Language·Voice Treatment Room
Speech-language disorder is a communication disorder in which a person has a difficult time understanding the other person’s intention or expressing their intention properly during communication.
This condition can be caused only in language or by a cognitive, auditory, emotional, behavioral, neurological, or organic problem.
At the Language and Voice Test Room, patients’ language and voice problems are evaluated and diagnosed to determine the type and level of disorders. An appropriate treatment program and treatment education is then designed and planned for each patient. The role of family is included in the treatment, and education is provided for the subject of treatment as well as their family members including parents.
The Language and Voice Test Room is currently working with the Department of Otorhinolaryngology to assist in the test and treatment of auditory disorder patients with a cochlear implant and patients with voice disorder. It provides collaborative care with the Department of Plastic Surgery. In addition, we are in charge of the diagnosis and treatment of patients with a speech-language disorder by working closely with the Rehabilitation Medicine Department, the Neurology Department, and the Neurosurgery Department or the Mental Health Department, the Pediatrics and Adolescent Psychiatry Department, the Emotion Center, and the Pediatrics and Adolescents Department.
In addition to this, we are helping patients, who are planning to or underwent cochlear implant surgery at the Cochlear Center, and their families to get treatment and education in their neighborhoods through our network of language therapists at private language treatment facilities and welfare centers across the country.
Audiometric Test Room
The Audiometric Test Room is where various audiometric tests, along with a hearing sensitivity test, are performed to provide basic information about patients with related symptoms such as hearing loss, tinnitus, and dizziness for accurate diagnosis and prevention, treatment and rehabilitation. The tests are conducted on infants, children, and adults, and both objective and subjective tests are performed.
Pure tone audiometry and speech audiometry are performed as basic tests to prescribe hearing aids to patients with hearing loss. Objective tests such as the auditory brain stem response test and evoked otoacoustic emission test are performed when necessary. Based on the result of tests above, patients are prescribed with the most suitable hearing aid for them, which is adjusted and managed in an optimal condition at our test room.
If the hearing aid does not help, the patient goes through cochlear implant surgery. We are also responsible for the adjustment and management of implant after the surgery.
Vestibular Function Test Room
At the Vestibular Function Test Room, videonystagmography, video cold/hot alternating nystagmus test, rotary chair test, vestibular induction muscle potential test, video head impulse test, and posturography (SOT) are performed on patients who experience dizziness, feel off-balance, are suffering from fallen otoliths, before and after a surgery in the auditory nerves or the brain, or have facial paralysis or hearing loss to identify the location and degree of the lesion.
Videonystagmography (VNG) is a test performed to observe and record the eye movements of a patient while wearing glasses with a video camera attached to assess the dizziness that they experiences in different postures. If dizziness is caused by a fallen otolith, the treatment is to return the fallen otolith to its place.
The alternate binaural bithermal caloric test compares the reaction of pupil movements by alternately stimulating the left and right ear with 30ºC cold water and 40ºC hot water to investigate the presence of unilateral or bilateral vestibular hypofunction.
The rotary chair test is performed to understand the overall vestibular function by setting the patient’s head to a chair that is moved by a computer-controlled motor and applying rotary stimulation through several frequencies from the left to right. This is useful when the presence or degree of vestibular hypofunction is investigated.
When a vestibular disorder is identified, vestibular rehabilitation exercises and treatment are provided to restore the patient’s daily activity and reduce dizziness.