Services
The Roy Eblen Speech and Hearing Clinic serves children and adults providing the full range of diagnostic and therapeutic services. Individual and group therapy is provided by clinical instructors or graduate students, under the supervision of an American Speech Language Hearing Association Certified Speech-Language Pathologist.
Services include:
- Accent Modification
- Aphasia, and other neurological communication difficulties
- Apraxia of speech, dysarthria, and other Motor Speech Disorders
- Articulation & Phonology Disorders
- Audiological assessment and consultations
- Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)
- Bilingual services/Servicios bilingües
- Dysphagia
- Gender affirming voice and communication therapy
- Language Disorders
- Literacy
- Stuttering
- Voice Disorders
Diagnosis and Treatment of Communication Disorders in Children
The Roy Eblen Speech and Hearing Clinic has effectively served thousands of toddler, preschool, and school-aged children with various types of speech and language disorders.
This includes populations of children who are late talkers, have language delays, stutter, exhibit speech sound disorders. Also served are numerous children with different genetic and biologically-based developmental disabilities, including intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, Down syndrome, and cerebral palsy.
Children with complex communication needs may receive treatment focusing on the use of augmentative and alternative communication devices and systems leading to the development of effective communication skills.
Children may receive family-based, individual, or group services depending on their communication needs, recommendations of professionals, and family's preference.
Scottish RiteCare Early Language Program
The Roy Eblen Speech and Hearing Clinic offers the Scottish RiteCare Early Language Program. Children, ages three to five, attend four mornings per week with additional individual therapy services when appropriate.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Speech Impairments
Featured at the Roy Eblen Speech and Hearing Clinic is the latest technology for the objective analysis of speech production in individuals with motor speech, voice, and stuttering disorders.
This applied technology includes analysis of speech acoustics (intensity, frequency, and timing); respiratory pressure and flow characteristics related to speech; neuromuscular movement and dynamics of articulation, and laryngeal aspects of voice production, including electroglottography and endoscopy. Although many of these techniques are commonplace in the research laboratory, UNI is using these measures to enhance the diagnosis and therapeutic management of individuals with various types of motor speech disorders.
Ongoing efforts at the Roy Eblen Speech and Hearing Clinic have resulted in a preliminary normative data-base used in the treatment monitoring of persons with severe types of voice and neurologically based speech impairments.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Voice Disorders
A voice analysis clinic has been instituted at the Roy Eblen Speech and Hearing Clinic, including participation from local area physicians specializing in Ear Nose and Throat disorders.
Team-based evaluations for persons of all ages and with all types of voice problems are conducted in the voice clinic. State-of-the-art technology and assessment techniques are used by the voice team in the diagnosis and therapeutic management of voice disorders. Physical and acoustic measures are obtained using a variety of instrumentation techniques, such as videostroboscopic laryngeal imaging.
Different therapeutic regimens are also offered at the Clinic for various types of medically and behaviorally based voice problems.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Communication and Swallowing Disorders in Adults
Diagnostic and therapeutic services are available for adults with acquired communication deficits. These include individuals with aphasia due to strokes, traumatic brain injuries, and a number of progressive neurological diseases.
Speech and language therapy may focus on improvement of oral and written expression as well as promote comprehension of spoken and written language. In certain cases, the development and use of an augmentative communication system is a treatment goal.
Various linguistically-based cognitive skills such as memory and problem solving are also promoted during the treatment process, due to the impact these skills have on language abilities.
An aphasia therapy group meets twice a week at the Roy Eblen Speech and Hearing Clinic to provide communication therapy, social support, and family counseling for a number of adult clients.
Other forms of service for this population include the assessment and treatment of dysphagia (swallowing) and related feeding disorders.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Audiological Disorders
A wide variety of services in hearing care are offered to persons of all ages starting at birth.
Audiological assessments include evaluation of hearing sensitivity for tones, speech comprehension, and assessment of middle ear function. Consultation regarding hearing aid candidacy is also available, but the clinic does not dispense hearing aids.
Aural rehabilitation services are provided for a number of children and adults with hearing impairment. Therapy for children includes speech and language remediation that is often augmented by sign language and other forms of visual and sensory communication.
For the adult client with hearing impairment, the clinic offers informational counseling and rehabilitation services that assist persons with hearing loss adjust to new hearing aids and learn various coping strategies for dealing with the effects of hearing loss.