Speech therapy refers to assessing and then treating the various speech disorders and communication problems that affect human beings. It is a broad specialization practiced by professionals known as speech-language pathologists (SLPs), commonly referred to as speech therapists.

The techniques that speech therapists employ are designed to help improve their patients' ability to communicate. These techniques include language intervention activities, articulation therapy, and more depending on the nature of speech or language disorder that the patient is affected. 

Speech disorders presented from the patient's childhood or for speech problems presented in adults due to injury or certain illnesses such as strokes or types of brain injuries will require a speech pathologist/therapist's service.

When is Speech Therapy Required?

There are several types of language and speech disorders that require speech therapy to rectify effectively. These include:

  • Fluency disorders: Refer to disorders that impact the speed, rhythm, and flow of a person's speech. Examples of such disorders include cluttering and stuttering. Cluttering is defined by swift speech whereby some words are merged with others. A stuttering patient will have trouble getting out individual sounds or may have interrupted or blocked speech. They may repeat sections or entire words involuntarily.
  • Articulation disorders: These are defined by an inability to form particular word sounds properly. For example, a young patient with an articulation disorder may swap, drop, add, or distort certain sounds as they speak. A common manifestation in patients is the distortion of the word 'this' into 'thith' instead.
  • Receptive disorders: Patients with this type of disorder will have difficulty understanding and processing other people's speech. The result is that they may seem not to be paying attention when spoken to, have difficulty following instructions, or generally have a limited span of vocabulary. Receptive disorders may come about due to other language impairments, hearing loss, autism, and certain head injuries.
  • Resonance disorders occur when obstructions or blockages in a person's oral or nasal cavities obstruct the regular airflow through them, thereby altering the vibrations that influence speaking voice clarity. Resonance disorder may also be brought about by the patient's velopharyngeal valve's inability to close as it should. This class of disorder is commonly associated with neurological disorders, cleft palate, and swollen tonsils.
  • Cognitive-communication disorders: These refer to difficulties in communication resulting from an injury to a person's brain, specifically the area that controls our ability to think and process thoughts. Such injuries may lead to memory issues, speaking difficulties, impaired problem-solving capabilities, and diminished listening ability. Biological disorders such as stroke, abnormal brain development, and some neurological issues may also be found to be at fault here.
  • Expressive disorders: These refer to difficulties in transmitting, expressing, or conveying information through speech. A person with an expressive disorder will have trouble with forming grammatically correct sentences, making use of incorrect verb tenses, for example. Expressive disorders are closely linked with specific developmental impairments such as hearing loss and Down syndrome. Head injuries and some other medical conditions besides the mentioned may also be causative factors of expressive disorders.
  • Dysarthria: This is a speech disorder that comes about due to weakness in the muscles that facilitate speech or an inability to control them properly. The most commonly noted causes of this condition are nervous system disorders and certain conditions that sometimes lead to throat and tongue weakness or facial paralysis such as stroke, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and multiple sclerosis (MS).
  • Aphasia: This refers to an acquired communication impairment affecting the patient's ability to understand and speak to other people. In many cases, it affects a person's ability to write and read, as well. The most common cause of aphasia is stroke, although various other brain conditions may be causative factors.

What Goes On During Speech Therapy?

First of all, people with communication disorders will be looked over and assessed by their speech therapist to determine the type of disorder in question and the best way to deal with it.

Speech Therapy with Child Patients

Should the patient be a young one, speech therapy sessions may be held one-on-one, in small groups, or in classroom settings. The speech therapist's exercises and activities will depend on the type of disorder in question, the child's age, and their particular needs if any. The speech and language therapist, for example, may:

  • Try and teach the young patient how to make certain sounds by modeling age-appropriate sounds and syllables.
  • Provide viable strategies and speech therapy homework assignments such as reading and phonics that the child and their caregiver may use back at home.
  • Engage and interact with the young patent by playing, talking, using books, objects, and pictures as language intervention measures to help stimulate their language and communication development.

Speech Therapy with Adult Patients

Speech therapy for adults will still begin with necessary assessments to determine the type and severity of the disorder in question before the therapist determines which exercises and techniques will most effectively improve the patient's language, speech, and overall cognitive-communication ability.

