Speech and Language

The Speech and Language Team at the Colman Centre supports people with swallowing and communication difficulties.  Disorders include:

• Dysphagia (swallowing)
• Dysarthria (speech clarity)
• Dyspraxia  (oral and speech motor planning)
• Aphasia ( language, involving processes governing understanding, talking, reading and writing)
• Cognitive-communication disorders (the social aspects of communicating e.g. turn-taking, topic switching etc)

We work closely with other disciplines in the care of each individual client to offer:

• Diagnosis and assessment
• Advice to client, family, carers and others
• Information about the condition and its consequences
• Direct frequent therapy intervention with client and carers on an individual and group basis
• Supervised rehabilitation assistant programmes at home
• Groups for advice, support, practical goal setting and communication practice
• Access to other specialists e.g. voice clinic, fibre optic and videoflouroscopic evaluation of swallowing

We are client centred in our approach to rehabilitation, working to change language and swallowing ability.  We also aim to address the psychosocial impact of communication difficulties on the person as a whole, enabling them to take up the challenge of old and new environments and relationships with autonomy.