What Are the Various Speech Therapy Techniques?

Many of us will not know the importance of speech therapy until anyone in our family or friends develops the problem. Speech therapy can be given for speech delay, language problems, stammering conditions, and other minor issues. Therefore, various speech and language therapy techniques help patients combat their problems and achieve their goals easily. The art of communication is very essential in an individual's professional and social life, and thus it is necessary to resolve any communication problems during the early stages of life. In the article below, let us discuss a few of the most effective and innovative speech therapy techniques.

An Overview of Speech and Language Therapy

Previously, speech therapy pointed out speech disorders like lisps, stutters, etc. But in today's world, speech and language therapy is a specialized field that is multifaceted and capable of covering numerous disorders which are related to language, cognitive and social communication incapability.

1. Language disorder- When a person cannot understand and express their basic views, feelings, ideas, and thoughts, they are said to have a language disorder. It can manifest itself in both verbal and oral forms.
2. Cognitive disorder- This is a broad category that includes problems with problem-solving, remembering, and organizing thoughts to lead a normal life. These issues may result from other health problems like brain injury, stroke, Parkinson's, dementia, etc.
3. Social communication disorder- Certain people with speech and language problems find it difficult to perform their day-to-day communications like greeting, asking questions, narrating stories, etc.

Also Read: What to Expect During Speech Evaluation for Therapy in Adults?

Speech and Language Therapy for Autism in Kids

Autism is a major problem with several speech disorders like repeating words, shrieking, humming, etc. It is possible to improve the basic communication skills of autistic patients with the best speech and language therapy which enhances their social life. Speech pathologists in Chennai and Bangalore use one or more of the following techniques to treat autistic kids. The therapists:

• Use picture boards to communicate when words are very difficult for the kid.
• Teach various signs for effective communication.
• Compose songs that match the flow of sentences or rhythm.

The techniques mentioned above improve the nonverbal and verbal communication abilities of autistic children in the long run effectively. However, the key factor for immediate and best results is the involvement of the patient's family with the treatment.

Elaborate Explanation on Different Speech and Language Therapy Techniques

A speech therapist starts every treatment with a comprehensive assessment to determine the skills of the patients. The therapist understands where the patient needs strengthening and provides the right speech and language therapy. They use several techniques to improve language and speech skills with a personalized treatment plan. The treatment is dependent on the patient's responsiveness to therapy, type of disorder, age, and other underlying medical conditions. Let us see each of the common speech therapy strategies in detail below.

Articulation Therapy

Articulation therapy is an approach where the patient will be asked to articulate different parts of speech and produce specific sounds properly. This speech and language therapy pattern will resolve speech problems developed because of injury and illness. For kids, games are exclusively designed to make their learning scenario more fun. The games offer positive results in a few weeks, and the articulation drills encourage the patients to work on their own sounds independently.

Oral Motor Therapy

Oral motor therapy concentrates on the body parts that aid with speech. It includes the muscles around the mouth and everything else that contributes to better communication skills. This particular speech and language therapy contain exercises to strengthen the muscles that control speech. Exercising the muscles in and around the mouth helps patients who have speech disabilities because of injuries or ailments. As an added advantage, leading speech therapy centers in Chennai use oral motor therapy to treat swallowing and eating problems.

Language Intervention Therapy

Language intervention therapy helps people with speech delays or language disabilities. It is a formal approach that focuses on patients making them pronounce the words properly. The whole idea of this speech and language therapy is to encourage the patient to frame sentences coherently. SLPs use role-playing games and other similar activities to treat patients.

VitalStim Therapy

VitalStim is a method where electric stimulation is given along the neck of the patient to treat speech problems. People affected with stroke develop an inability to eat, swallow, speak and drink. This is known as dysphagia, and VitalStim speech and language therapy can work in tandem with various other therapies to regain the patient's ability to speak effectively. Leading speech therapy clinics in Chennai teach exercises to perform along with VitalStim to speed up the recovery process.

LSVT or Lee Silverman Speech Therapy

LSVT is a comprehensive speech and language therapy used to improve patients' speech by addressing issues with their speech volume. Thus, this is a treatment for more than just improving speech ability. It is also seen to improve facial expression and strengthen the laryngeal muscles, thereby improving vocal control.

Modeling Techniques

Modeling techniques are another effective technique to treat speech problems. it contains self-talk, recasting, praise, and expansion. Let us see the approach of each aspect.

1. Recasting- Repeating what the child utters in a correct manner or language.
2. Self-talk- Talking about all actions, what you feel, see, and hear.
3. Expansion- Adding extra words to the sentences to correct the sentence structure, grammar, or speech sound.
4. Praise- Responding verbally or non-verbally to every attempt of the child.

This speech and language therapy is very effective when the patient pays attention to what the therapist says. However, when a parent is offering speech treatment to a child, they have to:

• Speak clearly at a slow pace
• Use short sentences
• Model the target correctly
• Practice in a quiet environment without any distraction
• Avoid repeating the errors of the child

End-note
JOGO's digital therapeutics solution offers effective treatments for complex speech problems. Though numerous advanced techniques emerge exponentially in big cities like Chennai, dedicated psychologists and practitioners must contribute their service to help people regain confidence and combat their communication problems.