A structured, clinician-led approach to rebuilding speech, communication and safe swallowing at home.
Every recovery looks different. We support people rebuilding speech and swallowing at different stages of their recovery journey.
For those rebuilding speech and language after a stroke.
For people facing aphasia or difficulty communicating clearly.
For those with swallowing disorders who need safe therapy.
People working to make speech clearer and stronger.
For children with speech, language or developmental delays.
For those with swallowing disorders who need safe therapy.
Your care combines assessment, therapy and family coaching, all working towards clearer communication and safer swallowing.
Assessing speech, language, cognition and swallowing ability.
Exercises for clearer speech and stronger articulation.
Rebuilding comprehension and everyday communication skills.
Safe swallowing therapy for those living with dysphagia.
Support for memory, attention and communication skills.
Coaching families to support practice between sessions.
HOW WE WORK
Your plan is led and reviewed by senior clinicians, and your therapists, nurses and doctors work to the same plan rather than in separate departments. We review progress regularly and change the plan as you change.
Dexterity’s speech and language therapists treat post-stroke speech and language loss including aphasia, dysarthria (slurred or unclear speech), dysphagia (swallowing difficulties), broader communication disorders, cognitive-communication problems such as memory and attention difficulties, and developmental speech delays in children. Assessment covers speech, language, cognition and swallowing together, since these areas are often affected at the same time.
Aphasia is a language difficulty, often caused by stroke, that can affect a person’s ability to speak, understand, read or write, without necessarily affecting intelligence. Many people regain meaningful language function with structured speech therapy, especially when it starts early and continues consistently, though the pace and extent of recovery vary from person to person depending on the injury and other factors.
Yes, swallowing difficulty, known clinically as dysphagia, is one of the core areas Dexterity’s speech and language therapists treat. Therapy aims to help patients eat and drink safely and, where possible, return to a more normal diet, working alongside the wider medical and nursing team.
Speech and language therapists assess swallowing by observing how a patient manages different food and liquid textures, watching for signs of difficulty such as coughing, throat clearing or a wet-sounding voice after swallowing. Based on this clinical assessment, they advise on safe textures and techniques, and coordinate with the medical team on further evaluation if a more detailed instrumental assessment is needed.
For many patients, yes. As swallowing function improves with therapy, speech and language therapists carry out ongoing assessments to judge when it is safe to reduce reliance on a feeding tube and gradually reintroduce oral intake, working closely with the medical team. This is done step by step and isn’t guaranteed for every patient, since it depends on the underlying condition and how the swallow recovers.
When speech does not fully return, therapists can introduce alternative ways to communicate, such as picture or symbol boards, writing, gesture, or electronic communication aids and apps, chosen to match the person’s abilities and needs. Family coaching is also part of the approach, so relatives can support and reinforce communication at home.
Speech and swallowing recovery takes time and differs a great deal from person to person. We will not promise a fixed result or timeline, only a clear plan, skilled therapy and an honest view of progress at every stage.
