Speech therapy is a form of therapy that helps people improve their communication skills. It can be used to address a variety of issues, including:
• Speech disorders: These can include difficulty producing sounds, stuttering, or problems with fluency.
• Language disorders: These can include difficulty understanding language, expressing oneself clearly, or using language in social situations.
• Voice disorders: These can include problems with volume, pitch, or quality of voice.
• Swallowing disorders: These can include difficulty swallowing food or liquids.
Speech therapy can be beneficial for people of all ages, from infants to adults. It is often provided by a speech-language pathologist (SLP), who is a healthcare professional with specialized training in communication disorders.
Here are some of the things that a speech therapist might do during a therapy session:
• Evaluate your communication skills: This will involve asking you questions about your history and observing your communication abilities.
• Develop a treatment plan: This plan will be based on your individual needs and goals.
• Teach you new skills or strategies: These might include exercises to improve your speech production, language comprehension, or social communication skills.
• Provide you with resources and support: This might include handouts, websites, or referrals to other professionals.