Speech therapy is provided for disorders of communication, cognition and swallowing. When speech intervention is necessary it means that one of the most essential human functions is compromised. What could be more important than restoring a means of communication, thinking or eating?

Speech-language pathologists are trained professionals with the ability to improve or restore function in these areas. They must have a Master’s degree. Their expertise and services include, but are not limited to:

• Speech Services –

  • Articulation
  • Voice
  • Resonance

• Language Services –

  • Word-finding
  • Increasing sentence length
  • Comprehension
  • Pragmatics
  • Reading
  • Writing

• Alternative means of Communication –

  • Tablet/Smartphone
  • Computer
  • Dedicated communication devices
  • Eye gaze/non-hand switches for communication devices
  • Low tech picture communication systems

• Swallowing Services –

  • Objective swallow studies (Modified Barium Swallow or FEES)
  • Bedside swallow evaluation
  • Postures/positioning for increased swallow function
  • Modified texture diets
  • Thermal/tactile and swallow-related oral motor exercises
  • Electrical stimulation of swallow, such as VitalStim

• Cognitive-Communicative Services –

  • Memory
  • Problem-solving
  • Planning and initiation
  • Attention

Whether the need for speech therapy arises from an illness, disease or accident, speech-language pathologists can provide most services at home. Many people in recovery have spent weeks or months in hospitals and are thrilled to return home. Others may not have been hospitalized but do not have a means of transportation to outpatient service facilities. Still others are homebound, receiving all care in their residence. It is still possible to receive high quality, evidence-based speech-language, swallowing or cognitive-communicative therapy. There are actually benefits to receiving therapy at home.

Benefits of in-home speech therapy

People feel most comfortable in their homes and everything they need is nearby. Therapy will be less disruptive for medication, food or bathroom breaks. Speech therapy is recommended for:

• Patients whose speech isaffected after a stroke
• Adults & children with fluency disorder (stuttering and stammering)
• Those who need voice therapy(inappropriate pitch/hoarse voice)
• Children with delays in speech& language development
• Patients with Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, Dementia etc.

Stroke Rehabilitation

When the brain does not receive enough oxygen or nutrients, it causes the brain to die, leading to stroke. Although being a leading condition at an elderly age, it can happen to anyone at any time, including teenagers, children, newly born and unborn babies. There are three different types of Stroke:

• Ischemic strokes - caused by a narrowing or blocking of arteries to the brain
• Haemorrhagic strokes - caused by bursting or leaking of blood vessels in and around the brain
• Transient Ischemic Attack - A Transient Ischemic Attack (TIA) is similar to an ischemic stroke caused by a blocked artery, except for the fact that it is temporary

One of the major effects after a stroke is problems with communication. People have difficulty with speech and language which is referred as aphasia. At Karunya Med Services, expert care is specialized in treating language disorders and speech problems offering a wide range of programs to overcome issues for people who:

• Cannot produce speech sounds clearly with precision
• Face language disorders; difficulty in finding the right words or form sentences
• Have cognitive communication impairments such as attention deficits, memory problems and problem solving disorders

Pediatric Therapy

The risk of stroke in children, newly-borns and unborn babies is relatively rare and is challenging to parents and caregivers. To support the growing needs of clinical care for pediatrics, Karunya Med Serives is committed to provide support and guidance to parents and their children who face problems with the communication through Paediatric Speech and Language therapy sessions.We achieve this by;

• Thorough assessment to identify the needs of the children and their parents
• An individual care plan to help the children with their daily activities
• Enhancing techniques to recognize and change behaviour patterns to avoid any negative impact on their education or social lives

• Understanding or using spoken language
• Using speech sounds
• Speaking fluently
• Help with stammering
• Using communication skills appropriately
• Treating voice disorders and language delay
• Helping with difficulty in pronunciation
• Cleft palate (post repair)
• Autism

• Receptive Language
• Expressive Language
• Apraxia of Speech
• Swallowing and Feeding
• Articulation and Phonology
• Oral Motor
• Pragmatic/Social Language
• Memory
• Cognition
• Auditory Processing
• Stuttering and Fluency
• Voice
• Tongue Thrust (Orofacial Myology)

Why is Speech Therapy Important?

• Early intervention is optimal for the remediation of a speech or language delay
• Children in elementary school will not “grow out” of a language, articulation or fluency disorder without intervention
• By junior/senior kindergarten children’s speech should be understood by unfamiliar adults greater than 90% of the time
• Literacy development relies on phonemic and phonological awareness, which is facilitated by sound awareness
• Children are at risk of being teased and self-esteem issues which may affect social and academic participation
• Assessment and treatment of swallowing and feeding disorders
• Treatment following a stroke or brain injury to regain communication and swallowing function

What are the Advantages of Speech Therapy?

• Remediation of a language, articulation, voice or fluency impairment, which can have a lifelong social, academic and vocational impact
• Increased confidence, self-awareness and participation
• Individualized treatment programs provided via direct instruction
• Comprehensive speech and language assessments
• Assessment reports that will reveal strengths and weaknesses in speech, language, reading, writing and social skills
• Consultation with family members and professionals
• Speech and language goals incorporated into the curriculum
• Development of expressive and receptive language and literacy skills
• Assess concerns with couching or choking while eating
• Decrease or eliminate pain while swallowing
• Improve feeding and swallowing function