Speech Therapy
A speech-language pathologist (SLP) is a highly-trained professional who evaluates and treats adults who have difficulty with speech or language. An SLP is also able to evaluate and treat adults who have difficulty swallowing food or liquid.
Below is a list of common speech and language disorders with a brief explanation of each.
Speech Disorders
• Articulation - the way we say our speech sounds
• Phonology - the speech patterns we use
• Apraxia - difficulty planning and coordinating the movements needed to make speech sounds
• Fluency - stuttering
• Voice - problems with the way the voice sounds, such as hoarseness
Language Disorders
• Receptive Language - difficulty understanding language
• Expressive Language - difficulty using language
• Pragmatic Language - social communication; the way we speak to each other
Other Disorders
• Deafness/Hearing Loss - loss of hearing; therapy includes developing lip-reading, speech,
and/or alternative communication systems
• Oral-Motor Disorders - weak tongue and/or lip muscles
• Swallowing/Feeding Disorders - difficulty chewing and/or swallowing