Speech Therapy: A Complete Guide to Improving Communication Skills.
Introduction

Speech Therapy is a specialized healthcare service focused on improving a person’s communication, speech, language, voice, fluency and swallowing skills. It is helpful for children, adults, and geriatric patients with language and/or expression deficits. A qualified Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) evaluates communication impairments and develop individual treatment plans.

Communication is an integral part of daily life. It helps us to communicate, develop relationships, function well in school and in our careers. Communication challenges can impact confidence, academic achievement, relationships and life fulfilling. Speech therapy uses proven practices, fun exercises, and practice exercises to help people overcome these challenges.

Speech Therapy: What is it?

Speech therapy is the evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disorders in communication and swallowing. Covers a variety of conditions which impact speech production, language comprehension, voice, fluency, social communication and oral motor function.

Speech therapy is not limited to teaching someone how to pronounce words correctly. It also enables a person to also grasp language, enhance listening skills, build confidence and oral muscles and communicate effectively in other social settings.

Therapy sessions are tailored based on the individual’s diagnosis, strengths, and age and goals. Games, storytelling, songs, puzzles and interactive exercises are often used to teach children and conversation, workplace communication, voice training or rehabilitation following neurological conditions is a strategy used by adults.

What population(s) can benefit from Speech Therapy?

Speech therapy has been helpful to individuals of all ages.

Children

If your child has any of the following, he or she might need speech therapy:

Delayed speech development
Difficulty pronouncing words
Limited vocabulary
Trouble understanding instructions
Stammering or stuttering
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
ADHD affecting communication
Hearing impairment
Cerebral palsy
Down syndrome
Developmental delays
Cleft lip or palate
Difficulty feeding and drinking

Adults

For adults, speech therapy may be required following:

Stroke
Brain injury
Parkinson’s disease
Multiple sclerosis
Dementia
Vocal cord injury
Head and neck cancer
Surgery affecting speech
Persistent stuttering
Professional voice use-related voice disorders.
Types of Speech Disorders

Speech Disorders involve the way sounds are uttered.

Articulation Disorders

An individual is unable to make some sounds properly.

Examples include:

Using the word “wabbit” instead of “rabbit”
Using the word “thun” for the word “sun”

The emphasis of therapy is on correct tongue placement, lip movement and repeated practice.

Phonological Disorders

Child hears speech and knows the sounds, but applies the wrong sound patterns.

Example:

Using short sounds where there are long sounds or omitting the end consonants.

Language Disorders

Language Disorders involve difficulty understanding and/or using words.

They include:

Difficulty following instructions
Poor sentence formation
Limited vocabulary
Trouble answering questions
Difficulty expressing ideas
Problems understanding conversations

Speech-language therapy enhances both receptive language (understanding) and expressive language (speaking).

Fluency Disorders

Fluency is the ease with which speech is produced.

The most common fluency disorder is stuttering.

Signs include:

Repeating sounds
Repeating words
Prolonging sounds
Speech blocks
Anxiety while speaking

Breathing exercises, pacing of speech, strategies to build confidence, and relaxation exercises are taught by therapists.

Voice Disorders

Voice disorders impact pitch, volume or quality of the voice.

Symptoms include:

Hoarse voice
Weak voice
Nasal speech
Loss of voice
Vocal fatigue

Voice therapy is the application of breathing exercises, vocal hygiene education and voice production techniques to improve the health of the voice.

Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia)

Speech therapists also assist people with swallowing problems.

Signs include:

Coughing during meals
Difficulty chewing
Excessive mucus in the throat that causes food to become lodged.
Frequent choking
Weakness from poor nutrition.Loss of strength from poor diet.

Treatment consists of swallowing exercises, correct posture, dietary changes, and exercises to strengthen muscles.

Here are some of the most frequent indications that a child may require speech therapy.

If your child:Parents should contact a speech therapist if their child:

Doesn’t babble by 12 months.
Is not using simple vocabulary by 18 months.
Has a very limited vocabulary by age 2.
Has trouble understanding at age 3 and older.
Is unable to create simple sentences.
Has trouble following simple instructions.
Stammers frequently.
Avoids speaking.
Gets easily upset when talking to others.
Takes difficulty with interacting with other children.

The sooner the intervention the better.

Causes of Speech and Language Disorders

Communication problems may be due to several reasons.

