Eckelmann-Taylor Speech and Hearing Clinic

The Eckelmann-Taylor Speech and Hearing Clinic at Illinois State University is open to anyone of any age, offering a wide variety of speech pathology and audiology services such as evaluations, therapy, hearing aids and products, and maintenance. The clinic, staffed by certified speech pathologists and audiologists, is a practice site for student clinicians in the university’s graduate and doctoral programs.

Located in Rachel Cooper Hall, near Fairchild Hall and Metcalf Lab School on the ISU campus, the clinic has nearby parking. Most clients are referred by a physician and many clients know about the clinic based on word of mouth. The clinic, priced competitively with more traditional businesses, accepts insurance and Medicaid.

The audiology clinic offers services from comprehensive hearing testing to services for cochlear implants, hearing aids and assistive listening devices. Additionally, group aural rehabilitation sessions and tinnitus management (ringing in the ears) appointments are important aspects of the clinic to help improve the quality of life of those clients with hearing loss. Other services include ear wax removal and custom hearing protection for musicians and those who have jobs or hobbies in noisy environments (ear plugs, custom-fitted ear buds, headphones).

The speech pathology clinic also has a wide range of services: accent modification for ESL speakers; help for people with autism or on the autism spectrum; therapy to re-learn speech and language skills after a brain injury or stroke; issues with stuttering or swallowing; and modulation help when someone’s voice doesn’t match their gender identity.

Clients are assigned a two-person team consisting of a certified, licensed audiologist or speech-language pathologist and a graduate clinician, who work in tandem. The team is assigned to the client for the duration of treatment, although long-term clients may see new students as they progress through the clinical program and graduate.

For all the help the clinic provides, however, it still isn’t well-known outside of campus – or, for that matter, on campus. As part of a boost in marketing, the clinic unveiled a new website (http:/isuspeechandhearing.com) in mid- September, and clinic information is also available at csd.IllinoisState.edu. The clinic and program are part of the Department of Communication Sciences and Speech Disorders.

Eckelmann-Taylor Speech and Hearing Clinic, 211 Rachel Cooper, Illinois State University, Normal; 309-438-8641; fax 309-438 0575; speechhearingclinic@ilstu.edu; http:/isuspeechandhearing.com.