The speech therapists at UCSF Health Saint Francis Hospital evaluate and assess each individual's needs, designing a program to improve or to rehabilitate speech articulation, fluency, voice, language expression, language comprehension, cognition, and/or swallow function.
UCSF Health Saint Francis Hospital's staff of experienced speech-language pathologists (i)nformally referred to as speech therapists provide individualized, comprehensive care for adults and children with communication or swallowing difficulties. Speech therapy services are available for patients who are in the hospital and on an outpatient basis.
We offer speech therapy services for adults with:
- Accent reduction
- Alternative or augmentative communication needs
- Aphasia (difficulty with expressive or receptive language)
- Cognitive disorders
- Dysphagia (s)wallowing problems
- Parkinson's disease (Lee Silverman Voice Treatment)
- Traumatic brain injury
- Voice problems (s)uch as vocal hoarseness, nodules, polyps
We offer evaluation and treatment for children with:
- Articulation problems
- Fluency disorders (s)tuttering
- Language delays
Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) Program
The Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) is used by our speech therapy department to effectively help restore speech in persons with Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis. Scientific studies have shown that patients using LSVT are more effective and emotionally engaged communicators.
A physician referral or current prescription is required prior to receiving speech language pathology therapy services. Most insurance plans are accepted.