speech pathology

speech pathology

The Importance of Speech Pathology

1. Introduction

The process of speech-language therapy has been used through an extensive period of time to aid individuals’ development of communication skills. Additionally, therapy is used to prevent communication disorders and to teach already present communication disorders. These interventions can increase an individual’s quality of life. It is most beneficial to offer therapy at the earliest point in life possible. This is due to the fact that communication skills begin to develop at the age of one and are continuously developing through the age of five. The individual most impacted by the speech pathology services is a child and may then grow up to become an adult. Different types of speech and language disorders affect children in different ways. The advice and education of a speech pathologist may allow a child to overcome sometimes debilitating speech and language problems persevering through the rest of their school years.

2. Understanding Speech Pathology

Speech pathologists must first understand what is considered to be ‘normal’ speech and language in order to effectively treat a client. It is important to understand the diversity in speech and language across different cultures, which may be different from what is ‘normal’ for native English speakers. This cultural and linguistic differences create another area where people may have communication issues and may require the help of a speech pathologist. Understanding the variations in communicative disorders also allows speech pathologists to work with other professionals such as teachers, doctors, and dentists who may interact with people with communicative disorders in their line of work. This collaborative work can help to further prevent and perhaps, in some cases, stop communicative disorders from developing.

Speech pathology, also known as speech therapy, is the study of speech and language disorders. It is the study of the issues and problems that interfere with normal communication. This also includes the development of normal speech production. These issues involve, but are not limited to, articulation, fluency, voice, language, and cognitive communication. This study is vast and incorporates research to see what causes the issues, how to prevent them, and further treating the disorders where possible.

Understanding speech pathology: The process of communication and the ability to comprehend and process information is something most of us do not take for granted. However, for some people, communication is a very difficult issue because of various learning disabilities, impaired hearing, weak muscles, or delayed language development. But with the help of speech pathology, their quality of life can be improved (Speech Pathology Australia, 2008).

3. Benefits of Speech Pathology

An inability to communicate effectively can lead to a lack of confidence, frustration, behavioral problems, and social isolation. Much of the physical, emotional, and financial burden of communication disorders can be alleviated if the individual seeks treatment from a speech pathologist. Quality of life can be improved through increasing an individual’s ability to communicate effectively with others. This involves expressing ideas and needs, understanding and being understood by others, and engaging in conversation. Speech pathologists can assist with achieving these goals through enhancement of communication skills or development of alternative methods of communication.

The benefits of speech pathology are endless. According to Enderby (2013), speech pathologists are concerned with the management of the communication and/or swallowing disorder that affects an individual’s ability to functionally communicate with others. Some people may not realize the implications of having a communication or swallowing disorder and how it can affect their daily life. Subsequently, this can lead to the underestimation of the benefits of seeking treatment from a speech pathologist.

4. Techniques and Approaches in Speech Pathology

A common approach involves teaching children to monitor their speech and production, using verbal and visual cues. Feedback is important. There are two types of feedback – knowledge of performance (KP) and knowledge of results (KR). KP feedback provides information about the nature and accuracy of the movement during or after the production, and is most effective when it is immediate and when the subject has a clear idea of the movement to be made. KR feedback is concerned with the end result of the movement, and is best used after a movement to inform the subject of its success, errors, and how it can be improved in the future. An example of this is videoing a child’s narrative and then playing it back to them so they can critique their performance. Positive feedback from the clinician and self-praise are also thought to enhance motivation in learning situations. This can be done through giving the child stickers or stars or using a self-rating system where the child can rate their performance after a task. Goals and rewards are also thought to enhance motivation and learning. For example, the child has a target sound to work on in each session, and when he/she produces it correctly they get a token. After collecting a certain amount of tokens, they receive a reward. Traditional articulation therapy involves working at the sound, word, sentence, and conversation levels to change sound production across different stimuli. The basic hierarchy is one of auditory discrimination in which the child listens to sound contrasts, phonetic placement cues using demonstrations of sound production, sound in isolation, nonsense words, words, phrases, sentences, reading, and conversation. This approach is effective for mild articulation and phonological disorders but has been shown to be less effective for severe or developmental articulatory disorders.

5. Conclusion

An effective communicator is considered to possess excellent articulation by being clear and precise when expressing thoughts and opinions. It is unfortunate that there are millions of people who struggle with articulation. Speech-language pathologists work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults. Through this, the professions aim to provide the best possible care to individuals with communication and swallowing disorders. The future will be the test that aligning the professions’ core areas with the importance of communication is the most effective way to secure the best quality of life for the individuals served.

The call for the recognition of language as the key therapeutic tool of speech-language pathologists and audiologists is a trend that is challenging but extremely exciting for the future. Clinical service, education, and research are the foundations for the speech and language professions. Each of these areas is important to the survival and continued growth of speech-language pathology and audiology. These core areas must be supported and coordinated to ensure that the professions advance in a thoughtful and meaningful way.