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Who is a Speech and Language Therapist?
A Speech and Language Therapist (SLT) is a healthcare professional specialized in the prevention, assessment, and rehabilitation of disorders related to speech, language, voice, swallowing, and feeding. Although these disorders most commonly emerge during early childhood, they may also affect adults due to various neurological, developmental, or structural causes. When necessary, speech and language therapists collaborate with multidisciplinary medical teams to provide comprehensive care tailored to each patient’s needs.
Areas of Practice for Speech and Language Therapists
Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia)
Therapists assess and treat difficulties in swallowing that may occur due to neurological, structural, or functional impairments. Intervention aims to ensure safe swallowing and prevent complications such as aspiration or malnutrition.
Feeding Disorders
Feeding disorders can affect both children and adults, often related to sensory, motor, or behavioral challenges. The therapist provides techniques to improve oral motor coordination and nutritional intake.
Voice Disorders
Voice therapy focuses on evaluating and rehabilitating vocal quality, pitch, resonance, and loudness affected by vocal cord strain, misuse, or structural abnormalities. The goal is to restore healthy voice function through targeted vocal exercises.
Delayed Speech and Language Development
Delayed language development may stem from hearing loss, developmental conditions, or environmental factors. Early assessment and intervention help enhance communication skills and promote cognitive-linguistic growth.
Speech Sound Disorders (Articulation and Phonological Disorders)
Speech sound disorders involve difficulties in producing specific sounds correctly, affecting intelligibility. Therapy helps patients acquire proper articulation and phonological patterns through individualized treatment programs.
Fluency Disorders (Stuttering and Cluttering)
Fluency disorders include interruptions in the rhythm or flow of speech, such as stuttering. The therapist uses evidence-based techniques to improve fluency and reduce speech-related anxiety.
Resonance Disorders
Resonance disorders occur when airflow or sound vibration through the oral and nasal cavities is disrupted, often due to structural anomalies such as cleft palate. Therapy focuses on improving resonance balance and speech clarity.
Acquired Language Disorders (Aphasia)
Acquired language disorders often result from neurological events such as stroke or traumatic brain injury. Therapy supports the recovery of language comprehension, expression, reading, and writing abilities.
Motor Speech Disorders (Dysarthria and Apraxia)
Motor speech disorders affect the coordination and execution of speech movements. The therapist applies targeted exercises to enhance motor planning, muscle strength, and articulation precision.
To access the Speech and Language Therapy services available within the Medicana Health Group, please visit our affiliated branches offering comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic care for communication and swallowing disorders.
