Duke Children's Health Center Speech Pathology and Audiology Clinic

Our specialists have experience with complex medical conditions and family situations that affect a child’s hearing and language development. In addition to providing in-depth evaluations, our providers have expertise in and access to advanced testing to pinpoint what may be causing problems. We offer a range of consultation and treatment options, and we have the specialized training and experience necessary to provide care that is tailored to each child’s individual speech pathology and audiology needs.

Language and Family Support

Interpreters are available to translate information in families’ primary language. In addition, a dedicated patient navigator guides families through audiology testing and treatment and serves as single point-of-contact. We pride ourselves on maintaining ongoing, open communication with your referring provider, family, school staff, and community speech-language pathologists and audiologists to continually inform your child’s treatment plan and ensure your child continues to receive appropriate services.

Pediatric Speech Pathology

Services and Conditions We Treat

Communication disorders (including speech, language, and thinking skills)

• Articulation and phonology problems
• Augmentative and alternative communication assistance (assessment and device trial therapy sessions take place at Clinic 1I location)
• Cognitive communication disorders related to traumatic brain injury and other conditions
• Fluency and stuttering problems
• Language delays/disorders
• Motor speech disorders, including childhood apraxia of speech (CAS) and dysarthria
• Speech, resonance, and velopharyngeal functioning problems associated with craniofacial-related conditions like cleft palate
• Speech problems related to tracheostomy/speaking valve

Feeding and swallowing disorders

• Dysphagia evaluation and treatment
• Respiratory muscle training

Specialized speech diagnostic tools include nasopharyngoscopy, nasometry, respiratory pressure manometry, videofluoroscopy, and fiberoptic endoscopic swallow evaluations.

Pediatric Audiology

Conditions We Treat:

• Auditory processing disorder*, including children who are 7 years old and older
• Balance disorders*
• Hearing loss and hearing disorders
• Tinnitus*

*For these conditions, we provide preliminary testing that is usually needed before scheduling more advanced, specific testing.

Evaluations We Perform:

• Auditory brain stem response (ABR) testing with or without sedation, since sedation can accommodate infants and older children who are not behaviorally ready for traditional testing
• Hearing assessments, including visual reinforcement audiometry and conditioned play audiometry
• Immittance testing to assess function of eardrum and middle ear structures
• Otoacoustic emission testing to assess inner ear function

Intervention and Device Options We Offer and Support:

• Hearing aids (including bone conduction hearing aids) evaluation, fitting, and ongoing care
• Cochlear implants evaluation and ongoing maintenance
• FM systems and hearing-assistive technology