Today, we are going to introduce you to the profession of speech therapy. This is a profession with which we work closely when establishing a multidisciplinary approach to treatment. Speech therapy sessions are designed for people with written and oral language disorders.
What is a speech therapist?
A Speech therapist is a paramedical professional, who has a Certificate of Competence as a Speech Therapist. It required 5 years of study to obtain the CCO. As a language specialist, there are four main roles involved in speech therapy: prevention, assessment, treatment and evaluation of communication disorders and deficits. It is intended for all people, according to the needs associated with each stage of life: from children to teenagers, adults and the elderly.
Speech therapy is a profession that is exercised in private practices as well as in social institutions and hospitals. To consult a speech therapist, you will need a medical prescription. This professional has a close relationship with the patient’s family and friends: environmental factors come into play to improve the quality and quantity of communication.
As the psychic life is closely linked to oral and written language, a relationship of trust is established during the sessions. The speech therapist is a trained medical professional who is able to create a serene learning environment.
Why make an appointment with a speech therapist?
At any age, there are many situations that can lead to a consultation with a speech therapist in a private or medical institution. The main reason for making an appointment is the need to treat language disorders, both written and oral.
There are many symptoms that lead to an initial consultation with a speech therapist. They can be grouped into three main categories of disorders:
Voice disorders: stuttering, lisping, dysphonia, verbal fluency can be treated by the therapist.
Oral language disorders: articulation difficulties for children, speech delay, autism spectrum disorders (ASD), dysphasia are some of the areas where the speech therapist can intervene.
Written language disorders: dyslexia, dysorthographia and dyscalculia are language problems treated during speech therapy sessions.
People with neurodegenerative diseases, deafness, neurological or swallowing disorders are also referred to the speech therapist for the treatment of their symptoms.
What do you work on with a speech therapist?
Speech therapy is a therapeutic discipline, which aims to accompany the patient in order to treat communication disorders. The work done with this professional is based on several steps:
The first step is an evaluation phase. The first speech therapy session consists of an evaluation of the patient during an interview which allows to define their lifestyle and their disorder, as well as its impact on their daily life. This exchange allows the speech therapist to propose a series of tests adapted to the patient’s profile, to analyze their written and oral language skills, and then to create their speech therapy report.
The second step is the construction of the personalized rehabilitation program, adapted to the patient’s profile. A series of sessions are proposed: the number and frequency are based on the pathologies detected. If it is a minor pathology, the duration of the sessions will be carried out over a restricted period, based on short sessions. But some disorders require a more in-depth follow-up, over a longer period.
In any case, the follow-up of the patient and their improvement are at the heart of the speech therapist’s work, in order to create a relationship of trust and an atmosphere favorable to their progress.