
Reading to your child is a wonderful way of developing their speech and language skills. Some general techniques for children and adults include: Speech therapy techniques for childrenĪctivities to try with your child at home: Your healthcare provider can recommend exercises for your specific condition. Kids and adults alike can practice speech therapy techniques at home. What are some speech therapy techniques I can try at home? Your speech pathologist will develop a detailed plan of care specific to you or your loved one’s needs. Treatment varies significantly for each person, depending on the type of speech disorder they have. There are a number of speech therapy techniques that your speech-language pathologist may use to treat your condition. There are many different approaches and categories of speech therapy, and your healthcare provider will find one that works best for you. Your speech-language pathologist will recommend appropriate treatment based on your unique situation. For adults, it’s focused on improving or rebuilding particular skill sets. For children, it usually involves play, such as sequencing activities or language-based board games. What happens during speech therapy depends on several factors, including your age and type of speech disorder you have. If your child passes the hearing test, then your healthcare provider will likely refer them to a speech-language pathologist. For example, if your child has trouble communicating, your healthcare provider will find out if it’s due to a speech disorder or a hearing problem. These tests will help determine the underlying cause. If your healthcare provider suspects that you or your child has a speech disorder, they’ll recommend some initial screenings. How do I know if speech therapy is necessary? Resonance disorders are linked to cleft palate, swollen tonsils and other conditions that affect the structure of these body parts. Conditions affecting your oral or nasal cavities may block airflow and alter the vibrations responsible for sound. As a result, they may have a limited vocabulary, trouble following directions or they may seem uninterested in conversation. People with receptive disorders have difficulty comprehending or processing what others are saying. So is cluttering (speech that’s merged together and fast). Stuttering (speech that’s interrupted or blocked) is a fluency disorder.

Fluency disorders disrupt the speed, flow and rhythm of speech. Expressive disorders are linked to stroke or other neurological events, developmental delays or hearing loss. People with expressive disorders may have difficulty getting words out or conveying their thoughts. People with dysarthria may have slow or slurred speech. Sometimes, the muscles that control your speech become weak due to stroke, multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or other nervous system disorders. People with cognitive-communication disorders may have issues with listening, speaking, memory and problem-solving. When the area of your brain that controls your thinking ability is damaged, it can result in difficulty communicating. For example, they may substitute one sound for another - like saying “wed” instead of “red” or “thith” instead of “this.” Early intervention speech therapy can help with articulation disorders. Children with articulation disorders are unable to produce certain word sounds. They may have trouble with reading, writing, swallowing or other motor skills. People with apraxia know what they want to say, but have trouble forming the words. The condition can develop when areas of your brain that process language are damaged by stroke or injury. People with aphasia can have difficulty reading, writing, speaking and understanding language. Your healthcare provider may recommend speech therapy to help with:

It can also help people with hearing impairments or those who have difficulty swallowing. Speech therapy is beneficial for children and adults with communication disorders. Your healthcare provider may refer you to a speech-language pathologist for a variety of reasons. They treat children with developmental delays, as well as adults with speech impairments caused by injury or illness. What does a speech therapist do?Ī speech therapist - also called a speech-language pathologist - assesses, diagnoses and treats speech disorders and communication problems. It helps with early language skills, voice and sound production, comprehension, fluency, clarity and expression. Speech therapy is treatment that helps improve your speech and language skills.
