A speech-language therapist is a professional who is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) and who has completed at least a four year honours degree at a relevant university. Speech-language therapists work in private practice, schools, hospital settings (both private and government) and rehabilitation centres.
Many people think that the role of the speech-language therapist is to help people speak. While this may be true, there is much more that we are also trained to do.
Language is the medium through which people communicate and school work is taught and assessed. Thus a speech-language therapist focuses on all aspects of speech and language skills that are used for communication whether it is at home, at nursery school or in the classroom. The main areas include: expressive and receptive language, storytelling, auditory processing and reading skills, language stimulation, grammar, and sentence construction according to the age and cognitive abilities of the child.
Although speech-language therapists deal with both speech and language disorders affecting both adults and children, at Calligaro & King ,we specialise in dealing with children who have speech and/or language difficulties including:
A first appointment is usually set up so that the speech-language therapist can get to know the family, the child and the reported concerns.
The assessment usually begins with a detailed case history being taken which includes a discussion about the nature, onset and development of the speech-language difficulties, medical history, birth history, the child’s early development, developmental milestones, feeding development and schooling.
A full speech-language assessment is then conducted using formal tests which are scored according to norms (what other children of the same age are able to achieve) if the child is old enough to complete the tests.
For younger children, assessments are usually conducted through more informal means, observations and parent reports.
Feedback is then given to the parents which includes a discussion of the difficulties noted, recommendations for therapy, other assessments required, e.g. Occupational therapy, neurological assessments etc. A detailed report is then written documenting the results and recommendations discussed in the assessment.
The frequency and intensity of speech-language therapy will then be discussed as well as the introduction of a home programme and/or regular homework which will be given at each therapy session. Therapy sessions can be conducted at the child’s school if appropriate or at the practice. Contact with parents, teachers and other professionals is vital so that all aspects of the child’s development can be addressed as necessary. Reports are also written at regular intervals to document progress and to determine if further therapy is indicated.
As Rossetti says: “If it draws attention, pay attention.”
If you are concerned at any stage of your child’s development contact a speech-language therapist to evaluate your child’s speech and language.
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