Rehabilitation of Speech, Language, and Swallowing Disorders in Clients with Acquired Brain Injury

Speech-language pathologists work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults (ASHA, 2018a). The speech-language pathology team is a dynamic component of the interdisciplinary neurorehabilitation team and is involved in many aspects of care. The ultimate goal of this discipline is restoration of communication, resolution of dysphagia, and improvement of cognitive linguistic skills. The speech-language pathologist (SLP) works collaboratively alongside the individual with an acquired brain injury (ABI), his/her family, and a multidisciplinary team to create a comprehensive rehabilitation plan of care aimed at improving functional gains, independence, and quality of life.