Speech Therapist Melbourne

A speech disorder is a difficulty with sound production. Among the speech abnormalities are the following:

• Articulation disorders: These are difficulties creating syllable-based sounds or pronouncing words inaccurately to the point that listeners are unable to grasp what is being spoken.
• Stuttering is a type of fluency impairment in which the flow of speech is disrupted by unexpected pauses, partial-word repeats (“b-b-boy”), or protracted sounds and syllables (sssssnake).
• Resonance or voice disorders: These are issues with the pitch, loudness, or quality of one’s voice that detract from the message being communicated. Some disorders may also cause a kid to experience pain or discomfort when speaking.

A language disorder is a difficulty comprehending or putting words together in order to express thoughts. Language problems may be receptive or expressive in nature:

• Receptive disorders are difficulties with language comprehension and processing.
• Expressive disorders include difficulties with word association, a restricted vocabulary, or an inability to utilise language in a socially suitable manner.
• Cognitive-communication disorders are characterised by difficulties with communication abilities such as memory, attention, perception, organisation, control, and problem solving.

Dysphagia/oral feeding disorders are abnormalities in one’s ability to eat or drink. They include chewing and swallowing difficulties, coughing, choking, and meal refusal.

SLPs, often known as Speech-language pathologists or Speech therapists, are trained in the study of human communication, its development, and its problems. SLPs evaluate oral/feeding/swallowing abilities, as well as speech, language, cognitive communication, and oral/feeding/swallowing capabilities. This enables them to determine the nature of a problem and the most effective treatment method.

SLPs possess the following characteristics:

• A minimum of a certified Bachelors or Master’s degree
• Certification/licensure by the state in the field
• Speech Pathology Australia-certified SLPs have completed a supervised clinical university course approved by SPA.
• Occasionally, speech assistants assist in providing speech-language services. They often hold a certificate or are undergoing four-year bachelor’s degree and work under the supervision of an SLP.

In speech-language therapy, an SLP works one-on-one with a child, in a small group, or in a classroom to help the kid overcome difficulties.

Therapists employ several techniques, including the following:

Language intervention activities: The SLP will connect with a child via play and conversation, stimulating language development through the use of pictures, books, objects, or ongoing events. The therapist may serve as a role model for proper vocabulary and grammar and may employ repetition activities to help the child develop language abilities.

Articulation therapy: Articulation exercises entail the therapist modelling appropriate sounds and syllables in words and phrases for the child, frequently during play activities. The level of play is appropriate for the child’s age and development. The SLP will demonstrate to the kid how to create certain sounds, such as the “r,” and may demonstrate how to move the tongue to produce certain sounds.

Oral-motor/feeding and swallowing therapy: The SLP may employ a range of oral exercises — such as face massage and a variety of tongue, lip, and jaw exercises — to improve the mouth muscles used for eating, drinking, and swallowing. Additionally, the SLP may offer varied food textures and temperatures to help the kid develop an awareness of his or her mouth cavity when eating and swallowing.

Children may require speech-language therapy for a variety of reasons, including the following:

• limitations of hearing
• developmental (cognitive, thinking) or other delays
• oral muscles that are weakened
• persistent hoarseness
• lip cleft or palate cleft
• autism
• difficulties with motor planning
• difficulties with articulation
• problems of fluency
• respiratory problems (breathing disorders)
• feeding and swallowing disorders
• traumatic brain injury

Therapy should begin as soon as possible. Children who start therapy early (before they’re 5 years old) tend to have better results than those who begin later.

This doesn’t mean that older kids won’t do well in therapy. Their progress might be slower, though, because they have learned patterns that need to be changed.

To find a specialist, ask your child’s doctor or teacher for a referral, check local directories online or search on SPA’s website for listings of licensed and certified therapists. Your child’s SLP should be licensed and have experience working with kids and your child’s specific disorder.

