Speech Language Therapy
Speech Language Therapy
The Speech Language Therapy Department (SLT) at Waikato Hospital provides in-patient and out-patient services for people in the Waikato region. We have inpatient and outpatient services at Waikato Hospital, and outreach clinics in Thames, Tokoroa and Te Kuiti.
Speech Language Therapy involves
- assessment and diagnosis
- rehabilitation services that are tailored to individual needs
- advice on the use of compensatory strategies, including the use of alternative and assistive technology (e.g., communication boards, electronic voice output devices, voice amplifiers).
- education to patients, family members and care staff working with the person with communication and/ or swallowing difficulties
We provide a service to adults with communication or swallowing difficulties due to conditions such as:
- Stroke
- Progressive neurological disorders such as Parkinson's disease, motor neurone disease, muscular sclerosis, dementia
- Cancer, or surgery to the head & neck
- Voice difficulties
- Dysfluency (stuttering)
We also provide a service to children who:
- require inpatient or outpatient services for feeding difficulties
- have feeding or speech difficulties due to a cleft, lip, palate or velopharyngeal insufficiency
- meet the criteria for the Child Development Centre.
Key personnel
Deborah McKellar
Manager, Speech Language Therapy, Audiology and Newborn Hearing Screening
Location
Waikato Hospital
Meade Clinical Centre
Level 2, Reception E
Contact
Phone: 07 839 8882
Fax: 07 839 8796
Email: SLT.Clinic@waikatodhb.health.nz