Communities

Speech, Hearing Month observed

ELKINS -- Experiencing a life-changing illness or diagnosis can be a scary and difficult time. Sometimes, as a result of serious illness, persons may suffer changes in their ability to communicate or swallow. Those who are challenged with these complications, and others, can often benefit from full-time speech therapy services.

"May is Better Speech and Hearing Month, and it's a wonderful time to make the community aware of our wide range of services," explained Erin Browning MA, CCC-SLP.

Browning and Kayla Doerr, MS, CCC-SLP, are certified speech-language pathologists at the Davis Medical Center Speech Therapy Department, located on the first floor of DMC's Physician Office Center in Elkins. There, they treat patients and coordinate care for communication and swallowing disorders, and are committed to providing patients and families with personalized care.

The American Speech and Hearing Association celebrates each year and works to raise awareness for the diagnostics and treatment options available to improve quality of life for the 14 million Americans who experience problems speaking, understanding, hearing or swallowing.

"We provide therapeutic services needed at various stages in life or following a traumatic event. Patients come to us with many different problems," Doerr said. "Children may not learn language at an appropriate rate or produce sounds properly. Their parents have concern because they aren't eating a variety of foods and are in nutritional danger."

"We also see adults with voice problems, swallowing difficulties, head and neck cancer, loss of language (aphasia) or slurred speech (dysarthria) following a stroke or neurological problem such as Parkinson's, traumatic brain injury or ALS," Browning said.

The two providers have significant education and experience, with Doerr receiving bachelor's and master's degrees from West Virginia University and Browning receiving bachelor's and master's degrees from Marshall University. Together, they have specialized training in swallowing with the adult and pediatric populations, speech and language disorders due to autism, childhood apraxia of speech, severe phonological disorders, cleft lip and palate, head and neck cancer and behavioral/sensory feeding disorders. Browning and Doerr were recipients of the ASHA ACE award for excellence in continuing their professional education last year.

Beyond traditional therapy services, the clinic offers imaging to diagnose swallowing disorders. The Modified Barium Swallow Study is a video-taped X-ray of a patient's swallowing, and it is used to determine if food and liquids are going down the correct tube or if aspiration is occurring. The test also helps determine need and specifics for therapy to improve comfort and safety with eating. Vital Stim swallowing therapy is offered for those experiencing swallowing problems and used in conjunction with specific exercises to improve swallowing. Speech pathology services also are offered for in-patients staying in the hospital with an acute illness.

"We offer a wide range of services, so that patients don't need to travel out of town," Doerr said. "This saves families resources, both time and expense."

"Rural health care is challenging, because what you need isn't always conveniently available," Browning said. "We, as a community, are so fortunate that Davis Medical has recognized the deep need for communication and swallowing therapies and allow us to provide them."

In-patient and out-patient speech pathology services are available.

For more information, call Michele Whittaker at 304-637-3520