Speech Pathology

If you or a loved one has an illness, injury, or other disorder that has affected the ability to communicate, use your voice, and/or swallow, a Speech Pathologist can help. The Speech Pathologists of LA General Medical Center provide both inpatient and outpatient care to help people with communication and swallowing disorders resulting from neurological impairment, injury, or surgery. Our department is housed within the Otolaryngology (ENT) Clinic to provide multidisciplinary care.

Speech Pathologists work with people who are having trouble swallowing. We offer expert evaluations and customized treatment, including recommendations about food and liquid textures, strategies to compensate for swallowing problems, and ongoing education to family/support systems to promote safety and optimal function of the swallow mechanism. 

Speech and swallowing therapy may help people recovering from, or living with any problem that affects the ability to communicate or swallow, including:

• Head and neck cancer (I.e., Partial or Total Laryngectomy)
• Head and neck injuries
• Stroke
• Traumatic brain injury & complications from polytrauma
• Pulmonary diseases

To assess people with swallowing difficulties, we perform in-person clinical swallow evaluations at the initial visit to determine severity of deficit prior to completion of instrumental studies, such as Modified Barium Swallow (MBS) and Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES). Additionally, Videostroboscopy is used to assess voice disorders in the outpatient setting.  

Objective studies support diagnosis of dysphagia and/or dysphonia, treatment planning, and potential referrals to other interdisciplinary services to address all symptoms of swallowing and/or voice problems.  

If you have concerns about your voice, swallowing, or communication, talk with your doctor about a referral to outpatient Speech Therapy.

Clinic Building A, Room A2E
1100 N. State Street
Los Angeles, CA 90033
Phone: (323) 409-5082
Hours: 7:30 am – 5:30pm