Speech Therapy Can Help with Speech and Language Problems

Remember Elmer Fudd and his constant laugh-getting way of saying ‘wascally wabbit’? Of course you do – and surely you laughed with him, as did good old Bugs Bunny. Regardless of the humor in the cartoon though, actual speech-language disorders are far from funny. Kids are harsh with each other and can cause great emotional trauma through teasing and much more. There are roughly 5 percent of all school-age kids that have some form of language disorder. There are two main categories, speech disorders and language disorders (as broken down by the American Speech Language Hearing Association)

Understanding Speech Disorders

When talking about speech disorders, the areas that normally are discussed are the following: articulation, stuttering, pitch problems, volume, slurred speech, and vocal quality.

Language Disorders – What Are They?

Language disorders are categorized as receptive or expressive. A receptive disorder occurs when there are problems understanding language, while expressive disorders make it difficult to put words together, develop vocabulary, use language appropriately. People with an expressive disorder have trouble saying what they want to say.

There Is Help

The best source of help is to contact a professional speech-language therapist. They have the training and knowledge to not only identify what the problems are, but they can use various testing methods to identify the communication problems.

So, What Will A Therapist Do For you?

One-on-One sessions are typical and will include the use of proven techniques that improve language, cognitive capabilities, and voice abilities. The therapist will typically use teaching methods that encourage and develop correct pronunciation. This is done through modeling, exercises, and repetition. For maximum value and success, it is good to start working with a therapist early and to continue until maximum results have been acquired.

Can You Help Me?

There are countless reasons that a speech and language problem may have developed. Even if your situation is not listed here, there may be a way for a speech therapist to help you. Just to get you an idea, here are some areas that a speech therapist will typically help: cleft palate, autism, deaf or partial hearing problems, learning disabilities and developmental delays, weak or under-developed oral muscles, and even brain injuries.

If you want to get started, Karen Barta is a Speech Therapist in Littleton, Colorado. She provides services to help with slurred speech and so much more!

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