Brookings Health System Recognizes Better Hearing and Speech Month
- May 01, 2012
During the month of May, Brookings Health System is recognizing the significant contributions speech-language pathologists and speech therapy has made to the field of medicine by celebrating Better Hearing and Speech Month.
Since 1927, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association has celebrated Better Hearing and Speech Month each May to raise public awareness of speech and language disorders that affect 14 million Americans.
Speech and language disorders can take many forms and can limit academic achievement, social adjustment, and career advancement. An individual may be born with a speech or language disorder, or it may be caused by accidental injury or illness.
”As speech-language pathologists, we treat a variety of patients and disorders,” said Becky Cermak, speech-language pathologist at Brookings Health System. “From three months old to 103 years old, we provide therapy across the lifespan in many different areas, including speech, language, swallowing, cognition, and voice.”
Speech-language pathologists are professionals who treat all types of speech, language, and related disorders such as voice, cognition, and swallowing. In the medical setting, they hold at least a master’s degree and are nationally certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Recently, the South Dakota Speech-Language Hearing Association successfully helped to pass legislation to create a state licensure for all people providing speech-language pathology services in South Dakota.
Speech-Language Pathology services are one of the comprehensive therapy services offered at Brookings Health System. For more information on how you or a loved one may benefit from the services of a speech-language pathologist, please visit www.brookingshealth.org/Speech or call (605) 696-8821.
About Brookings Health System
Brookings Health System, located in Brookings, South Dakota, includes a 49-bed hospital, the 79-bed Brookview Manor nursing home, and Brookhaven Estates apartments. It is a non-profit, city-owned facility that offers the community a full range of inpatient, outpatient, and extended care services. The emergency room is staffed 24 hours a day and provides around the clock medical-nursing care for patient needs ranging from minor injuries to life threatening crises. For more information about the services offered at Brookings Health System, please call (605) 696-9000 or visit us on the Web at brookingshealth.org.