Common causes include:

Developmental delay
Genetic conditions
Autism
Hearing loss
Neurological disorders
Brain injury
Premature birth
Intellectual disability
Cleft palate
Oral motor weakness
Insufficient exposure to a language.
Stroke
Parkinson’s disease

In some instances, the cause is never determined.

This is the Speech Therapy Assessment Process.

The first step in treatment is to thoroughly investigate what has happened.

The therapist evaluates:

Speech clarity
Language understanding
Vocabulary
Sentence formation
Oral muscle strength
Voice quality
Fluency
Social communication
Swallowing ability (if required)

Parents/caregivers are interviewed for developmental history, medical history and communication issues.

Standardized assessments and observations are used to determine therapy goals.

What is involved in Speech Therapy Sessions?

The sessions are customized for the person.

Activities may include:

Picture naming
Storytelling
Flashcards
Sound production exercises
Tongue exercises
Lip strengthening
Breathing practice
Reading aloud
Conversation practice
Language games
Interactive play
Social communication exercises

Toys, songs, puzzles and role play are used to make therapy enjoyable and interesting for children.

Speech Therapy is beneficial in the following ways:

There are many long-term benefits to speech therapy.

These include:

Improved pronunciation
Better vocabulary
Clear communication
Increased confidence
Better academic performance
Improved reading and writing abilities.
Stronger social interaction
Improved listening skills
Better emotional expression
Enhanced swallowing safety
Improved voice quality
Greater independence
Early intervention is so important!

The results of research have been consistently favorable with early therapy.

The brain of young children is malleable and learning to communicate is easier.

Early intervention can:

Minimize learning problems in the future
Improve school readiness
Enhance social skills
Build confidence
Prevent communication frustration
Improve family interactions

Children take longer to progress if not acted on promptly.

Parents’ role in Speech Therapy

The importance of parental involvement in therapy.

Helpful strategies include:

Talking regularly with the child
Reading books daily
Singing songs
Asking open-ended questions
Limiting too much screen time
Encouraging conversation
Doing therapy exercises at home
Celebrating small achievements
Being patient and supportive.

Home practice helps to speed things up.

This product is a technology based product for Speech Therapy.

New speech therapy is a modern version of speech therapy that uses technology for learning.

Examples include:

Speech therapy apps
Interactive games
AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) devices.
Tablet-based activities
Video modeling
Digital flashcards
Online therapy sessions

Technology helps therapy to be fun and accessible.

Myths About Speech Therapy
Myth 1: It is a natural phenomenon that boys tend to speak late.

Late speech is not necessarily normal speech. Any sustained delays should be assessed.

Myth 2: Speech therapy is just for kids.

Speech therapy is beneficial for adults following illness, injury, and/or voice disorders.

Myth #3: Therapy is a one-time treatment.

Change and improvement require time, consistency and practice.

Myth 4: Parents should wait till age 5.

It’s generally better to treat early rather than late.

Myth #5: It is a fact that speech delay is not necessarily a sign of autism.

Speech delay may be a symptom of many different disorders and is not a sign of an Autism Spectrum Disorder.

What is the time commitment for Speech Therapy?

The length of the time varies depending on some of the following:

The degree of severity of the condition
The age at which the person was diagnosed.
Frequency of sessions
Home practice
Family support
Underlying diagnosis

For some, treatment lasts for a few months; for others, long-term treatment may be necessary.

Selecting the appropriate Speech Therapist

When choosing a therapist, keep in mind:

Professional qualifications
Experience
Child-friendly environment
Individualized treatment plans
Parent involvement
Evidence-based therapy methods
Regular progress reviews

When the therapist, the family and the educators work together, it is likely the most effective approach.

Here are some tips for encouraging speech development at home:

Daily routines can facilitate communications:

Discuss in everyday situations.
Read daily as a family.
Avoid interrupting when speaking.
Describe objects and actions.
Play pretend games.
Reduce Passive Screen Time.
Listen to and engage in communication.
Build on your child’s speech.
Combines gestures with words.
Encourage storytelling.

These activities follow up skills acquired in therapy.

Conclusion

Speech therapy is a very effective tool to help people reach their potential despite communication difficulties. From working with children who have communication challenges to helping adults resume their communication skills following neurological issues, improving your voice or to dealing with swallowing difficulties, speech therapy improves your communication skills, confidence and quality of life.