Speech therapy refers to the examination and treatment of speech disorders and communication problems. It’s performed by a speech therapist also known as a speech – language pathologist (SLPs). This therapy’s techniques help improve communication, including language intervention activity, articulation therapy, and other methods depending on the type of disorder.
Many speech therapist Brisbane help assess and treat speech disorders in children and speech impairment in adults caused by illness or injury. Below we’ll look at the goals, benefits and drawbacks of working with a speech therapist in Brisbane.
Goals of Working With a Speech Therapist
The main goal of speech therapy is to improve communication skills. However, speech therapists offer more than that; their job covers many things like that of the occupational therapists in Brisbane. Some of the goals of speech therapy include:
- Improving communication between the body and the brain through visual and audio aids like mirrors and recorders.
- Enhancing the language learning through language stimulation and positive aid.
- Strengthening and coordination exercises help in improving the coordination of the speech muscles.
- Breathing fluency Improvement.
- Learning other communication skills, like signing and gestures. Note that these alternate communication skills enhance speech development.
Each child’s outcomes will depend on their disabilities, consistency of speech therapy, and the help they get at home.
Benefits of Working With a Speech Therapist
Like other disability support services in Brisbane, working with a speech therapist has many benefits besides enabling a child to communicate effectively. Some of these benefits are:
- Speech therapists train your child to understand and express their ideas, thoughts, and feelings.
- They help your child develop pre-literacy and school readiness skills.
- A speech therapist will train your child to talk intelligibly in a way that others will understand.
- The swallowing function of your child will improve.
- A child will have the ability to solve problems in an independent society.
- Your child will have more self – esteem and increased independence.
- Speech therapists train your child to talk fluently with an improved vocal personality.
- Speech therapy helps in improving cognitive development as speech and communication are the keys to cognitive development.
- Speech therapists help children suffering from stuttering to improve to a point where the challenge disappears.
- The therapist gives patients confidence in their speech, thus reducing their anxiety.
The ability to express one’s self is crucial. Speech therapy enables your children to understand and speak a language fluently, express their feelings, and develop confidence. Once you notice your child has communication impairment, quickly take them to a speech therapist, as delaying runs the risk of missing that time when the brain is still developing and learning fast.
What Are the Drawbacks of Working With a Speech Therapist
Working with speech therapists has some drawbacks, though its benefits outweigh such hiccups. Therapy can be time-consuming for both parent and child. Also, parents have to carry out the therapy lessons daily at home and within the neighbourhood. It can be stressful for parents, especially those with a tight schedule.
When visiting a speech therapist for the first time, they can tell parents a specific time they expect the therapy to end and it might not end at that time, especially if the parents aren’t helping the child at home consistently. That said, private speech therapists charge a lot as most private health insurance doesn’t cover speech therapy or cover it only with specific conditions.
It’s advisable that parents consider choosing a speech therapist that doesn’t charge much, and delivers therapy with experience without consuming much time.
