What is speech language therapy?

• Speech therapy is an intervention service with the goal of improving the patient's speech and ability to understand and express language, including non-verbal language. 
• Speech therapists, als referred to as Speech Language Pathologists (SLP's), provide such services. 
• Speech therapy typically includes the following areas:
• Coordinating the mouth to produce sounds to form words and sentences. This is to address articulation, fluency and voice volume regulation.
• Understand and express language, which includes addressing the use of language through written, pictorial, body, and sign forms, and the use of language through alternative communication such as iPads, computers and social media. 
• Treatment of swallowing disorders, including feeding.

Does my loved one need speech therapy?

• Some people may need speech therapy to improve the following areas:
• To address pragmatic language - using verbal and body language in everyday social situations such as making firends and requests, and engagin in conversations.
• To address medical conditions such as brain injury or infections that have affected their ability to communicate.
• Disabilities such as Down's Syndrome.