Amy vickers explains that it is about much more than just speech
When people think of ‘speech therapy’ they usually think of ‘speech,’ it is in the name after all! Perhaps Speech therapy would make more sense if it was named ‘communication therapy.’
Communication is a basic human right. It is how we engage with other people as well as learn and grow. If a child has difficulty with any area that stops them from understanding, producing or using language to communicate, they may need a speech therapist.
Speech therapy works to look at why a child is having difficulty communicating and to help crack the code in this area so they can communicate to their fullest potential.
A speech pathologist can help with
- Understanding language- Understanding language including following directions and understanding concepts
- Using language – Expressing ideas and speaking and using the right words so others can understand
- Social skills and communicating and participating in the community
- Literacy
- School-age reading, writing, and spoken language
- Stuttering
- Using AAC (Augmentative and Alternative Communication) such as picture systems and high tech options such as Proloquo2Go, LAMP Words for Life, and WordPower Language System.
- Feeding and fussy eaters
Below are real examples of challenges children with communication problems can face in their daily lives and can help you to imagine just how difficult any problems with communication can be:
- Being told to put your books under the table and you don’t know what the word under means.
- Having a conversation with someone who is using words you have never heard before.
- Telling a story to your friends and they don’t understand what happened because you struggle to structure your ideas.
- You are trying to tell a joke, but you don’t know how to clearly tell the punchline, so no one laughs at the joke.
- Needing your younger sibling to translate what you say for adults to understand you at the dinner table.
- Not being able to put your hand up when you don’t understand in class because your teacher can’t understand the way you pronounce your words.
- Not understanding how other people feel because you don’t understand what they are communicating with their faces.
- Trying to play a game when you don’t understand any of the rules, whatever you do just makes them angry.
- Knowing exactly what you want to say to your friend but not being able to get the words out because of a stutter and others then always finishing your sentences for you when you repeat them or get stuck.
- Not being able to use words when writing because you don’t know how to spell them.
- Doing reading comprehension at school when you can’t figure out what the words are.