Adult speech therapy: How can a speech pathologist help me?

Often, the term ‘speech pathology’ generates images of clinicians treating children for things like lisps, stuttering, and other articulation disorders. However, the reality is that speech pathologists specialise in a wide range of areas, from birth to aged care.

There are many disability centres in Melbourne that offer adult speech pathology as part of their services. But what exactly is involved in these services, and can they help you or your loved one?

Here are a few common areas adult speech pathologists treat.

Language disorders

Often a result of conditions such as stroke, language difficulties are an extremely common side effect of injuries to the language areas of the brain. The patient may struggle to fully comprehend what is being said to them, or conversely, they may struggle to hold a conversation as they can no longer easily access the words they need.

Language disorders are known as ‘aphasia’. Speech pathologists work closely with the patient and their family to work out the type and severity of their aphasia and come up with ways to make communicating easier. This may involve active therapy to retrain the language areas of the brain, or assistance such as visual aids to help get their message across.

Speech disorders

Not to be confused with language disorders, speech disorders refer to difficulties in clearly articulating oneself due to damage to the nerves responsible for speech. Herein, the patient may sound slurred or mix up their letters, which can cause frustration and communication breakdowns. This is often the result of brain tumours, stroke, Parkinson’s disease, cerebral palsy, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), and muscular dystrophy.

There are two types of speech disorder: apraxia (which is where the tongue and lips cannot move in the correct way) and dysarthria (which is where the speech muscles are weakened due to brain damage). To treat these disorders, clinicians will train the patient’s muscles in their mouth, lips and tongue, while also teaching helpful strategies to enhance the patient’s clarity.

Cognitive-communication disorders

These types of disorders involve impaired functioning of one or more cognitive processes, namely: memory, attention, insight and judgment, orientation, processing speed, problem-solving, reasoning, and language. Conditions such as stroke, traumatic brain injury and dementia are common causes of cognitive-communication disorders in adults, resulting in difficulties performing everyday activities in a safe and efficient way.

Cognitive-communication disorders can be treated using exercises to train specific cognitive processes, practice tasks that gradually build more independence, and memory strategies. Other common treatments include compensatory strategies, such as smartphone apps and routines and schedules.

Swallowing disorders

When someone cannot safely eat or drink as they used to, they are suffering from a swallowing disorder. This means food and liquids are not travelling along the correct anatomical pathways to end up in the stomach. Difficulties might occur in the mouth while chewing and moving food around; in the throat where the airway needs to be closed off to avoid coughing and choking; or as food and drink enters the oesophagus. Swallowing disorders can result from conditions such as stroke, brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, cerebral palsy, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer in the mouth, throat or oesophagus, and head and neck injuries.

The technical term for swallowing disorders is ‘dysphagia’. To treat dysphagia, speech pathologists may teach patients different health exercises to retrain the swallowing muscles needed for safely chewing and swallowing, as well as modify their current diet to ensure danger-zone food and drink is avoided.