Speech Therapy

Speech Therapy can make a huge positive difference for patients and their families by helping adults and children with disorders or difficulties related to speaking, understanding, feeding, swallowing, and using language effectively. There is a diverse range of challenges caused by aging, head injuries, birth defects, developmental difficulties, cleft lip and palate, cognitive impairment, swallowing disorders, head and neck cancers, and other conditions that impair the ability to speak, swallow and eat properly.
 
The Speech Therapist works with the patient’s physician, physical and occupational therapy, other members of the health care team and the patient’s family to provide a customized treatment plan for maximizing speech therapy outcomes. Speech Therapy services can include: articulation and language (speech) rehabilitation, assessment and treatment of swallowing disorders, cognitive rehabilitation, family and caretaker educations, geriatric feeding rehabilitation, pediatric screening for speech development, sensory processing and feeding skills, pediatric development follow-up and rehab, videofluoroscopic swallowing evaluation, and voice assessment and treatment.
 
Dawn Lietz, MS, CCC-SLP/L provides speech therapy services for adults and children, both inpatients and outpatients. She is also credentialed as an evaluator and provider for the Early Intervention Program. Speech Therapy requires a referral from a physician. Washington County Hospital offers free screening for speech language delays for in children. For more information, please call (618) 327-2232.