Finding a therapist that works best for you is most important for improvement. Finding a great speech therapist in Los Angeles, Houston, New York, or whatever city you are in may take time. However, if you find a speech therapist that listens and works best for you, your experience will well-worth it.

Therapy sessions may include the training or retraining of muscles that have been adversely affected by injuries or conditions such as oral cancer and Parkinson's disease.

Speech therapy for adults exercises may include:

  • Conversational exercises and tactics that help facilitate smoother social interaction and communication.
  • Resonance-building breathing exercises.
  • Memory, problem-solving, and organizational exercises that are designed to boost or stimulate cognitive function.
  • Exercises that strengthen the patient's oral muscles.

For those seeking ways to carry out speech therapy exercises at home, there are plenty of resources available out there today, including:

  • Workbooks
  • Speech therapy apps
  • Games, toys, flash-cards, flip cards, and more tools that encourage language development.

How Long Does the Average Person Require Speech Therapy?

Just as with most conditions and ailments out there, the length of time a particular patient may need speech therapy might vary from person to person depending on numerous factors, including:

  • The type and severity of their disorder.
  • Their age
  • The presence of any underlying medical condition
  • Any medication or treatment regimen they are on for the treatment of any underlying medical conditions

There are speech disorders that start from childhood and gradually become less severe with age. However, others will continue being serious problems well into adulthood, requiring continued maintenance and long-term speech therapy. Speech disorders that appear as a result of other medical conditions such as stroke may see the patient recover in tandem with their condition's progress.

What is the Success Rate of Speech Therapy?

How successful speech therapy will be for a patient will depend on various factors, as mentioned above. However, the most significant factors are the patient's age group and the type of disorder in question. It has been found that starting speech therapy as early as possible will positively impact the eventual outcome. In young children, speech therapy is most effective when an early start is combined with a home-based practice involving caregivers or parents.

Locating Speech and Language Therapy Service 

Are you looking for the best Speech Therapy in Los Angeles or on the other side of the country in New York? Or maybe an affordable, online speech therapy you can take at home and in your available schedule?

Finding the perfect Speech Therapist may seem a little too overwhelming. The best way to start your search is a simple search on Google or Bing. Start with a search term like "speech therapist near me," then go with "speech therapy Los Angeles," "speech therapy New York," and "best speech therapy for whatever city you are in." You can change the variation of the search term to "speech therapist Los Angeles or speech therapist New York City." You can get even more specific and use search terms like "speech therapy for kids" or "speech therapy for adults." There you will find many options with reviews and locations. A google search is a great start, but how can you make sure the therapist is right for you and your child? Social media platforms are also great resources as many offer online directory services. You can find out a lot about what a Speech therapist specializes in, their experience, and their reputation just by looking on social media.

We also suggest listening to referrals. Reach out to your child's school. Most schools have counselors and resources that can help point you in the right direction. Some schools even have their own speech therapists who can evaluate children and help parents find the best resources for their child. Parents can have their children join programs in their schools or hire a referred private speech therapist. Before making your final decision on where your child should go for speech therapy, talk to your physician or counselors at the school regarding the most appropriate and effective path for your child. They should know what therapists or programs are best for your child's unique situation. 

It must be stressed that when it comes to speech and language disorders, the earlier action is taken, the better. For those living in California and children with such disorders, speech therapy sessions are readily available in Los Angeles. One only needs to speak with the parents of those who have gone through speech therapy to understand just how much of a difference it can make in the quality of a patient's life. Those who are introduced to speech therapy at an early age tend to see more rapid improvement and will usually not need any other therapy as they grow into adulthood. Effective speech therapy sees patients equipped with the capability to communicate and interact positively, efficiently, and easily with the rest of the world.

At the end of the day, it has to be acknowledged that speech and language therapy can be useful in treating and managing a wide variety of speech disorders and delays, both in children and in adult patients. Mainly when undertaken early, speech therapy can be a highly effective method of improving a person's ability to communicate and thus significantly boost self-esteem.