NorthShore’s qualified speech pathologists, who work closely with ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialists, provide comprehensive voice, airway and swallowing services, including:
- Swallow Therapy—Swallowing dysfunction can affect not only the ability to speak and clearly communicate but also eating and drinking. Our speech therapists provide comprehensive assessments, using advanced diagnostic tools such as videofluoroscopic swallow evaluations. Also known as a “video swallow,” this evaluation is performed in the Radiology Department with a speech pathologist and radiologist. Treatment plans may include swallowing exercises, dietary recommendations and other treatment strategies.
- Voice—Overuse, abuse, structural and/or organic problems can lead to voice disorders. NorthShore’s experienced clinicians provide complete voice assessments of respiration, phonation, resonance and behavioral influences on a broad range of voice conditions. Our speech pathology experts employ the latest treatment methods, among them resonant voice therapy, manual circumlaryngeal massage, Lee Silverman Voice Therapy and Stemple’s Voice Function Exercises.
- Accent Modification—An accent is a speech difference and not a disorder. At NorthShore we recognize that accents can impede communication, particularly in the business world. Our licensed speech-language pathologists assist individuals seeking to reduce their non-native accents to sound more like standard American English.
Additional state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment methods available at the Voice Center include videostroboscopy, videoendoscopy and laryngeal function studies with aerodynamic acoustic analysis. We also specialize in treating voice disorders due to head and neck cancers, trismus (a jaw condition that can make it difficult to open the mouth) and videoendoscopic biofeedback for vocal cord dysfunction and swallowing problems.
For more information, call 847.480.3920.