Better Hearing and Speech Month (BHSM): Getting to know more about speech-language pathology

In our previous Better Hearing and Speech Month posts, we addressed why one should seek the services of a speech-language pathologist and we reviewed the areas that are typically addressed in evaluations completed by speech-language pathologists. In this post, we aim to provide a bit more detail related to conditions often addressed by speech-language pathologists.  Areas addressed by SLPs include:

• language comprehension
• spoken language
• non-verbal language
• reading
• producing language
• spoken
• written 
• gestural
• voice production
• pitch
• quality
• loudness
• resonance
• pragmatics
• socialization/social skills development
• speech
• articulation
• alternative forms of communication, e.g., communicating through pictures or via a special electronic device
• oral intake
• feeding
• chewing
• swallowing
• verbal fluency
• stuttering
• cognitive-linguistic skills
• attention
• memory
• problem solving
• executive functioning
• language dominance
• accent modification
• transgender communication

When seeking the services of an SLP, it is important to ask about whether the clinician's experience includes the area that is being evaluated or treated. In some instances, one will find that some SLPs have particular areas of interest or expertise, e.g., stuttering, bilingualism, swallowing, voice. In addition, SLPs may work solely with children or just with adults.  Specific conditions or areas associated with areas addressed by SLPs include:

• Apraxia
• Augmentative-Alternative Communication (AAC)
• Autism
• Bilingualism
• Dysarthria
• Dysphagia
• Hearing loss
• Laryngectomy
• Stuttering
• Tracheostomy
• Traumatic Brain Injury

Please see the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association's Scope of Practice for Speech Pathology for more detailed information related to the areas addressed by SLPs. If you or someone you know needs the services of a licensed and certified speech-language pathologist, please be sure to discuss your concerns with a physician, a speech-language pathologist, or another qualified provider. You can also find a provider through the ASHA ProFind service or visit us at www.bilingualspeech.org for more information.