Speech and Language Therapy

Speech and language therapists (SLTs) help children overcome developmental challenges in play, speech, language and learning.

Speech and Language therapy helps children who are struggling with and helps to develop their abilities in:

 

• Pronunciation and talking: listening and hearing speech sounds; saying sounds; linking sounds together into words and sentences; fluency and smoothness of speech; voice quality; phonological awareness skills; sounding out words and spelling.

 

SLTs work closely with babies, children and adults who have various levels of speech, language and communication problems, and with those who have swallowing, drinking or eating difficulties.

 

Therapists assess the needs of the child before developing individual treatment programmes to enable each child to improve as much as possible.

Treatment plans often involve other people with whom the child has a close relationship, for example family, carers or teachers.

SLTs usually work as part of a large team, alongside other health professionals such as:

• Doctors;
• Nurses;
• Psychologists;
• Physiotherapists;
• Occupational therapists.

They may also liaise with professionals in education and social services.