Speech Therapy

Helping you communicate and swallow more efficiently

Our team of board-certified speech therapists is here to help you with swallowing, speech and communication. Speech therapy is part of St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Services, which also includes physical therapy and occupational therapy and pediatric rehab.

What does a speech therapist do?
A speech therapist is a healthcare professional who helps people with a wide range of issues connected to swallowing and communication.

What can a speech therapist treat?
Our speech therapists can diagnose and treat the following:

• Aphasia
• Apraxia
• Articulation
• Chronic cough
• Chronic neurological conditions (e.g., TBI, ALS, or Parkinson’s disease)
• Concussion
• Cognitive delays
• Changes in memory or cognition
• Executive functioning and problem-solving
• Expressive communication
• Hearing rehabilitation
• Hoarse voice or poor vocal quality
• Infant swallowing disorders, including difficulties breastfeeding or bottle feeding
• Oral motor skills
• Pediatric issues (e.g., communication delays, stuttering, feeding, etc.)
• Post-stroke care
• Reading and listening comprehension difficulties
• Social interaction
• Stuttering and fluency
• Slurred speech or speech that is difficult to understand
• Tongue, lip or buccal ties
• Vocal cord nodules

What specialized speech therapy does St. Luke’s offer?
St. Luke’s speech therapists

• VitalStim® Therapy for swallowing, including use of surface EMG and visual feedback
• Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) for Parkinson's patients
• Augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device assessments
• Infant breastfeeding evaluations completed by a certified lactation consultant

What does treatment look like?
Treatment can be broken into 3 steps:

1. A 60-minute initial assessment and treatment plan development
2. Appointments with your speech therapist for 4 to 6 weeks
3. At-home activities and long-term recovery

How do I know if I should see a speech therapist?
Are you having difficulty expressing yourself, being understood, eating or drinking? Our goal is for you to be able to do the things you love and to be as functional as possible in your daily activities. If you are wondering if speech therapy can you help you, call 218.249.6040.

Referral required for this service. If you need one, talk to your primary care provider.
To establish care with a St. Luke’s primary care provider, call 218.249.4000 or find a clinic near you.