About us
Speech pathologists are experts in the assessment, diagnosis and management of disorders of speech, language, swallowing and voice.
Austin Health has two Speech Pathology departments.
- Austin and Heidelberg Repatriation Hospitals
- Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre
What do speech pathologists do at Austin Health?
Speech pathologists work with people who have problems with:
- communication, including speech, understanding, concentrating, remembering, reading and writing
- swallowing, including difficulty chewing, food sticking in the mouth or throat, or coughing on food or drink.
These problems can arise from:
- brain injuries including stroke and brain tumours
- neurological conditions for example multiple sclerosis and motor neurone disease
- tracheostomy tubes which are put in the throat to help with breathing
- cancer affecting the head and neck
- voice problems
- respiratory/breathing difficulties.
Therapy involves working with the person, and often with their family and friends to help them communicate effectively and eat and drink safely.
