Introduction
The speech and Language unit was established in 1985 by Professor Abdul-Aziz Ashour head of the Otolaryngology department at the time.
As part of the Otolaryngology department, the Speech-Language unit provides comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, treatment plans, therapy services, counseling, and consultations for speech, language, and swallowing disorders for children and adults.
Diagnostic and therapy services are provided on an in-patient and out-patient bases.
Referrals to the Speech-Language unit typically come from other physicians, family, school, or rehabilitation centers.
Goal
When the ability to listen, understand, speak, interact, eat, or drink is affected, daily life can become frustrating and isolating. It is our goal at the unit to provide the highest quality of care and use the latest procedures and evidence-based practices as determined by our experienced staff and address speech, language, and swallowing disorders. As a result, help improve function, skills, build confidence, and help optimize communication and integration into society.
Scope of Services:
Evaluation, treatment, intervention, consultation in the following areas
1. Language: Language delays or disorder may include struggle with understanding spoken language or following directions (receptive language), using words and combining them to communicate (expressive language), and/or using language appropriately in social interactions (pragmatic language)
2. Speech: Speech disorders include difficulty producing individual sounds, words, or sentences clearly and/or difficulty combining sounds correctly to produce clear words. Some common speech disorders include: articulation disorder, phonological processing disorders, apraxia of speech, and dysarthria.
3. Fluency: Fluency disorders include cluttering and stuttering. Difficulties are noted in the natural flow or rhythm of speech. Speech includes an abnormal amount of repetitions, hesitations, prolongation, blocks or disruptions.
4. Voice – Voice disorders are characterized by abnormal pitch, loudness, quality or resonance of the voice.
5. Feeding and swallowing (dysphagia) – Includes disorders of the oral-pharyngeal phase of feeding and swallowing
Instruments:
The Speech-Language unit uses state of the art instruments in the diagnostic evaluation and treatment process of many voice, swallowing, resonance, and fluency disorders. Some of these instruments are:
1. Nasometer II:
Used as part of the assessment and treatment of patients with nasality and resonance problems, e.g: cleft palate.
2. Visi-Pitch IV 3950 :
Used to provide a visual multi-dimensional analysis of the voice output. It looks at voice frequency, intensity, and prosody (rate, rhythm, intonation) . The data provided assists with the evaluation and treatment of voice disorders.
The Visi-Pitch is also used as an auditory feedback tool with fluency disorders and other disorders.
3. Video Stroboscopy:
Used to provide a detailed view of the structure and function of the vocal cords and its surrounding area.
The stroboscope can be used using a rigid or flexible endoscope and continues or flashing light source.
It can used with a continues light source to provide information of a general nature or can be used with a flashing light source to create a slow motion view of vocal cord vibration and provide more detailed information. This instrument is used with voice disorders.
4. CSL (computerized Speech Lab):
The CLS is a speech and signal processing computer workstation (software and hardware).
It is used for speech analysis, voice measurement, motor speech profile, expanded parameters of MDVP, and clinical feedback.
Clinic Types:
The speech-Language unit offers 4 types of clinics at this time and runs 35 clinics per week for both new and follow up patients. Each appointment is 60 minutes long.
1.General clinics: (14 clinics/week).
2.Voice clinics: (9 clinics/week).
3. Swallowing clinics: (8 clinics/week): The swallowing clinics are combined clinics with the voice clinics).
4. Cochlear Implant (CI) clinics: (12 clinics/week).
These clinics are run by Speech-Language Pathologists with advanced training in AVT (Auditory Verbal Therapy). These clinicians are members of the cochlear implant team and take part in identifying CI candidates, evaluating, and conducting therapy using AVT approach within a multidisciplinary team approach for CI patients.
AVT is a Listening and Spoken Language (LSL) approach that follows specific Principles of Practice and a stringent Code of Ethics. It uses evidence-based and evidence-informed strategies to develop and grow the child's brain towards the preferred listening and spoken language outcomes (Estabrooks, W. et al (2016), Auditory-Verbal Therapy, San Diego, CA: Plural publishing.)
The Staff :
Our Speech-Language Pathologists and Phoniatricians are all highly competent and skilled in various areas of communication and swallowing disorders. They are all licensed by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties.
The staff works collaboratively with other professionals, when needed, to provide an interdisciplinary approach to evaluation and treatment insuring the best outcome for the patient and their family. Some of the professionals we collaborate with include: otolaryngologist, audiologist, neurologist, psychologist, psychiatrist, amongst many others.
We consider family members to be an integral member of the evaluation and treatment team. Therefore, family members are included in all evaluation and therapy sessions. This creates a better understanding of the problem and gives the family members the ability to support the patient and attain the skills needed to work with the patient at home and during all daily activities.
Meet the Staff:
1. Dr. Ahmed Abdelhamid M. Abdelgoad, PhD, MD.of Phoniatrics.
Assistant professor and consultant of phoniatrics.
2. Mr. Khaleel T. Aladarbeh, M.A
Senior Specialist-Speech Language Pathologist
3. Mrs. Samira A. Ashour, M.S, CCC-SLP
Senior Specialist-Speech Language Pathologist
4. Mrs. Maryia R. AlSunbul, M.A
Senior Specialist-Speech Language Pathologist
5. Ms. Fatima M. Al-Alshiekh, B.A
Speech-Language-hearing Specialist
Professional Training and Educational Programs:
The Speech and Language unit offers numerous professional development and continuing education (CE) opportunities for our staff, both within the department of Otolaryngology and outside locally and internationally. In addition the unit conducts and hosts workshops and conferences with renowned local and international speakers that is available for all speech-language pathologists, phoniatricians, and audiologists in the region.
The Speech-Language unit in collaboration with the Cochlear Implant Unit, have organized several specific workshops and campaigns, including the following:
1. 21 March 2016
The first meeting for cochlear implant patients and their families. AlKhobar, KSA
2. 30-31 October 2017
1st Speech/Language Pathology-Auditory-Verbal Therapy workshop, AlKhobar, KSA
3. 10-11 November 2018
2nd Speech/Language Pathology-Auditory-Verbal Therapy workshop, AlKhobar, KSA
4. 21 March 2019
Awareness campaign for hearing loss and cochlear implantation in children under the title “My Life with a Voice”, Al-Rashid Mall, AlKhobar, KSA
5. 29-30 January 2020
3rd Speech/Language Pathology-Auditory-Verbal Therapy workshop, AlKhobar, KSA
