What is a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP)?
A specialist who evaluates and treats communication disorders (articulation, language, voice, fluency, oral motor, and swallowing difficulties) that affect a student's ability to communicate. A speech-language pathologist is sometimes called a speech therapist or speech pathologist.
http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/communicationdevelopment.htm
http://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/communicationdevelopment.htm
Areas of Concern:
Articulation (sounds):
The ability to make sounds clearly. Children learn correct sound pronunciation by listening and imitating appropriate speech role models. Articulation develops gradually over the first 8 years of life.
Age Norms for Speech Sounds:
Age 3 years: p, m, n, w, h
Age 4 years: b, k, g, f, d, y
Age 6 years: ng, t, l, r
Age 7 years: sh, ch, j, voiceless th (ex. thumb)
Age 8 years: v, s, z, voiced th (ex. this)
**a frontal lisp of /s/ and /z/ so that these sounds sound like /th/ is considered developmental until age 8.
**a lateral lisp of /s/ and /z/ - the sounds appear to be coming out the sides of the mouth or teeth – very “spitty” sounding – is not developmental and should be referred prior to age 8.
A child can make the following articulation errors when producing speech sounds:
Substitutions:
Definition: Replace one sound with another sound.
Examples: “wed” for “red,” “thoap” for “soap,” “dut,” for “duck”
Omissions (also known as deletions):
Definition: Omit a sound in a word.
Note: This error affects intelligibility the most, making speech more
difficult for the listener(s) to understand.
Examples: “p ay the piano” for “play the piano”, “g een nake” for
“green snake”
Distortions:
Definition: Produce a sound in an unfamiliar manner.
Examples: “pencil” (nasalized—sounds more like an “m”) for “pencil,”
“sun” (lisped—sounds “slushy”) for “sun”
Additions:
Definition: Insert an extra sound within a word.
Examples: “buhlack horse” for “black horse,” “doguh,” for “dog”
Age Norms for Speech Sounds:
Age 3 years: p, m, n, w, h
Age 4 years: b, k, g, f, d, y
Age 6 years: ng, t, l, r
Age 7 years: sh, ch, j, voiceless th (ex. thumb)
Age 8 years: v, s, z, voiced th (ex. this)
**a frontal lisp of /s/ and /z/ so that these sounds sound like /th/ is considered developmental until age 8.
**a lateral lisp of /s/ and /z/ - the sounds appear to be coming out the sides of the mouth or teeth – very “spitty” sounding – is not developmental and should be referred prior to age 8.
A child can make the following articulation errors when producing speech sounds:
Substitutions:
Definition: Replace one sound with another sound.
Examples: “wed” for “red,” “thoap” for “soap,” “dut,” for “duck”
Omissions (also known as deletions):
Definition: Omit a sound in a word.
Note: This error affects intelligibility the most, making speech more
difficult for the listener(s) to understand.
Examples: “p ay the piano” for “play the piano”, “g een nake” for
“green snake”
Distortions:
Definition: Produce a sound in an unfamiliar manner.
Examples: “pencil” (nasalized—sounds more like an “m”) for “pencil,”
“sun” (lisped—sounds “slushy”) for “sun”
Additions:
Definition: Insert an extra sound within a word.
Examples: “buhlack horse” for “black horse,” “doguh,” for “dog”
Language:
A person’s ability to understand, to express his or her thoughts, or to be understood. Language covers a wide variety of concepts that an SLP must look at:
Vocabulary - Semantics refers to acquisition of words and their meaning. Vocabulary can be either "receptive" - what you understand, or "expressive - what you are able to use. Some instructional areas might be one or two word concepts, using or understanding verbs, adjectives, prepositions, categorization, definition, words with multiple meanings, analogies, figurative language and implied meanings.
Syntax - Morphology refers to using correct word order and grammar. Some language problems require step by step instruction of plurals, possessives, verb tense, pronouns, Wh-questions, or sentence construction.
