Speech Therapy (STARS)

What does a Speech Language Pathologist do?

Speech therapy is a service that supports individuals who have various levels of speech, language, and communication problems. It also supports individuals with swallowing, drinking, or eating difficulties. The role can involve working with diverse clients, including people with physical and learning disabilities and hearing loss/deafness. Speech Language Pathologists usually work as part of a multidisciplinary team alongside other health professionals such as doctors, nurses, psychologists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists. They may also liaise with professionals in education and social services.

What are the benefits of Speech Therapy?

Speech therapy for adults, also known as adult speech-language therapy, is a specialized therapy that addresses communication and swallowing disorders in older individuals. Adult speech therapy is different from speech therapy for children.

Adult therapy focuses on communication issues often related to medical conditions, neurological disorders, or injuries. This could mean helping individuals regain speech and language skills after a stroke, managing communication difficulties due to conditions like Parkinson’s disease, or addressing speech issues following surgery or trauma. It could also mean helping adults unlearn bad habits over time.Speech therapy for children involves the assessment and treatment of communication and speech disorders in order to improve a child’s ability to understand, express, and communicate effectively. Speech therapists, also known as speech-language pathologists (SLPs), work with children who may have various speech and language difficulties.

For children, speech therapy often involves working on foundational communication skills. This may mean learning articulation, language development, and social communication. Therapists might also address issues like stuttering or lisps. The approach is more play-based for kids, incorporating games and activities to make therapy engaging and age-appropriate.

Early intervention is crucial for addressing speech and language issues for children effectively. If you have concerns about your child’s speech or language development, consulting a speech-language pathologist is a good first step.