What is Speech Language Pathology?

One of the most frequent questions I am asked is, "What do you do? Just play with kids all day?" The short answer....yes! However, it is much more detailed than that!

Each session is tailored to fit that child's specific needs! Some sessions are focused more on the sensory side of things, while other sessions need to focus on the new baby brother mom brought home and how that is affecting day to day life, while others focus on a specific goal written for speech sounds.

Lets start at the beginning!

Speech Language therapy is important for any child who has language delays or speech/articulation issues. It can be broken up into three main parts: Speech therapy (articulation), Language therapy (communication), and Feeding therapy.

SPEECH THERAPY: A skilled clinician used various techniques and strategies to improve speech sounds thereby increasing that child's intelligibility.

LANGUAGE THERAPY: A skilled clinician uses various techniques and strategies to improve communication. This can include receptive language (what a child understands), expressive language (what a child 'says'), use of AAC device, fluency (stuttering).

FEEDING THERAPY: A skilled clinician uses various techniques and strategies to improve/assist with oral motor and Dysphagia. More commonly SLPs work with oral phase dysphagia (everything up until the swallow of food) and sensory feeding.

Now that we know WHAT Speech and Language therapy is, how can it help?

If there are concerns about development from you, your doctor or a family member, a SLP can complete an evaluation to determine need for services. Based on this evaluation the SLP will determine what services are needed and how frequent services are recommended. They will develop a Plan of Care with Long and Short term goals that the child should achieve. The SLP works on these goals in weekly sessions with activities/strategies tailored to target those goals.

Here is where the "fun" comes in! Anyone who works with children know that DRILLS are their worst nightmare. While sometimes therapy does include some drills and of course repetition, it also includes interactive games/activities specifically altered/designed to target learning while having fun! The games/activities chosen will differ based on age/ability/target goal, however the desire is the same: Learning while having fun makes the session easier!!

Please see future BLOGS about Play based therapy.