Speech-language pathologists (SLP), often called speech therapists, are trained in the study of human communication, its development, and its disorders. This allows them to identify a problem and how best to deal with it.
Speech therapy
can be used to treat language disorders, speech disorders, and swallowing problems. Language disorders in adults are most often the result of brain injury or disease.People who have had a stroke, for example, often have trouble forming sentences or remembering words. This type of disorder is called aphasia. A childhood language disorder can affect a child's ability to learn to speak, name objects, and construct complete sentences. A speech therapist, also called a speech-language pathologist, evaluates, diagnoses, and treats speech disorders and communication problems.
Common warning signs include speaking infrequently, problems using language socially, and difficulty understanding simple sentences. A speech-language pathologist, also known as a speech therapist, is a health professional who diagnoses and treats communication and swallowing problems. The German Federal Association of Speech Therapists (DBL) has a search function for speech therapists on its website (in German). Speech-language pathologists have a master's degree from a program accredited by the Council for Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.
If you or your child are having trouble communicating, ask your healthcare provider if you can schedule an evaluation with a speech therapist. In many settings, SLPs often work as part of a collaborative, interdisciplinary team, which may include teachers, doctors, audiologists, psychologists, social workers, physical and occupational therapists, and rehabilitation counselors. To obtain the CCC-SLP, individuals must complete a graduate course and a clinical practice at a college or university whose program is accredited by the Council for Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA). If you have a medical condition that has caused a speech disorder, your healthcare provider will tell you when it's time to see a speech therapist.
There are several speech therapy techniques that your speech therapist can use to treat your condition. If a medical condition has caused your speech disorder, your speech and language skills may improve as you recover from the underlying problem. Speech therapy can treat a wide range of speech and language delays and disorders in children and adults. If you or a loved one have any of the following problems, it might be a good idea to see a speech-language pathologist.
Applicants for the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) must obtain a graduate degree, successfully complete the required clinical experiences, and pass a national exam. It helps develop early language skills, voice and sound production, comprehension, fluency, clarity and expression.
