Mount Auburn Healthcare Connection

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Imagine not being able to communicate simple thoughts like “Thank you” or “I love you”. Imagine not being able to enjoy your favorite foods anymore. Imagine talking, but hearing a voice that sounds nothing like your own. For millions of Americans with speech, swallowing and vocal disorders, this is a reality. These problems can affect anyone, at any age, at any time, for a variety of reasons. The job of a Speech-Language Pathologist is to diagnose and treat these various disorders. Here at Mount Auburn Hospital in Cambridge, a teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School, Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) work with adult patients to restore their speech and swallowing abilities, so they can return independently to their daily activities.

According to Jessi Seay, SLP at Mount Auburn Hospital, the majority of patients are older adults who have suffered some type of acute injury or illness such as a stroke, brain injury, pneumonia, or head and neck cancer. Ms. Seay has a specific role within the medical team to provide every patient with the opportunity for a speedy recovery.

For patients with swallowing difficulties, SLPs make assessments and recommendations to aid in recovery. “We assess swallowing function and determine what diet textures are safe for reducing the risk of aspiration or choking,” says Ms. Seay. “If a patient cannot take any food by mouth, we may recommend alternative means for nutrition, such as temporary or permanent feeding tubes.” SLPs work closely with the dietary staff to ensure nutritional needs of patients are safely being met, while they recover from their illnesses.

Once a specific diet plan has been determined, SLPs provide therapy to assist the patient in understanding the cause of their difficulties and teach them to improve safety while eating. “Most of what we do is diagnostic, but we also follow people through therapy,” says Ms. Seay. “For example, we may teach a patient how to tuck their chin to protect their airway when swallowing or how to thicken their liquids to prevent aspiration into the lungs.”

A multidisciplinary approach is especially important when treating patients who require specialized care, such as a patient with a tracheostomy or someone on mechanical ventilation. At Mount Auburn Hospital, SLPs and Respiratory Therapists work together to provide the best possible care for these medically fragile patients. “I am very lucky to work with other skilled therapists to facilitate the recovery of these patients,” says Ms. Seay.

SLPs also work within the radiology department performing Modified Barium Swallow Studies to objectively assess the physiology and swallow functioning of patients who may be experiencing a swallowing disorder. “It is very important to have standardized, diagnostic tools to assess patient’s swallow functioning, and provide accurate and individualized therapeutic recommendations,” Ms. Seay states.

For patients with communication disorders, SLPs assess patients for the type and severity of speech, language or cognitive impairments. “Our initial goal is to assess how these deficits are affecting their ability to communicate with the medical team and family members,” Ms. Seay says. “We also use the initial assessment to assist in meeting a patient’s immediate needs. For example, if patients are faced with making serious medical decisions, but unable to speak, we provide them with a way to communicate.”

According to Ms. Seay, language difficulties generally fall into one of two categories: expressive and receptive. An expressive disorder affects the patient’s ability to generate words or sentences to convey thoughts or ideas. They are often unable to vocalize their thoughts but may have an understanding of what it is they’re trying to say. A receptive disorder affects the patient’s ability to understand what they read and/or what is being said to them.

“There are many strategies that can be helpful for patients suffering from communication disorders. If their writing is intact, it can be an easy way to make their wants and needs known even if their speech mechanism is impaired. We also provide communication boards to facilitate communication through the use of pictures or gestures,” says Ms. Seay.

Initial language assessments are used as a diagnostic indicator to gauge progress throughout recovery. “Since this is an acute care facility, my job is to assess the patient’s status immediately following the event that brought them to the hospital. Once they are stable enough to transfer to a rehabilitation hospital, skilled nursing facility or home, my assessment can determine the needs for long-term therapy,” says Ms. Seay.

At Mount Auburn Hospital, staff is committed to providing the best care to patients suffering from speech or swallowing problems and utilizes a multidisciplinary approach for treatments. “Patients have a lot of people involved in their care,” Ms. Seay says. “My job is to assess speech and swallow functioning and make recommendations to aid in the overall recovery of our patients.”

For a free Mount Auburn Hospital physician directory, please call us at 617-499-5094.