Speech therapy

Speech therapy (also called Speech & Language Therapy or Speech-Language Pathology) is the rehabilitative or corrective treatment of physical and/or cognitive deficits/disorders resulting in difficulty with communication and/or swallowing.

Communication includes speech (articulation, intonation, rate, intensity), language (phonology, morphology, syntax, semantics, pragmatics), both receptive and expressive language (including reading and writing), and non-verbal communication such as facial expression and gesture. Swallowing problems managed under speech therapy are problems in the oral, laryngeal, and/or pharyngeal stages of swallowing (not oesophageal).

Depending on the nature and severity of the disorder, common treatments may range from physical strengthening exercises, instructive or repetitive practice and drilling, to the use of audio-visual aids and introduction of strategies to facilitate functional communication. Speech therapy may also include sign language and the use of picture symbols (Diehl 2003).

Speech therapists are also trained to assess, treat and manage swallowing difficulties.

Speech therapists

Speech Therapists, Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs), or Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) are allied health professionals. Health Services employ most SLTs. Other therapists work for education services or charities. Some therapists work independently and treat patients privately. Speech therapists hold certificates to practice following a degree course and clinical training.

Patients/clients

Speech and language therapists work with:

• Babies with feeding and swallowing difficulties
• Children with mild, moderate or severe:
  • learning difficulties
  • physical disabilities, language delay
  • specific language impairment
  • specific difficulties in producing sounds
  • hearing impairment
  • cleft palate
  • stammering
  • autism/social interaction difficulties
  • dyslexia
  • voice disorders
• Adults with eating and swallowing and/or communication problems following
  • stroke
  • head injury (Traumatic brain injury)
  • Parkinson's disease
  • motor neuron disease
  • multiple sclerosis
  • Huntington's disease
  • dementia
  • cancer of the head, neck and throat (including laryngectomy)
  • voice problems
  • mental health issues
  • learning difficulties, physical disabilities
  • stammering (dysfluency)
  • hearing impairment
  • transsexual women seeking voice therapy (trans)

If a child is younger than three years old, then the cost of speech therapy is likely covered by the state early intervention (zero to three) program.

Place of work

Speech and language therapists work in community health centers, hospital wards and outpatient departments, mainstream and special schools, further education colleges, day centers and in their clients' homes. Some now work in courtrooms, prisons and young offenders' institutions.

Some speech and language therapists who work independently will see children and adults in their own homes, and may offer appointments on a Saturday.

Colleagues

SLTs/SLPs work closely with others involved with the client, for example difficulties with eating and drinking may also involve an occupational therapist. Speech and language therapists also work closely with parents and caregivers and other professionals, such as teachers, nurses, dietitians, physiotherapists and doctors.

See also

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication
• Blissymbols
• Chorditis
• Oral myology
• Phoniatrics
• Speech delay
• Speech impediment
• Speech pathology
• dysphasia
• aphasia
• dysarthria
• dyspraxia
• stroke
• Cheri Florance

External links

• Association of Speech & Language Therapists in Private Practice (UK)
• Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists (UK)
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists
• Speech Language Pathology and Audiology Directory Project
• South African Speech Language Hearing Association