Speech-language pathology professionals (SLPs) assess and treat speech, swallowing, language or communication problems in people of all ages to enable them to communicate to the best of their ability. They may also work with people who have eating and swallowing problems.
The components of speech production include: Phonation, producing sound, resonance, intonation, variance of pitch; and voice, including aeromechanical components of respiration.
The components of language include: phonology, manipulating sound according to the rules of a language; morphology, understanding and using minimal units of meaning; syntax, constructing sentences by using languages’ grammar rules; semantics, interpreting signs or symbols of communication to construct meaning; and pragmatics, social aspects of communication.
Speech and Language Therapists work with a wide age group of individuals ranging from infants to the elderly. The clientele includes:
- Infants and children with feeding difficulties (e.g. premature babies, children with cerebral palsy).
- Children with various speech and language disorders.
- Children with autism and other learning difficulties.
- Children with hearing impairment.
- Head and neck cancers.
There are opportunities to work in areas such as:
- Fluency (stuttering) management.
- Various speech and language management for children.
- Speech management for cleft palate and craniofacial anomalies.
- Dysphagia (swallowing difficulties) management.
- Voice rehabilitation.
- Rehabilitation of acquired communication difficulties (e.g. post stroke or post-surgical intervention in head and neck cancers).
METHODS OF TREATMENT:
1.Forebrain. Forebrain sharpens the user’s entire auditory system. By improving the perception of the voice, Forebrain gives the nervous system a solid sensory workout. This unique device enhances specific patterns of the user’s voice, delivering the user’s voice directly via bone structure leaving the ears free to perceive external sounds. It improves speech, fluency, attention, memory, focus, coordination, and many other sensory functions. Forebrain is used as a daily tool for reading, speaking, attending in class or for general use. For 15 minutes of speaking aloud through the Forebrain microphone and stimulating your own ears with your own voice, you strengthen your auditory reception and processing.
2.ITalk2 with levels. ITalk2 with Levels is a speech generating device that allows you to pre-record a number of choices for use throughout the day, or record and store choices that are used on a regular basis with the power and convenience of three levels. The iTalk2 dual-message communicator with levels gives students the freedom to choose between two activities, such as listening to music or a story. ITalk2 is also perfect for asking and answering questions, telling jokes and making comments in social situations.