Speech Therapy? But I Talk Fine!
Did your doctor recommend speech therapy and you thought to yourself, “why would I go see a speech therapist when I’m. not having trouble talking? That doesn’t make any sense!” You may not have realized, but speech therapists (otherwise known as speech-language pathologists, or SLPs) actually provide care across many areas, including speech production, language, voice, cognition, hearing, and swallowing.
SLPs play an essential role in providing services to those who have experienced impairments that affect their daily functioning or quality of life. Here is how working with an SLP can help address your concerns!
Language Therapy
Language involves many different components, which include expressing your thoughts and understanding what others are saying. This covers reading and writing as well! After experiencing a stroke, TBI, or neurodegenerative disease, the parts of the brain involved with language may become disrupted, and you may have difficulty finding your words, creating sentences, or comprehending others. Speech therapy can help rebuild or strengthen those skills to make communication more effective!
Cognitive Therapy
Cognitive therapy involves targeting skills such as attention, memory, and executive functioning. These skills are used to process information, solve problems, and ultimately communicate more effectively. Therapy may include structured exercises or compensatory strategies that support your everyday activities and quality of life. The goal is to help you think more clearly and improve independence in daily routines!
Swallowing Therapy
Swallowing therapy focuses on how your muscles coordinate chewing and swallowing foods and liquids. After a neurological injury or impairment, your swallow muscles may become weak or uncoordinated, which increases your risk for choking and aspiration. Your SLP will guide you through exercises and strategies to improve safety, efficiency, and comfort.
People may experience impairments in just one or all communication components! A speech-language pathologist can help with the proper diagnosis and treatment so you can become more confident speaking again. At Neuro Speech Solutions, we specialize in treatment for adults with communication impairments. Whether it is your speech, language, or voice that is causing you struggles, we would be happy to help you regain your skills.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rachel Maloney, MA, CCC-SLP
Rachel is passionate about helping people communicate in ways that feel empowering and authentic. She has clinical experience supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and has a special interest in language and cognition, particularly TBI, post-stroke recovery, and aphasia.
