Speech therapy provides treatment and support for people experiencing speech disorders and communication problems. The approach is useful for treating several issues in both children and adults.
Speech is the expression of thoughts using articulate sounds. A speech disorder is an issue that prevents a person from communicating using spoken words. People may also refer to them as communication disorders.
What is speech therapy?
Speech disorders can develop in multiple ways. They can occur due to:
- nerve injuries to the brain
- muscular paralysis
- structural abnormalities
- developmental disabilities
Speech therapy is an effective treatment for speech and communication disorders.
With speech therapy, a speech-language pathologist (SLP) provides treatment and support for people with speech disorders. They are health professionals trained to evaluate and treat those with speech, language, or swallowing disorders.
People often refer to SLPs as speech therapists.
