Adult speech-language pathology program
We treat people for a number of conditions that can affect their speech, language, and swallowing abilities, including:
- Aphasia
- Cognitive-linguistic disorders
- Dysphagia
- Language
- Dysarthria
- Verbal apraxia
- Voice disorder
Many conditions can lead to speech and language difficulties, such as:
- Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)
- Dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
- Multiple sclerosis (MS)
- Myasthenia gravis
- Stroke
In addition, we care for patients who are receiving treatment for head and neck cancer at Mass General Cancer Center at Newton-Wellesley
Our Evaluation Process
Your primary care doctor or other doctor can refer you to us for help with a speech-language disorder. We’ll evaluate you one-on-one to determine the nature and severity of your condition. If you need a swallowing assessment, you may need an X-ray procedure called a modified barium-swallow study (MBS) for more details.
After your evaluation, we’ll discuss your results with you and/or your loved ones as appropriate, and we’ll work together to create a personalized plan of care for you. Whenever possible, we’ll work with you to develop realistic goals for your treatment.
Before your first visit with us, please make sure your referring doctor’s prescription is specifically for “evaluation and treatment” of your speech, language, or swallowing difficulty. Learn more about what to do before your first visit below.
Pediatric and adolescent speech-language program
We specialize in evaluating and treating children and teens with speech and language disorders. Our speech-language pathologists care for children between the ages of 18 months and 18 years.
Your child may be referred to us by his or her pediatrician or other doctor, as well as a teacher or another speech-language pathologist. Our therapy services are intended for short-term intervention and care. As part of our care, we’ll work closely with you to create a transition plan from our outpatient hospital treatment to speech-language professionals within your child’s school system or to providers in private practice.
Conditions treated
Children who are experiencing difficulty with any of the following:
- Understanding what they hear and how they use words to tell others what they are thinking (receptive and expressive language delays and disorders)
- Making sounds and putting sounds together into words (speech sound production disorders including articulation or phonological disorders, apraxia of speech or dysarthria)
- The flow of speech including fluency disorders (also called stuttering)
- Understanding the unspoken rules of language that allow people to connect such as social communication disorders including autism-spectrum disorders
Before Your Child’s First Visit
Please confirm your child fits one of the conditions above and request an order from your child’s pediatrician. The pediatrician can enter it into EPIC or fax it to us at F: 617-243-6651.
You can email us to start the intake process and book your child’s first visit with us: NWHRehabPediSpeech@partners.org
Newton-Wellesley Hospital
Attn: Pediatric Speech and Language Department
Speech Therapy Intake Appointment
159 Wells Avenue
Newton, MA 02459