Pragmatics refers to actually using language to communicate. Students might need direct instruction on listening, question comprehension, problem solving, conversational skills, taking turns, and exchanging information.
Vocabulary - Semantics refers to acquisition of words and their meaning. Vocabulary can be either "receptive" - what you understand, or "expressive - what you are able to use. Some instructional areas might be one or two word concepts, using or understanding verbs, adjectives, prepositions, categorization, definition, words with multiple meanings, analogies, figurative language and implied meanings.
Syntax - Morphology refers to using correct word order and grammar. Some language problems require step by step instruction of plurals, possessives, verb tense, pronouns, Wh-questions, or sentence construction.
Pragmatics refers to actually using language to communicate. Students might need direct instruction on listening, question comprehension, problem solving, conversational skills, taking turns, and exchanging information.
Voice:
Typically described in terms of three characteristics: pitch, intensity (loudness), and quality (resonance). Pitch may be described as the relative tone of a person's voice—how high or low it is, how monotonous, or how it demonstrates repeated inappropriate pitch patterns. Loudness describes the volume or intensity of a person's voice. Voice quality can be related to how the vocal cords function or how the voice resonates in the oral (mouth), nasal (nose), and pharyngeal (throat) cavities.
Fluency:
Disruptions in the productions of speech sounds. It is characterized by repetitions, pauses, blocks or drawn out syllables, words, and phrases.
Some examples of stuttering include:
"W- W- W- What are you doing?" (Part-word repetition: The person is having difficulty moving from the "w" in "what" to the remaining sounds in the word. On the fourth attempt, he/she successfully completes the word.)
"SSSS tand beside me." (Sound prolongation: The person is having difficulty moving from the "s" in "stand" to the remaining sounds in the word. He/She continues to say the "s" sound until he/she is able to complete the word.)
"I'll be there - um um you know like - around five o'clock." (A series of interjections: The person expects to have difficulty smoothly joining the word "there" with the word "around." In response to the anticipated difficulty, he/she produces several interjections until he/she is able to say the word "around" smoothly.)
Some examples of stuttering include:
"W- W- W- What are you doing?" (Part-word repetition: The person is having difficulty moving from the "w" in "what" to the remaining sounds in the word. On the fourth attempt, he/she successfully completes the word.)
"SSSS tand beside me." (Sound prolongation: The person is having difficulty moving from the "s" in "stand" to the remaining sounds in the word. He/She continues to say the "s" sound until he/she is able to complete the word.)
"I'll be there - um um you know like - around five o'clock." (A series of interjections: The person expects to have difficulty smoothly joining the word "there" with the word "around." In response to the anticipated difficulty, he/she produces several interjections until he/she is able to say the word "around" smoothly.)
Oral Motor:
Relating to the muscles of the mouth and/or mouth movements. SLP's assess movements and placements of the oral structures (lips, tongue, teeth, hard palate, soft palate, and tonsils).
Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia):
It takes more time and effort to move food or liquid from your mouth to your stomach. Swallowing difficulties can occur in different phases.
Oral Phase--sucking, chewing, and moving food or liquid around into the throat.
Pharyngeal Phase--starting the swallow, squeezing the food down the throat, and closing off the airway to prevent the food or liquid from entering the airway (aspiration) or to prevent choking.
Esophageal Phase--relaxing and tightening the openings of at the top and bottom of the feeding tube in the throat (esophagus) and squeezing the food through the esophagus into the stomach.
Oral Phase--sucking, chewing, and moving food or liquid around into the throat.
Pharyngeal Phase--starting the swallow, squeezing the food down the throat, and closing off the airway to prevent the food or liquid from entering the airway (aspiration) or to prevent choking.
Esophageal Phase--relaxing and tightening the openings of at the top and bottom of the feeding tube in the throat (esophagus) and squeezing the food through the esophagus into the stomach.