Speech and Language Therapy

Speech and Language therapy is a treatment in which speech & language pathologists (SLP’s)assess and treat children and adults with specific speech, language and communication problems to enable them to communicate to the best of their ability.Speech disorder refers to a problem with the actual production of sounds (i.e.,) if a person has difficulty in producing speech sounds correctly or fluently it is denoted as speech disorder. Language disorder refers to a problem when a person has trouble understanding others (receptive language), sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings (expressive language).

Speech disorders include:

Articulation disorders: difficulties producing sounds in syllables or saying words incorrectly to the point that listeners can’t understand what’s being said.

difficulties producing sounds in syllables or saying words incorrectly to the point that listeners can’t understand what’s being said. Fluency disorders: problems such as stuttering, in which the flow of speech is interrupted by abnormal stoppages, partial-word repetitions (“b-b-boy”), or prolonging sounds and syllables (sssssnake).

problems such as stuttering, in which the flow of speech is interrupted by abnormal stoppages, partial-word repetitions (“b-b-boy”), or prolonging sounds and syllables (sssssnake). Resonance or voice disorders:problems with the pitch, volume, or quality of the voice that distract listeners from what’s being said. These types of disorders may also cause pain or discomfort for a child when speaking.

Language disorders can be either receptive or expressive:

Receptive disorders: difficulties understanding or processing language.

difficulties understanding or processing language. Expressive disorders: difficulty putting words together, limited vocabulary, or inability to use language in a socially appropriate way.

difficulty putting words together, limited vocabulary, or inability to use language in a socially appropriate way. Cognitive-communication disorders: difficulty with communication skills that involve memory, attention, perception, organization, regulation, and problem solving.

difficulty with communication skills that involve memory, attention, perception, organization, regulation, and problem solving. Social communication disorders: difficulty in communicating for social purposes. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder have social communication issues. Individuals with traumatic brain injury are also found to have social communication disorders.

Dysphagia/oral feeding disorders are disorders in the way someone eats or drinks, including problems with chewing, swallowing, coughing, gagging, and refusing foods.

Remedy

At Ausy, our speech & language pathologists will work with a child/adult one-on-one,in a small group, or directly in a classroom to overcome difficulties involved with a specific disorder.

Our various strategies include:



Language intervention activities: The SLP will interact with a child by playing and talking, using pictures, books, objects, or ongoing events to stimulate language development. The therapist may also model correct vocabulary and grammar and use repetition exercises to build language skills.

The SLP will interact with a child by playing and talking, using pictures, books, objects, or ongoing events to stimulate language development. The therapist may also model correct vocabulary and grammar and use repetition exercises to build language skills. Articulation therapy: Articulation, or sound production, exercises involve having the therapist model correct sounds and syllables in words and sentences for a child, often during play activities. The level of play is age-appropriate and related to the child’s specific needs. The SLP will physically show the child how to make certain sounds, such as the “r” sound, and may demonstrate how to move the tongue to produce specific sounds.

Articulation, or sound production, exercises involve having the therapist model correct sounds and syllables in words and sentences for a child, often during play activities. The level of play is age-appropriate and related to the child’s specific needs. The SLP will physically show the child how to make certain sounds, such as the “r” sound, and may demonstrate how to move the tongue to produce specific sounds. Oral-motor/feeding and swallowing therapy:The SLP may use a variety of oral exercises — including facial massage and various tongue, lip, and jaw exercises — to strengthen the muscles of the mouth for eating, drinking, and swallowing. The SLP may also introduce different food textures and temperatures to increase a child’s oral awareness during eating and swallowing.

Be an Early Bird

Therapy should begin as soon as possible. Children enrolled in therapy early (before they’re 5 years old) tend to have better outcomes than those who begin therapy later.This does not mean that older kids can’t make progress in therapy. They may progress at a slower rate because they often have learned patterns that need to be changed.