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Speech-therapy-what-it-is-and-who-needs-it

Speech therapy: what it is and who needs it

Speech and language therapy is the science that deals with the diagnosis, assessment and treatment of disorders related to communication, language and voice in children and adults. The goal of speech therapy is to improve communication skills, speech disorders and language comprehension and expression.

Speech therapy can help with a variety of problems such as dyslexia, dysphasia, speech delay, speech disorders, learning disabilities, even swallowing difficulties, speech disorders, chewing disorders, swallowing disorders, mental retardation, neurological disorders, neurogenic disorders, blocking, disorders in pronunciation, voice or letter and word recognition. Usually, speech therapy is aimed at children, but it can also be useful for adults who have communication problems.

In general, speech and language therapy can help those with communication and language difficulties by improving their ability to express themselves and understand the messages they receive from others.

What areas does speech and language therapy deal with?

speech-therapy

Speech therapy is the science that deals with various areas related to communication, language and voice. Some of these areas include:

  1. Dyslexia: speech and language therapy can help children who have difficulty reading, understanding and processing written and spoken words.
  2. Dysphasia: speech and language therapy can help people who have difficulties with pronunciation and expressive language.
  3. Speech delay: speech therapy can help children who experience delays in language acquisition and communication.
  4. Social interaction disorders: speech and language therapy can help children who have difficulties interacting with others and making and maintaining friendships.
  5. Voice disorders: speech therapy can help people who have difficulties with their voice.
  6. Speech flow disorder stuttering: speech therapy can help children who have speech flow difficulties.
  7. Language comprehension disorders: speech therapy can help children who have difficulties understanding language, words and sentences.
  8. Articulatory - Phonological disorders : speech therapy can help children who have difficulties in this area .

In general, the aim of speech and language therapy is to improve the communication skills. speech and language comprehension and expression of people who need it, in order to improve their quality of life and their ability to interact with their environment. 

Dyslexia 

Dyslexia is a reading disorder that affects a person's ability to recognise and understand letters and words. People who experience dyslexia usually have difficulty recognizing words, reading with correct pronunciation, and understanding the meaning of text. Dyslexia is a common disorder, usually identified during school age, but it can also be diagnosed in adults.

Speech and language therapy is one of the main means of treatment for dyslexia. The goal of speech therapy in dyslexia is to improve reading ability and help the patient to recognize and understand letters and words. Speech and language therapists use various techniques, such as oral reading, phonetic recognition training, vocabulary learning and reading practice, to help the patient improve his or her ability to recognize and understand letters and words. Speech and language therapists may also use technological tools such as screen reading software, vocabulary learning programs and learning games.

It is important to note that speech and language therapy for dyslexia is a process that requires collaboration between the patient, their family and speech and language therapists. Utilizing speech and language therapy for dyslexia can significantly improve the patient's life, helping them to cope more effectively with daily life and the demands of school and work life. 

Dysphasia 

Dysphasia is a disorder of voice and expressiveness that affects a person's ability to produce and express speech clearly and distinctly. People who experience dysphasia may have problems with articulation, speed, rhythm or control of their voice. Dysphasia can affect a person's ability to communicate effectively, maintain relationships and participate in society.

Speech therapy is an effective treatment for dysphasia. Speech and language therapists can use a variety of techniques, such as ascetic therapy, breathing therapy, learning articulation techniques, learning voice techniques, and training in communicating with others. Speech and language therapists can also use technological tools, such as special software, to help patients improve their communication skills.

Speech therapy can significantly improve patients' communication and confidence. In some cases, speech therapy can help patients to fully regain their expressiveness and fully participate in society and in their professional activities.

It is important to note that speech therapy for dysphasia is a process that requires collaboration between the patient, their family and speech and language therapists. Patients must regularly practice the techniques taught to them by speech and language therapists in order to achieve optimal results. Utilizing speech therapy for dysphasia can significantly improve a patient's life, helping them to cope more effectively with daily life and the demands of their professional life. 

Speech delay

speech delay It is a disorder of language development that affects a person's ability to use and understand language. People who experience speech delay may have problems with pronunciation, vocabulary, syntax and language comprehension. It is usually recognised during childhood and can cause problems with communication, school performance and social integration.

Speech therapy is an effective treatment for speech delay. Speech and language therapists can use a variety of techniques, such as practicing speech and language therapy, vocabulary learning, articulation training and learning writing techniques. Speech and language therapists work with children with speech delay to help children develop their language skills and improve their communication skills. Speech and language therapists also work with parents and carers to help support their children's language development at home. 

Speech and language therapy intervention can significantly improve children's language development and communication. In some cases, speech and language therapy can help children to fully develop their language skills and participate fully in their school and social lives. 

