It is Speech Pathology Week 2024. This year’s theme is “Communicate Your Way”. Speech Language Pathologists / Speech Language Therapists, really don’t get the recognition they deserve for how much they contribute to the wellbeing of our society, particularly when it comes to neurodivergent children. Despite the name, they do so much more than help people with speech.
What Do They Do?
Speech Language Pathologists / Therapists (SLPs, or “speechies”) assist a wide range of people, in an equally diverse number of ways. If you really wanted to sum up what they cover, SLPs are communication-and-eating experts.
This covers everything from swallowing (and can include texture aversions, etc, in kids with sensory difficulties), to differences in reading and writing, speaking, auditory processing, understanding language, speech delays, speech impairments, or using voice for communication. They even help develop some skills generally considered to fall under Occupational Therapy, such as social and play skills.
This means they’re not just there to take a person who has some degree of difficulty with speaking, and teach them how to do better.
Speechies are also heavily involved in the integration of AAC Devices, sign language, and other non-verbal means of communication for people who find voice-speech problematic.
Who Sees a Speech therapist?
A wide range of people benefit from assistance from SLPs, including people with:
- neurodivergencies such as autism, childhood apraxia of speech, dyslexia, acquired brain injury, cognitive disabilities, sensory processing disorder, developmental language disorders, neurological conditions such as MND or Parkinson’s, and more
- speech impairments such as lisps
- physiological speech difficulties such as tongue ties or cleft lip/palate
- literacy difficulties, such as problems with spelling or reading
- hearing loss and/or their families to improve communication methods
- professional roles that require them to use their voice frequently, from actors to teachers to people who frequently use the phone
- difficulties with chewing, eating, drinking, and swallowing
- a need to use means – such as AAC or sign language – other than voice to speak
- medical or surgical changes such as removal of tongue cancer, or larynx damage
- the need to communicate better than they are currently able, including young people involved in the justice system, or kids with behavioural issues
How Do I Get My Child to a Speech Therapist?
In Australia, your GP can refer you to a speech therapist. There are some in the public health system, who are free of charge but generally have extensive waitlists. Some public providers do also require a payment, so do check this ahead of time.
Private speechie appointment can be partially subsidised (up to 5 sessions per year, depending on what other allied health professionals your child is also seeing) with approximately $50 per session by Medicare, if the referral is provided by your GP as part of a plan.
Where Can I Find Out More?
There are a lot of incredible neuroaffirming SLPs with an impressive online presence. My favourites are all neurodivergent themselves, which gives an additional layer of genuine ND empathy and awesomeness.
Check out:
Andi Putt AKA Mrs Speechie P:
*
Adina Levy:
*
Em Hammond AKA Neurowild:
*
H J Richardson AKA Hat Talks:
*
Ashlee Barios-Ariaz:
