Speech therapy sounds straightforward—it’s a treatment for stutters, delays in childhood communication, or even anatomical disorders of the mouth. However, these challenges that both kids and adults may face are far from simple, sometimes requiring a multidisciplinary team of caregivers to help re-train a person’s muscles, brain, and behavior around more reliable communication.
Our physical therapists help with both pediatric and adult speech therapy especially in conjunction with other physical therapy needs, such as neuromuscular injury or disease.
What is speech therapy?
Speech therapy is a specialized form of treatment aimed at improving communication skills. It involves various techniques to help individuals with speech impediments or language difficulties. Speech-language therapists work with people of all ages to enhance their ability to convey thoughts and understand others.
This therapy is typically recommended when someone shows signs of speech or language disorders. These signs could be difficulty forming words, trouble understanding speech, or issues with swallowing. Parents of children and caregivers of older loved ones are often the first to notice these struggles, making their awareness of treatable issues crucial to getting them the care they need as early as they can.
Signs your child may benefit from pediatric speech therapy
Every child develops at their own pace, but some signs indicate they might need a bit more help keeping up with other kids their age. Pediatric speech therapy focuses on challenges in articulating words, forming sentences, or even understanding spoken language. Common conditions speech therapy for children can treat include:
- Orofacial myofunctional disorders – improper function of the muscles used for speaking and swallowing
- Articulation disorders – repeated, non-improved difficulties making certain sounds or words
- Verbal apraxia – a motor speech disorder that makes it difficult for people to coordinate the muscles used for speech
- Stuttering
- Oral motor difficulty – a muscular disorder that affects a child’s ability to create clear speech
Pediatric speech conditions have symptoms that could indicate a range of potential causes, from neurological to habitual, meaning it often takes an expert’s diagnosis to begin to understand how best to treat these speech disorders.
Conditions adult speech therapy can treat
Although many speech therapist patients are children who experience difficulty learning language for the first time, adults can also benefit from speech therapy at nearly any age. Life changes or health issues can lead to speech and language difficulties, and speech therapy offers a path to regain confidence.
Conditions to be aware of in yourself or your loved ones include:
- Oral motor difficulty – symptoms include slurred words or clenched jaw when speaking
- Voice disorders – symptoms include changes in voice quality, pitch, or volume
- Language disorders – symptoms include a lack of ability to comprehend others’ meaning or express themselves
- Cognitive communication difficulties – symptoms include difficulty organizing thoughts or following conversations, usually after TBI or as part of dementia
What to expect from your speech therapy appointment
If you’re considering speech therapy for yourself or your child, knowing what to expect can ease any apprehension you or they may have. During an initial assessment, your speech therapist will meet you both, observe speech patterns through a series of language or vocal exercises, and identify specific issues. You’ll then discuss goals and expectations from treatment to establish a personalized treatment plan.
Therapy sessions are designed to be interactive and engaging, especially for children. Play-based activities make learning fun while addressing speech challenges effectively. Adults experience tailored exercises to target their unique needs.
Consistency is key. Regular sessions reinforce progress, and therapists provide guidance for practicing skills outside of appointments. Improvement takes time, but each session brings you closer to your communication goals.
Accessible speech therapy near you
If your child or loved one is having difficulty communicating, feeling frustration at not being able to express themselves, or has had an injury or accident that affects their speech, our speech therapists are here to help quickly. Find out if we can get you a same-day or next-day appointment by calling one of our nearby clinic locations to see our options for speech therapy near you.