Disorders of social contact

Social interaction disorders are a class of disorders that affect a person's ability to interact with other people. People with social contact disorders may have difficulties communicating, interacting with others and understanding social rules and signals. Social contact disorders include several conditions, such as autism, isolation, severe developmental delay and schizophrenia.

Speech therapy can be a useful treatment for social contact disorders. Speech therapists can use a variety of techniques, such as learning body language, video communication training, teaching social rules, and learning to communicate with others.

Voice disorders

Voice disorders are a category of problems that affect the production or quality of sound produced by the vocal cords. These disorders can cause changes in the pitch, volume, rhythm and tone of the voice. Some of the voice disorders include vocal nodding, excessive tension in the vocal cords, laryngeal cancer and stressed vocal tone.

Speech therapy can help correct these disorders and improve the voice. Speech therapists can evaluate a person's voice and identify disorders that require treatment. From there, they can create an individual treatment plan that may include training in proper breathing, learning the correct position of the tongue, learning the correct position of the oral cavity, and training in voice control. Treatment may also include pronunciation, speech and vocal cord exercises.

Speech and language therapists can also teach people with voice disorders how to take care of their voice and how to avoid factors that can aggravate it, such as smoking, drinking alcohol and prolonged use of the voice.

Articulatory - Phonological disorders

The inability to correctly produce certain sounds, articulation of phonemes
Features:

  • Simplifications of syllables (e.g. lapa instead of wardrobe)
  • Reduplications of syllables (e.g. titi instead of box)
  • Omission of phonemes or consonant clusters (e.g. kaoto instead of carrot, pitti instead of house)
  • Phoneme transposition (e.g. blivio instead of book)
  • Substitutions of vowels (e.g. phoneme substitutions (e.g. falasha for sea, loda for rose, tree for tree, cheroo for know)
  • Vowel alteration

Disorder of speech flow stuttering

Stuttering is a disorder of the normal flow and rhythm of speech that is not age-appropriate for the child. Stuttering usually occurs between 2-7 years of age, a sensitive age, since at this age the child is developing his or her speech significantly.

Basic/Primary Behaviors - Verbal:

  • Stuttering (- severe): word irregularities
  • Repetitions of sounds, syllables (e.g., k-k-k-k-koot, pa-pa-up)
  • Prolongations of sounds, audible or inaudible (e.g. thththththththello)
  • Repetitions of monosyllabic words (e.g. and-and-and)
  • Blocks (e.g. p......orta)
  • Non-traumatic (-less serious): irregularities between words
  • Interjections (e.g. 'ah...', 'uh...', 'well')
  • Reversals (e.g. yesterday bwb... (evening) night)
  • Repetitions of phrases and multi-syllable words (e.g. I wanted to go - to go).
  • Coordination disorders

When regular airflow in the nasal or oral tubes is obstructed, the vibrations that are important for voice quality are altered, resulting in coordination problems.

This disorder can also occur if the blepharopharyngeal valve is not properly closed. Cleft palate, neurological problems and enlarged tonsils are all common causes of coordination disorders.

Speech therapy can help improve the person's speech flow and improve their communication. Speech and language therapists use a variety of techniques to help people who experience stuttering, such as learning breathing and relaxation techniques, training in rhythm and tone of speech, and developing confidence and self-esteem. Speech and language therapists can also choose the best method for each individual case, such as group therapy or computer-based therapy.

Perceptual language disorders

Receptive language disorder affects a person's ability to understand what others are saying.

When someone speaks, the person with this disorder may seem uninterested,, have difficulty following commands, or have a limited vocabulary.

A receptive language problem can be caused by other language disorders, such as autism, hearing loss or brain damage.

Expressive language disorders

An expressive language disorder is a difficulty in transmitting or expressing information.

When a person has an expressive language disorder, they may have trouble forming sentences, such as using incorrect verb tenses.

This disorder is associated with developmental problems such as Down syndrome and hearing loss. It can also result from head trauma or a medical problem.

Speech therapy for adults

Speech therapy can help adults in a variety of situations, such as restoring speech after an accident or illness, head and neck surgery, head surgery, stroke, improving pronunciation, relieving dyslexia or stuttering, treating voice disorder and dealing with language loss after illness.

Typically, the process of speech therapy for adults initially involves an extensive assessment of the patient's skills. This assessment helps the speech and language therapist to understand the adult's specific problems, as well as possible causes and solutions to these problems. After the assessment, the speech and language therapist usually creates an individualized treatment plan that corresponds to the patient's needs.

Original content from the Upbility writing team. Reproduction of this article, in whole or in part, without credit to the publisher is prohibited.

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