The Speech Language Pathology wing under Department of Audiology and Speech Language Pathology provides diagnostic services as well as therapeutic management for various speech and language disorders. The services are available to paediatric as well as adult population and uses standardised test tools. The evaluation procedures are carried out by experienced Speech Language Pathologists.

• Speech Language Diagnostics

• Speech Language Therapeutics

• Learning Bridge: Group Therapy for LD

• Blooming Buds: Group Therapy for SLI

• Stuttering Group Therapy Unit

• Autism Intervention Unit

• Parental Awareness Program

• Speech Science Research Laboratory

• Outreach programs

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Intervention unit

Camps and outreach programs are conducted for providing speech-language identification and rehabilitation services to those population who cannot access the institute due to geographical or any such constraints. Camps are conducted with the help of volunteer NGOs, and other organisations. Camps are organised in various schools, special schools, rehabilitation centres etc. Individuals/ organisation who wish to conduct camps may contact:

Ms. Rejitha, Social Worker

Phone: 0471 2944668

Parents are the first and best teacher for the child. Empowering the parent is thus an essential goal of any rehabilitation program. NISH conducts “Parental Awareness Programs” regularly for providing awareness, counselling and support to the parents of children who are differently abled.

A specific disorder is dealt with at every session. Prior advertisement is put on leading newspaper as well as on the NISH notice board and official website. Parents who wish to participate in the program can walk into the program without any prior registration.

The PAP includes a brief description of the disorder, rehabilitation measures and home training activities and goals to be worked with. Every PAP ends with an interactive session in which the parents are free to put forward their queries regarding the child’s abilities and rehabilitation measures.

The Speech Science Laboratory at NISH supports subjective and objective evaluation of normal and pathological aspects of voice production and its rehabilitation. It also includes static and dynamic quantification of articulatory behaviour, post-laryngectomy speech assessment and its rehabilitation and management for resonance and fluency disorders. Students and faculty have access to the lab for research and clinical practice.

Objective:

• It focuses on the assessment and rehabilitation of voice disorders, articulation disorders, resonance and fluency disorders, which helps to enhance the quality of proper diagnosis and to prepare a relevant treatment plan for the patients. For professional voice users, vocal hygiene tips are provided by the speech-language pathologist to improve their voice quality and professional use of voice.
• To improve the quality of clinical exposure of students by getting familiarize with different instruments and to impart knowledge about assessment and management of voice disorders.
• To support research-oriented works.

Referral:

• Cases from speech diagnostic department will be referred to speech science laboratory if they required further assessment in terms of voice, speech and fluency. After the detailed evaluation reports will be attached to the file and send it back to the speech diagnostic department. The recorded sample will be saved in the system for further reference.

Personnel:

• Students are posted in the speech science lab in order to meet their clinical practicum requirements as given in the syllabus. Each class coordinators have given a posting schedule of the students in the speech lab.
• Manuals of each instrument are available within the lab. Students can access these manuals with the permission of concerned staff.
• Students have to log in to the speech science lab by providing the log book and get it signed from the concerned staff. Each student has a login ID and password in order to get access to the system. If the students have any concern regarding the log in ID and password, they can contact the system administrator after informing the concerned staff in the lab.
• Students can make use of the study material and user’s manuals available in the laboratory
• All students can use the laboratory for case assessment, therapeutic purpose and for research work after entering the details in the cornered register.
  

TEST MATERIALS AVAILABLE AT SPEECH SCIENCE LABORATORY:

• Standard reading passages: The rainbow Passage, Thengu passage, Brahmanan passage, Standard text (US) Nasal and oral passage.
• Adult voice evaluation questionnaires: Voice Handicap Index, Your Voice related Quality of Life quiz, Clinical Voice Evaluation 2.
• Pediatric voice evaluation questionnaires: Pediatric Voice Handicap Index
• Picture description material for children
• Malayalam Articulation Testword list and picture cards

INSTRUMENTS

Dr. Speech, Vaghmi and PRAAT soft wares are accessible in the Speech Science Lab and each system is labelled with respective soft ware’s name and system number.

Instrumental evaluation comprises of:

• Acoustic evaluation
• Spectrographic evaluation
• Aerodynamic measures
• Voice quality assessment
• Articulation training and
• Other therapeutic intervention measures