Is your little one still not speaking a word properly? Or is someone you know, perhaps after a stroke, having difficulty speaking or swallowing? Today we are talking about a specialist who is there to help us in times like these, but who is not talked about much among us. That is the speech and language therapist, or as we all know it, the Speech Therapist.
Who is a speech-language pathologist (SLP)? What does he or she do?
Simply put, a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) is a healthcare professional who diagnoses and treats problems with speech, communication, and swallowing. We often call them 'Speech Therapists'.
Just imagine, these people can help with problems like this for anyone, from a small child to an elderly person. That means we get their services across a wide range of issues, from a child with delayed speech to someone who has lost the ability to speak due to a brain injury.
Now let's see what exactly this therapist does:
First, they will examine you or your child carefully to find out exactly what the problem is and what is causing it . Then, they will create a treatment plan that is tailored to the problem and you. Then, they will provide you with therapy according to that plan. They will also regularly monitor how your condition is improving over time.
They do various things for this purpose. For example:
- Teaching how to pronounce the sounds of words correctly.
- Practicing speaking clearly, easily, and without hesitation.
- Providing various exercises to strengthen the muscles used for speaking and swallowing.
- Helping you increase the number of words you understand and use.
- Teaching how to put words together to form a sentence.
- Teaching people who have difficulty speaking to use other communication methods (e.g. special devices, communication boards).
- Educating the patient and family on how to live with these difficulties.
Many people confuse the two. `Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)` and `Speech Therapist` are not two different professionals, but the same professional. SLP is the more accurate professional name.
What types of therapy are there?
The treatment methods a speech therapist uses depend on many factors, such as your age and the cause of your condition. Let's take a quick look at some of the main treatment methods in the table below.
| Therapy Type | Simply put... |
|---|---|
| Articulation therapy | Practicing pronunciation of words and sounds more clearly. Various games can be used for children. |
| Oral motor therapy | Providing exercises to strengthen the muscles around the mouth (which help with speaking and swallowing). |
| Language intervention therapy | Helping a child with speech delays or language disabilities. |
| VitalStim therapy | Providing electrical stimulation to the neck area, especially for those who have difficulty swallowing after conditions such as stroke. |
| Lee Silverman Speech Therapy (LSVT) | Helping to improve voice control, volume, and facial expression control. |
What conditions does a speech therapist treat?
A speech therapist treats a variety of conditions. Let's break them down into several main categories.
1. Speech Disorders
These are difficulties in producing sounds.
- Apraxia: A problem with the brain giving instructions to the muscles needed to speak.
- Articulation disorders: Inability to pronounce certain sounds (e.g. 's', 'r') correctly.
- Stuttering: Stumbling, repeating words while speaking.
- Dysarthria: Weakness of the muscles needed to speak due to brain damage.
2. Language Disorders
These are difficulties in understanding what others say (receptive) or expressing one's own ideas (expressive).
- Aphasia: Difficulty speaking or understanding what others say due to brain damage, such as a stroke.
- Auditory processing disorder: The brain has difficulty understanding the meaning of sounds even though the ears hear them.
3. Cognitive-communication disorders
A brain injury, stroke, or dementia can affect memory, attention, and reasoning skills. This can make it difficult to speak, listen, read, or write.
4. Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia)
This can be a very serious condition. It is characterized by difficulty swallowing food and drinks. Symptoms may include:
- Coughing and choking while eating or after eating.
- Food coming out of the mouth.
- Taking longer than usual to finish a meal.
- Weight loss and dehydration.
- Frequent lung infections such as pneumonia (due to food particles entering the airways).
Should you or your child see a speech therapist?
If you or a loved one has any of the following problems, it is very important to consider seeing a speech therapist.
If you have difficulty speaking after an accident or illness
For example, after an accident or stroke, someone may have difficulty communicating and interacting with others. Speech therapy can be a great help in rebuilding these skills.
If you have difficulty swallowing food or drinking water
This is not something to be taken lightly. Difficulty swallowing can cause food and drink to enter the airway, which can lead to dangerous pneumonia. Swallowing therapy can help strengthen the muscles needed to swallow and retrain you to swallow safely.
If young children have problems eating
Some young children are very reluctant to eat. They simply cannot eat certain foods (e.g., thick, sticky foods). They vomit or choke when they eat. A speech therapist can help with these as well.
If you think your child's speech is too slow for their age
This is a problem that many parents have. If you think, "Other children my child's age are talking, but mine isn't yet," don't worry about it.
If you have any doubts about something like this, the best thing to do is to talk to your family doctor or pediatrician. He or she will examine your child and, if necessary, refer you to a speech therapist. The sooner treatment is started, the better the results.
Take-Home Message
- Speech and language therapists (SLPs) treat communication and swallowing problems that affect anyone from young children to adults.
- They help with a variety of conditions, such as a child's speech delay, stuttering, speech difficulties after a stroke, and difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).
- If you have any concerns about your child's speech, or your/a loved one's communication or swallowing abilities, the first step should be to talk to your doctor.
- Speech therapy is tailored to each individual and can significantly improve quality of life.
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