Speech language pathologists Sydney Grubb, M.S., CF-SLP, and Hannah Osborne, M.S., CCC-SLP, are expanding Ashe Memorial Hospital's speech therapy program to include pediatric speech therapy.Speech language pathologists Sydney Grubb, M.S., CF-SLP, and Hannah Osborne, M.S., CCC-SLP, sit with some of the items they use when working with speech therapy patients.

Ashe Memorial Hospital expands speech therapy program

JEFFERSON, N.C. – Ashe Memorial Hospital is pleased to announce that Sydney Grubb, M.S., CF-SLP, has joined its Rehabilitation Services department as a full-time speech language pathologist, focusing on pediatric speech therapy.

A native of Ashe County, Grubb works with patients, ages 1 and up, specializing in the areas of articulation, autism, assisted and alternative communication, language skills, social skills, and feeding and swallowing, among others. Ashe Memorial Hospital’s pediatric speech therapy services combine sensory-based activities, games, language sounds, and verbal expression, among other activities.

“Each kid has something that drives their motivation, and you need to determine what excites them and motivates them to participate,” Grubb said. “Kids are the gateway to families, and the way he or she functions can impact the whole family.”

The speech therapy program at Ashe Memorial Hospital utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach with the goal of creating individualized programs to best meet the needs of each child.

“We get together and problem solve with the kids,” said fellow Ashe Memorial Hospital speech language pathologist Hannah Osborne, M.S., CCC-SLP. “That’s not something you get a lot of other places.”

Grubb, whose mother is a special education teacher, was drawn to speech therapy in middle school after deciding that while she wanted to help those in need, she didn’t want to be limited to the classroom.

She earned her Bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in speech hearing sciences from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2021. Grubb went on to her Master’s degree in communication sciences and disorders from North Carolina Central University in 2023.

“I enjoy getting to know each client individually and do what will best serve them in their everyday lives,” Grubb said.

Grubb joins Osborne, who works with both inpatients and outpatients of all ages, specializing in the treatment of those who have suffered strokes, traumatic brain injuries, muscle loss and cognitive impairment following surgery, among other ailments. Osborne also is able to provide patients with modified barium swallow studies to help address dysphagia, a medical condition in which a patient has difficulty swallowing.

Additionally, Osborne is certified in VitalStim Therapy, which can help patients with dysphagia. Dysphagia can occur as a result of a stroke or other neurological disease, aging or following extended inactivity. Through the use of VitalStim Therapy, which uses Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation to help regenerate those facial and pharyngeal muscle groups associated with swallowing, Osborne is able to help the muscles unfreeze while increasing speech intelligence and regenerating a patient’s ability to swallow.

“Every case is different,” Osborne said. “No two cases are the same, so it’s important to balance their wishes while medically giving them what they need. I really enjoy helping people and increasing people’s quality of life.”

Grubb and Osborne are available Monday through Friday to assist patients with their speech therapy needs. Referrals are not required; however, documentation from the patient’s primary care provider is recommended. For more information on Ashe Memorial Hospital’s speech therapy services, please call 336-846-0833 or visit www.ashememorial.org.

About Ashe Memorial Hospital
For more than 80 years, Ashe Memorial Hospital’s dedicated team of board certified physicians, nurses and staff members have provided the highest quality medical care available to the people of Ashe County and the surrounding Blue Ridge Mountains. Ashe Memorial Hospital offers a wide variety of emergency, elective, rehabilitation and preventative health services.

Founded in 1941, Ashe Memorial Hospital is a fully accredited 25 bed critical hospital located in Jefferson, N.C. For more information, please visit ashememorial.org or call 336-846-7101.