SERVICES
ASSESSMENT
Clinical assessment
This is an initial clinical consultation, to establish what your concerns are, evaluate the areas of concern and come up with goals and treatment options and/or further specialised investigation avenues if required.
Nasoendoscopy
A fine flexible scope is passed through your nose to enable us to view inside your throat and see your voicebox. This can be used to evaluate how food and drink is moved through your throat and to look for anything going 'down the wrong tube' (aspiration). This is called FEES (Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallow).
It can also be used in conjunction with ENT (Ear Nose and Throat Surgeon) to evaluate your larynx (voicebox) and vocal cords.
Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study (VFSS)
This is a moving x-ray of your swallow, which allows us to see how food and drink are moving through your mouth and throat - it provides detailed information on the anatomy and physiology of your swallowing to guide swallowing diagnosis and management, including whether there are specific strategies or exercises to improve your swallowing. This procedure is performed in an x-ray suite by Speech Therapy in collaboration with a Radiologist (x-ray doctor).
THERAPY
Voice disorders (dysphonia)
Voice difficulties (dysphonia) such as a croaky, rough, husky, breathy, strained or weak sounding voice can have a huge impact on your
day-to-day communication and life. This can be due to a number of underlying causes, such as muscle tension dysphonia, vocal nodules, vocal cord palsy or paralysis, or presbyphonia and also can occur in various health conditions, such as stroke or Parkinson's Disease.
Voice difficulties/changes persisting beyond two weeks should be investigated - we receive referrals from ENTs (Ear, Nose and Throat specialists) and can also arrange ENT assessment or collaborative ENT/SLT assessment of your voice, as well as provide specialised voice therapy techniques (including Voicecraft and LSVT - Lee Silverman Voice Treatment) tailored to your voice needs and goals, to rehabilitate and optimise your voice and support your vocal health.
Swallowing disorders (dysphagia)
Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia), can range from difficulties controlling and chewing the food in the mouth, to symptoms such as fluid or food sticking in your throat, or going down the wrong way, making you cough/choke or need to clear your throat. We specialise in both compensatory and rehabilitation techniques to maximise your swallowing function and safety, and quality of life associated with eating and drinking, and are trained in current best practice in dysphagia rehabilitation.
Speech disorders (dysarthria; dyspraxia)
If you have slurred or imprecise speech (dysarthria), difficulty coordinating your speech (dyspraxia) or a stutter (dyfluency), we can provide therapy to address your speech goals.
Language (aphasia)
Difficulties with expression and/or comprehension of language (aphasia). This can occur across any of the language domains (e.g. talking, writing, reading, listening, gesture, pictures). Talk to us about how we can support your language rehabilitation and goals.
Chronic cough (laryngeal/cough hypersensitivity syndrome)
If you have a persistent cough, we work to build an understanding of what contributes to your ongoing cough, and in the absence of underlying infection or pathology, there may be strategies we can teach you to try to gain better control over this. We can liaise with our ENT and Respiratory physician colleagues to ensure you receive the appropriate specialist assessments for your cough, to best inform your cough management plan.
Vocal cord dysfunction
(VCD, PVFM)
If ENT have diagnosed Vocal Cord Dysfunction or Paradoxical Vocal Fold Movement, we can teach you techniques to regain control of your airway and breathing during these episodes/difficulties.
EDUCATION / SUPPORT
Presentations
Contact us to discuss staff, carer or communication partner education or group presentation needs.
Clinical Supervision
Clinical supervision available from experienced SLT, including options via phone or videocalling.
Health Professional Network / Roles
At SALT clinic we are proud of our interprofessional collaborative network, in our commitment to provide support for our patients' health and wellbeing goals. If you are in a relevant health care profession and think you have expertise to complement our colleageal network, we'd love to hear from you.