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What is Speech Therapy?

Speech & language therapy is a procedure to assess and treat communication as well as speech problems. These therapies are performed by highly trained therapists, also known as speech or language pathologists.

Speech therapy can help resolve language issues like dyspraxia & dyslexia. Make sure that your speech therapist has at least a master’s degree on the subject and is licensed to practice. To ease up the search process for the best speech therapist, you can log on to oladoc.com to book your appointment with the most authentic & professional speech therapist in town.

Why is speech therapy needed?

Speech therapy can help fix several speech disorders like:

Fluency disorder:

Fluency disorder means that a person clutters or flutters while talking or reading. This disorder impacts the flow, rhythm and speed of the speech , causing problems for the impacted person such as trouble in the delivery of a sound, repetition of words and merging words together.

Articulation disorder:

An articulation disorder means that a person doesn’t speak clearly or makes errors in sounds. A child suffering from articulation disorder often substitutes one sound for another and slurs.

Receptive disorder:

A person who suffers from this disorder is unable to understand & process what others say to them. Hearing loss, autism and head injury can lead to receptive disorder.

Resonance disorder:

Resonance disorder is a condition in which a person’s speech changes due to too much or too little airflow in the oral or nasal canal. This condition also has an impact on the person’s quality of sound. Resonance disorders may be a result of neurological problems, swollen tonsils or cleft palate.

Expressive disorder:

It is a condition where a person suffers from difficulty in written & verbal expression. A child or adult suffering from expressive disorder will find trouble in forming sentences accurately. Expressive disorders are often associated with hearing loss or down syndrome.

Aphasia:

A person affected with Aphasia will be unable to speak or understand others. People with Aphasia are often unable to read or write. The disorder can be a result of a stroke.

Cognitive communication disorder:

Cognitive communication disorder is a result of an injury to a part of the brain that controls your thinking ability. It can also be caused by other neurological conditions or abnormal brain development. Cognitive communication disorder reduces problem solving capabilities and creates difficulty in speaking & listening.

Dysarthria:

Dysarthria is a condition of slurred & slow speech that occurs when your speech muscles are weak and you are unable to control them.

Who needs speech therapy?

If someone you know, be it an adult or a kid is suffering from any sort of speech disability or delay, it is recommended to consult a speech therapist. The therapist will assess them and identify their problem in accordance with their symptoms.

Speech therapy for adults:

Speech therapy can help provide support for adults in all sorts of communication & speech related difficulties. At the initial stages, you will be asked to specify the nature of your difficulties and their origin. Then a customised plan will be designed by your speech therapist to help you out.

Some common exercises practiced by speech therapists are:

• Breathing exercises.
• Exercises to strengthen oral muscles.
• Problem solving, organization and memory related exercises are also part of the program.

Speech therapy for children:

Pediatric speech therapy is a vast subject and a number of factors play a role in delivering a comprehensive therapy plan. The exercises & activities involved in the therapy for a specific child are dependent on the disorder or difficulty that particular kid is facing as well as their age.

Majority of therapists start interacting with the child using small talk and eventually use different means along the way such as books or different games etc, which help with language development. The therapists model correct sounds, which help the child in learning how to make sounds.

Moreover, they also provide resources for parents & caregivers on how to help their child at home, therapeutically. Some centres offer speech therapy for toddlers too. It is important to consult a qualified speech therapist for this purpose, as they will carefully assess the situation and come up with the most suitable treatment approach that best meets your child’s requirements.

Which techniques of treatment are followed by speech therapists?

Following are the speech therapy techniques followed by speech therapists:

Language Intervention Therapy:

This technique is more common in pediatric speech therapy. It lets the therapist help kids with speech delays. The technique might also be used for some adults to help encourage them with their language. What therapists do in this technique is that they help the patient in pronouncing the words properly.

Articulation Therapy:

Articulation therapy works well for patients who have difficulties in saying particular sounds. Therapists using this method move through different levels of the process gradually to improve targeted sounds.

VitalStim Therapy:

VitalStim is a noninvasive therapeutic method to help patients after a stroke who have lost their ability to swallow and speck. For this method, electrical stimulation is applied to the front part of the neck. Patients are advised to practice swallowing exercises, while their muscles are being stimulated. The treatment may last for an hour.

Oral Motor Therapy:

Oral Motor Therapy includes exercises which strengthen muscles in and around the patient’s mouth. It helps patients who have gone through physical injuries that had an impact on their speaking power.

LSVT:

Lee Silverman Voice Treatment is a type of speech therapy method that helps patients with Parkinson disease. The treatment helps improve vocal function in patients.

For how long does one need speech therapy?

Every person requires a different time period for their speech issues to be resolved. Time frame required depends on the age of the patient, severity of their problem and frequency of the therapy sessions. Underlying medical conditions may also have an impact on the time in some cases.

What is the cost for speech therapy in Pakistan?

The fee for speech therapy courses ranges from Rs500 to Rs7000 in Pakistan. Speech therapy cost is also dependent on the disorder that the patient is suffering from and the doctor chosen for the treatment. You can book an appointment with the best speech therapist in town at best prices by logging on to oladoc.com

Can I get speech therapy online?

With the innovation in technology; kids, teens & adults have an option of online speech therapy these days, which means you can get your own or loved ones' communication problems resolved without even leaving the comfort of your home. All you need to have is a mobile phone or computer and a stable internet connection to get started with online speech therapy.

Bottom line:

Speech therapy is a successful procedure in resolving various speech, communication and swallowing problems. However, it is most beneficial when started early and practiced at home with a caregiver or parents.