This Department at KIMS Hospital is one of the few specialized centers to provide services to the persons with speaking (Speech and/or Language), Communication, Swallowing and Feeding difficulties.We are committed to improve their abilities to speak and Swallow the food, for a better quality of Life. This specialty is also popularly known as Speech Language Pathology, Swallowing and Feeding Disorders, Speech therapy, Communication disorders etc.

Ability to Speak is very important to interact & communicate with the world. In the same way ability to Chew & Swallow food is also very crucial for human survival, which we take it for granted. But several medical conditions can affect these abilities, leading to compromised quality of life & significant disability. These conditions are seen across the ages.

Speaking & Swallowing are the learned abilities with the help of innate capacity of brain to acquire it, store it in the certain areas of brain. 

Any Neurological or head and neck structural abnormalities can hamper the ability to learn these skills in childhood or hamper these abilities in adults. These are called Speaking & Swallowing disorders, Speech language Communications disorders, Feeding swallowing disorders (Dysphagia).

Speaking Disorders (Speech, Language and Communication Disorders):

Speaking disorders is a condition where ability to Speak and communicate with the World is compromised. In other words it can be explained as Difficulty in pronouncing the sounds clearly, interrupted flow of pronouncing the words and sentences, abnormal voice, using inappropriate words and grammatical structures while speaking, difficulty in understanding and speaking a language. 

Feeding and / or Swallowing Disorders:

It is a condition where ability to Swallow liquids and solids by Slurping/Sucking, chewing, Preparing cohesive bolus and Moving it from mouth into your throat and esophagus is effected, leading to food/ liquids Spills out from lips, residue in the mouth after Swallowing, choking, gag or cough when Swallowing or have the sensation of food or fluids going down your windpipe (trachea) or up your nose. Resulting in Unsafe Swallow (Aspiration Pneumonia) and/or Inadequate Oral intake (Malnutritioned, Weight loss) from neonates to Geriatrics.

Types of Speech, Language and Swallowing Disorders:

Stammering

MIS-Pronunciation of Sounds

Nasal Speech (Cleft Lip Palate)

Voice Problems

• Breathy / Hoarse Voice
• Vocal Misuse & Inappropriate Pitch
  
• Inadequate Loudness

Slurred Speech (Dysarthria) / Loss of Language (Aphasia) /Cognitive Deficits / Swallowing Difficulties Due to:

• Brain Stroke (Paralysis)
• Traumatic brain injury
• Dementia
• Parkinson’s disease
• Motor neuron diseases & other neurological diseases

Developmental Language Delays (Late Talkers):

• Cerebral Palsy
• Autism / ADD / ADHD
• Mental Retardation / Cognitive Deficits
• Hearing Loss 
• Learning Disability

Speech & Swallowing Difficulty In Post Radiation / Surgery of Head & Neck Cancers or Lesions:

• Glossectomy / Mandibulectomy / Maxillectomy
• Laryngectomy, Thyroidectomy 

Speech & Swallowing Issues In Persons With Tracheostomy

Chewing, Feeding & Swallowing Difficulties:

• Choking, coughing when swallowing
• Drooling, Recurrent pneumonia
• Dehydration, malnutrition and weight loss
• Prolonged Tube feeding

Who should come to the department?

• Persons who are not able to speak clearly and/or fluently like others.
• Persons who are not able to project their voice (or) Speaks in abnormal loudness (or) pitch or voice sound like opposite gender.
• Professional voice users like singers, teacher, actors etc. who feel their voice is limiting them to use their voice professionally.
• Persons who stammer while speaking.
• Person who are not able to pronounce the sounds and words clearly or Produce other sounds for the desired sounds.
• Children who are not speaking any word at the age  of 1- 1.5 years.
• Children with known diagnosis of global developmental delay or any neurological conditions like intellectual deficits, cerebral palsy etc are at high risk to not to develop language normally or on their owns.
• Children who are not speaking clearly or stammering by the age of 2-3 years or more.
• Person with neurological condition like stroke, head injury, Motor Neuro disorders are at high risk to have speaking and swallowing disorders.
• Person with head & Neck cancer and has underwent treatment such as surgery or radiation, Chemotherapy are expected to have speaking and swallowing difficulties.
• Persons with Swallowing and feeding difficulties.