Why do you need Speech Therapy?

Why do you need Speech Therapy?

Speech Therapy is necessary to improve communication. It is necessary for the holistic development of children with a few disorders. Therapy is not just about improving Speech, it also includes language therapy. Many have a misconception that Speech Therapy is just about teaching Speech, but it is more than that. It improves overall communication, enhances social skills, to cope up better with society, and helps in functioning day-to-day activities.

1. It helps the child develop the ability to express their wants and needs –Children with autism may struggle to exchange ideas with others and this can prove to be difficult for them, their peers, and family.
2. Understanding of speech – sometimes it may get difficult for certain children with autism to understand verbal and non-verbal communication, even with cues that people use. Hence hampering the understaning of children.
3. Develop friendships –Children with autism can find that challenges in communicating with others can make developing friendships more difficult. Therapy helps a child’s overall sense of happiness and wellbeing grow by being able to form deeper bonds with their peers.
4. Communicate clearly –Another aspect of autism is the difficulty of articulating words and meaning, and that in turn can make it challenging for those around the child to understand them. It helps children to articulate words and sentences more clearly, and this helps them to participate in the broader community.

Treating Speech and Language disorders with help of Speech Therapy.

Receptive and Expressive Language Disorder is a disorder where there is difficulty in understanding and processing information told to them and also trouble in conveying the information.

Articulation disorder is the inability to articulate certain speech sounds. An individual with this kind of speech is likely to add, omit, distort or sometimes even substitute speech sounds.

A fluency disorder is caused when the speed, flow and rhythm of speech is hampered. An individual with Stuttering is likely to have trouble saying a speech sound, blocked or interrupted speech or may even repeat a speech sound/word. An individual with Cluttering speaks very fast and has disorganized, unclear speech.

Resonance disorder is caused from the result of a blockage or obstruction of airflow in the oral or nasal cavity. Cleft palate, neurological disorders, and swollen tonsils are associated with these kinds of disorders.

Cognitive Disorders impair cognitive functions such as memory, perception, attention and problem-solving. When functioning of the part of the brain, that is controlling the ability to think, is being hampered, then it will lead to cognitive deficits.

Aphasia affects the person’s ability to speak and understand, both written and verbal.

Dysarthria is the weakness or inability to control the muscles. Any kind of trauma to the brain or due to any neuromuscular diseases can lead to this kind of problem.

There are many reasons why one needs speech therapy:

Speech Therapy is helpful to treat different speech disorders, stuttering, trouble with the quality of speech, pronouncing words, having a limited understanding of words, problems putting words together, or appropriate use of language. Reducing the intensity of memory and attention disorders can be done by taking speech therapy. Problems with swallowing, chewing, and choking while feeding, are all treated by taking speech therapy. Additionally, it is necessary if there is any speech impairment due to any illness or injury. Giving intensive speech therapy for children, who are not at par with their peers or with the developmental milestones for their age is a must.

Speech Therapy has the following benefits:

• It improves communication, which will help them to express their feelings. In turn, this will reduce communication frustration.
• Speech Therapy also focuses on strengthening speech muscles through exercises. These exercises involve repeating speech sounds or imitating the speech therapist.
• It helps children without a voice a way to communicate through unaided or aided communication. It improves their voice quality.
• Speech therapy helps with reading and literacy skills. Teaching these essential skills is the key to better communication with others.
• It enables them to speak fluently and clearly. Also builds up confidence and self-esteem.
• Speech Therapy helps with appropriate Pragmatic/Social Skills which, is an important aspect of speech therapy. This component of speech is the key to interacting with others in their community and life.
• Speech therapy enhances Alternative Communication methods, such as sign languages, gestures, approximations, vocalizations, utilizing communication boards, and other means of communication.
• It improves Feeding problems and Swallowing difficulties.
• Speech therapy helps in strengthening the muscles required for swallowing and also improves their coordination.

Speech Therapy is helpful to treat a wide range of speech and language delays and disorders in children and in adults. With early intervention, online speech therapy can improve communication and boost self-confidence. Delay in Speech can cause listening, reading, and writing problems. So, speech therapy is necessary for an individual who is experiencing speech impairment.

Speech therapy for adults

Speech therapy for adults starts with an assessment to determine the needs and the best treatment. This can help an individual with speech, language, and cognitive-communication. This may also include retraining of swallowing function if an injury or medical condition, such as Parkinson’s disease or oral cancer or a stroke has caused swallowing difficulties.

Various techniques used as part of adult speech therapy, include:

• Problem solving, memory, and organization, and other activities geared at improving cognitive-communication
• Conversational tactics to improve social communication
• Breathing exercises to help with resonance problems.
• Oral motor exercises strengthen oral muscles, which will in turn improve communication.

Speech therapy for children

A small group of children or a one-on-one setting is what is preferred during speech therapy sessions. These sessions happen usually in a classroom setting. The group of children, depend on which speech disorder they are experiencing and also the severity of the disorder.

To overcome specific issues, the SLP will use therapeutic exercises and activities. These include:

• Language activities involve playing and talking with the child while using pictures, books, and objects to stimulate language development. Demonstration of pronunciation of words and using repetition exercises which will help to increase the child’s language skills.
• Articulation activities include the SLP working closely with a child to help them with their pronunciation. It will include a demonstration of how to make specific sounds, while involved in play activities.
• Feeding and swallowing therapy An SLP can work closely with a child who is having chewing or swallowing issues. This will involve the use of oral exercises to help strengthen the muscles in the mouth or work with different food textures to improve the child’s oral awareness.
• Exercises The SLP may use several tongue, lip, and jaw exercises, alongside facial massage to help strengthen the muscles around the mouth. This in turn can help them with future speech and communication.

An SLP will also provide the child with strategies and homework. These exercises allow them to work through certain activities with a parent or caregiver, so they can continue to practice at home.

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