Parents are key to the success of a child’s progress in speech or language therapy. Kids who finish the program the quickest and with the longest-lasting results are those whose parents were involved.

Ask the therapist what you can do. For instance, you can help your child do the at-home activities that the SLP suggests. This ensures the continued progress and carry-over of new skills.

Overcoming a speech or language disorder can take time and effort. So all family members must be patient and understanding with the child.

In a word: none. The terms “speech therapist” and “speech pathologist” have been used for years as titles for persons who work with persons having communication impairments. In the past, the term “speech pathologist” was used by professionals to describe themselves, but the term most commonly used today is “speech-language pathologist” or “SLP.” Lay people have more often referred to us as “speech therapists,” “speech correctionists,” or even “speech teachers.”

These are all terms that describe the same profession, but “speech-language pathologist” is the preferred term because it captures the essence of our work (speech and language) and also signifies that we are qualified by our training and clinical experience to identify, assess, and provide remediation for pathological conditions of communication. The term “speech” is used to denote the components of vocal activity such as phonation (the production of a vocal tone via the larynx or “voice box”), articulation (the movement of the structures in the mouth to create speech sounds to produce words), resonance (the overall quality of the voice as well as the process that transforms the vocal tone into what we recognize as a person’s “voice”) and fluency (the timing and synchronization of these components of the complex speech act). “Language” refers to the comprehension and production of language, including the mode in which it is comprehended or produced (oral, gesturing, writing, or reading).

Even the term “speech-language pathologist” doesn’t quite capture the totality of our scope of practice. For example, speech-language pathologists also address the needs of persons who exhibit difficulties with cognitive functions (attention, memory, problem-solving), literacy, social interaction, and swallowing. Considering such a wide scope of practice, perhaps in the future, a new term will be coined to describe who we are and what we do.

Speech therapy usually begins with an assessment by an SLP who will identify the type of communication disorder and the best way to treat it.

Speech therapy for children:

For your child, speech therapy may take place in a classroom or small group, or one-on-one, depending on the speech disorder. Speech therapy exercises and activities vary depending on your child’s disorder, age, and needs. During speech therapy for children, the SLP may:

• interact through talking and playing, and using books, pictures other objects as part of language intervention to help stimulate language development
• model correct sounds and syllables for a child during age-appropriate play to teach the child how to make certain sounds
• provide strategies and homework for the child and parent or caregiver on how to do speech therapy at home

Speech therapy for adults:

• Speech therapy for adults also begins with an assessment to determine your needs and the best treatment. Speech therapy exercises for adults can help you with speech, language, and cognitive communication.
• Therapy may also include retraining of swallowing function if an injury or medical condition, such as Parkinson’s disease or oral cancer has caused swallowing difficulties.

Exercises may involve:

• problem solving, memory, and organization, and other activities geared at improving cognitive communication
• conversational tactics to improve social communication
• breathing exercises for resonance
• exercises to strengthen oral muscles

There are many resources available if you’re looking to try speech therapy exercises at home, including:

• speech therapy apps
• language development games and toys, such as flip cards and flashcards
• Workbooks

Children achieve a great deal throughout their first two years. They learn to crawl, walk, communicate, and socialise with others in a few months. The majority of the abilities your child acquires are age-appropriate. For example, the majority of newborns begin crawling between the ages of 6 and 10 months, and the great majority are competent walkers by the age of 15 months.

For speaking, the same milestones apply. Your kid should be able to utter their first word by the age of one and should know around twenty words by the age of 18 months. If your kid is behind one of these objectives, do not worry. Your child may simply be a slow learner of language and would benefit from working with a speech therapist.

If your kid is experiencing developmental difficulties, schedule an appointment with us at Tilegne Therapy. We provide a friendly and comfortable atmosphere for children in which they may acquire the necessary skills for success and a meaningful life. With three pediatric occupational therapists and a pediatric speech therapist on staff, we can assist your kid in acquiring the skills necessary to overcome any obstacles that may arise.