Effective communication involves clearly expressing ideas in ways relevant parties can understand. Unfortunately, patients with communication problems and speech disorders cannot socialize with loved ones because they struggle to talk and share their ideas. Most patients have acute speech problems growing up or upon brain injury or stroke. Speech-language pathologists perform speech therapy Southlake to improve patients’ communication skills and thus promote interactive relationships. Speech therapy can treat conditions like:
Articulation disorders: word sounds assist in proper pronunciation, which is key to effective communication. Patients with this problem cannot correctly form some word sounds. For example, saying /that/ instead of /that/ is an articulation problem.
Fluency disorders: Many factors influence fluency. For example, flow, speed, and fluency. Some patients have a problem remembering words and thus stutter when expressing a thought. Cluttering is the opposite of stuttering because it does not involve interrupted speech. Patients who clutter their speech often speak too fast without pauses, thus merging words.
Resonance disorders: A person’s voice develops due to oral cavity vibrations. However, airflow blockage due to underlying conditions like cleft palate or swollen tonsils can alter resonance.
Receptive disorders: This condition affects how a receiver perceives information. Some patients struggle to understand concepts. Although there are different reasons explaining this condition, like limited vocabulary, some patients have underlying language disorders like autism that make it challenging to make out certain word patterns.
Expressive disorders: Unlike sensory disorders that target information receivers, this condition affects the one conveying information. Patients with expressive disorders cannot articulate their thoughts effectively. Although these patients may have good intentions, they always say the wrong things. Developmental disorders like Down’s Syndrome can explain this medical condition. Head trauma can also impair expression.
Cognitive-communication disorders: Most speech disorders can occur upon brain injury. Trauma to speech-related brain parts can cause difficult communication due to effects like hindered problem solving and memory problems.
Aphasia: Patients with this speech disorder find it challenging to read and write because they struggle with expressing information to and understanding others. This condition is usually a side effect of stroke.
Dysarthria: There are specific muscles that support speech. Speech muscles weakening can limit a patient’s control when speaking, leading to slow, slurred speech. The most common cause of this condition is a complication in the nervous system.
What to expect during speech therapy:
A speech therapist has the right training and experience to diagnose and treat speech disorders. Speech therapy for children is a combined approach involving classroom activities. A speech therapist will guide a child with a speech disorder to interact in a class by talking, singing, and reading books. A speech therapist will also focus on teaching children to appreciate syllables and correctly implement the knowledge to create proper articulation. Homework exercises can help children learn with their caregivers, thus providing a different learning environment for effective outcomes.
Speech therapy for adults may include therapists helping patients retrain muscle function and promote the strength necessary for speech. Improving problem-solving skills can enable cognitive-communication, and teaching conversational tactics can improve social interactions. Contact PediaPlex if you suspect that the difficulty you experience articulating a thought is due to an underlying disorder, and start therapy to improve your communication.
