Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)
Speech-language pathologists, sometimes called speech therapists, assess, diagnose, treat, and help to prevent disorders related to speech, language, cognitive-communication, voice, swallowing, and fluency.
Speech therapists work with people who cannot produce speech sounds or cannot produce them clearly. Those with speech rhythm and fluency problems, such as stuttering; people with voice disorders, such as inappropriate pitch or harsh voice; those with problems understanding and producing language.
Speech Disorders
Articulation: Articulation is the ability to use the speech mechanism in order to produce speech sounds appropriately. An articulation disorder is characterized by atypical production of speech sounds (distortions) that may interfere with a person’s intelligibility.
Fluency: A disorder of fluency affects the flow of speaking characterized by atypical rate, rhythm, and repetitions in sounds, syllables, words and phrases. This may be accompanied by excessive tension and/or struggle behavior. Disorders of fluency include stuttering and cluttering.
Voice: A disorder of voice is characterized by the abnormal production and/or absences of vocal quality, pitch, loudness, resonance, and/or duration, which is inappropriate for an individual’s age and/or sex.
The areas of speciality Include
Apraxia (Problems in the motor programming of movement for speech)
Dysarthria (Speech disorder occurring because of problems with the central or peripheral nervous system)
Speech disorders related to head and neck cancer
Aphasia (Problems understanding and expressing language related to brain injury)
Dysphagia (Problems with swallowing disorders -Feeding and oral motor)
Our goal in physical therapy always has been to get the individuals back to function as much as possible. This should help patients recreate the pattern by giving support and allowing the therapist to use neurodynamic resistance and assistance in moving the body forward