Speech Therapy
Communicating and interacting with the world around us, along with enjoying a meal, are some of life’s most precious gifts. At Astera Health, we help people develop the skills needed to function at their best and enjoy life.
What Is Speech Therapy?
Speech therapy is the treatment of a variety of disorders that impact speech, language, communication, cognitive-linguistic function, and swallowing.
People of all ages with a number of conditions can benefit from speech therapy treatment. At Astera, our speech-language pathologist will assess and treat a variety of conditions related to language (aphasia), speech sound production (articulation, apraxia, dysarthria), communication, social communication, stuttering, cognition (memory, attention, problem solving, executive functions), and swallowing (dysphagia). We offer solutions for both adult and pediatric patients.
Other patient services include:
Care Provided
Cognitive communication
Speech therapists are able to assist with memory, attention, problem-solving, organization, or other thinking skills.
Feeding & swallowing
In addition to performing video swallow studies for those who have difficulty swallowing, speech therapists can help when there are difficulties with the oral or pharyngeal phase of swallowing, which may lead to poor nutrition, weight loss or other health problems.
Astera Health offers Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES), a noninvasive technique utilizing a low-level electric current to activate muscles crucial for feeding and swallowing. This process involves placing electrodes on the skin of the neck and/or face, targeting the muscles responsible for chewing and swallowing. NMES aids in the retraining of these muscles, promoting a safe and effective swallowing mechanism.
Fluency
Also called stuttering. This is the fluidity and smoothness of our speech.
Language
How well we understand what we hear or read and how we communicate what we are thinking via verbal expression or writing. This can include aphasia or difficulties with the development of language skills in children.
Lee Silverman Voice Treatment LOUD
Astera’s speech pathologist is a certified LSVT LOUD clinician. LSVT Loud is a standardized treatment protocol for patients with Parkinson’s disease. Research on LSVT Loud has been shown to increase vocal loudness, improve speech intelligibility, improve intonation, and improve facial expression in patients with Parkinson’s disease.
Social communication
How well we vary our speech style, take the perspective of others, and understand and appropriately use communication rules for verbal and nonverbal communication.
Speech sounds
How we produce sounds and put sounds together into words. This can include articulation, phonological disorders, apraxia of speech, or dysarthria.
Voice
We have all experienced problems with our voice before. Cold, allergies, neurological conditions, or even cheering for your favorite team can result in a loss of voice.
Staff
Able to treat both adult and pediatric patients, Meghan Current-Cary and Allison Tupper, Astera’s speech-language pathologists, are certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and licensed by the Minnesota Department of Health.
Meghan Current-Cary, MS/CCC-SLP
Rehabilitation Manager
