DEPARTMENT OF SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY AND AUDIOLOGY
The Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology features nationally-certified and state-licensed speech-language pathologists and audiologists who provide diagnostic, counseling and therapeutic services to inpatients and outpatients of all ages.
The Department of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology is located on the first floor of the South Building at Tufts Medical Center.
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY
ABOUT US
The Department of Speech-Language Pathology provides a full array of quality and comprehensive services to the infant, pediatric, adult and geriatric populations. With almost 50 years of experience, our team members are both state and nationally certified. In close collaboration with Tufts Medical Center’s internationally known medical staff, the Department of Speech-Language Pathology provides detailed and individualized evaluation and therapy services to both inpatient and outpatient populations. As a teaching hospital, it is our team’s responsibility to provide up-to-the-minute education and training of our current and future medical professionals. Our department accepts most major medical insurances.
SPECIALIZING IN
Swallowing
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Pediatric & Adult swallowing disorders
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Modified Barium Swallows
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Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES)
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Speaking Valve Assessment & Placement
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Infant & Pediatric Feeding
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Feeding Team Evaluations
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Head & Neck Cancer
Speech & Language Services
Motor Speech Disorders
Voice Evaluation & Therapy
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Videostroboscopy
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Head and Neck Cancer
Cleft Palate
COMMON TERMINOLOGY
Aphasia: Total or partial loss of the ability to use or understand language; usually caused by a stroke, brain injury, or brain disease.
Apraxia of Speech: A motor-speech programming disorder resulting in difficulty executing and/or coordinating (sequencing) the oral movements necessary to produce voluntary speech despite normal muscle function of the face, tongue, and lips.
Articulation: In speech, the production and use of speech sounds.
Cognition: Includes mental processes and executive functions such as memory, attention, perception, organization, judgment / problem-solving, reasoning, mental imagery, and social skills.
Dysarthria: A group of speech disorders caused by disturbances in strength or coordination of the muscles of the speech mechanism as a result of damage to the brain or nerves.
Dysphagia: An impaired ability to chew or swallow solid and / or liquid substances.
Stuttering (fluency): A communication disorder characterized by excessive involuntary disruptions in the smooth and rhythmic flow of speech, particularly when such disruptions consist of repetitions or prolongations of a sound or syllable, and involuntary pauses or blocks, and accompanied by emotions such as fear and anxiety, and behaviors such as avoidance and struggle.
Modified Barium Swallow: Radiologic study using various thicknesses of barium for the purpose of examining swallowing structures and dynamic swallowing functions with particular attention to the oral and pharyngeal phases of the swallow.
Nodules: Benign callouses on the surface of the vocal fold
Polyp: Benign “blister” on the surface of the vocal fold
Reflux Laryngitis: Condition in which stomach acids and gasses flow from up from the esophagus into the larynx causing throat discomfort, coughing, throat clearing and hoarseness
Videostroboscopy: Video picture of the larynx with the movement of the vocal folds slowed down considerably to assess the function of the larynx.
AUDIOLOGY
ABOUT US
The Department of Audiology provides a full array of quality and comprehensive services to infant, pediatrics, adult and geriatric populations. With over 80 years experience, our team members are both state licensed and nationally certified. The Audiology department collaborates with adult and pediatric Otolaryngology and other specialties within the hospital to provide services to outpatients as well as inpatients.
Our clinicians provide on-going educational training sessions to our residents to ensure they are keeping appraised of the current audiology practices. We specialize in hearing evaluations for losses associated with VIII nerve lesions, middle ear pathologies and the difficult to test and multi-handicapped population. We work closely with our interpreter service staff to provide testing to the non-English speaking population and some staff have a working knowledge of sign language. We have been involved in research projects and presentations to our national organizations.
SERVICES
Our Cochlear Implant Team consists of Otology, Audiology and Speech/Language Pathology/Aural Rehabilitation. Intra-operative testing is performed during surgery and programming is done on an ongoing basis post-operatively. We have established rapports with school systems and other therapists to ensure the most appropriate intervention is provided to our patients.
Diagnostic audiology services include pure tone air and bone conduction testing, speech audiometry, immittance testing and otoacoustic emissions.
Vestibular evaluations include Videonystagmography (VNG), electrocochleography (EcoG), state-of-the art Vestibular Evoked Myogenic Potentials (VEMP) and treatment for Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo with Repositioning techniques.
Auditory Brainstem Response (ABR) testing for site-of-lesion and intra-operative monitoring (IOM) for VIII nerve lesions is offered.
Universal newborn hearing screening program provides hearing screenings to all babies in the Mother Infant Unit (MIU) and Neonatal ICU.
We are an approved level III Diagnostic Center by the Department of Public Health to provide diagnostic ABR to infants who have referred on initial newborn screen. We service the greater Boston and New England area. Monitoring of hearing secondary to ototoxicity is provided to our oncology patients, specializing in infant and toddler evaluations through ABR and OAE testing. Sedated ABR threshold and OAE testing is provided through day surgery unit with full anesthesia services. In addition, threshold ABR is often performed following middle ear surgery in difficult to test infants and toddlers.
OUTSIDE RESOURCES
American Speech-Language Hearing Association
www.asha.org
American Academy of Audiology
www.audiology.org
National Stuttering Association
www.nsastutter.org
American Cancer Society
www.cancer.org
Autism Collaboration
www.autism.org
WHO WE ARE
All clinicians are members of the American Speech and Hearing Association and are certified by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts
SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGY
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Kelly Loud, MS CCC-SLP
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Marissa McRay, MS CCC-SLP
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Elizabeth Von Euw, MS CCC-SLP
AUDIOLOGY
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Robert Buchanan, MA CCC-A
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Mendy Engler, MA CCC-A
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Cynthia Hanifin, MS CCC-A
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Paul Jevelle, MS CCC-A
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Susan McDonald, MA CCC-A
AUARL REHABILITATION SPECIALIST
PATIENT SERVICES COORDINATOR
DEPARTMENT MANAGER