SLP

Language

• A structured system that can be written, spoken, and signed.

• It includes how we say things, what we say, and what we understand.

Language

Speech

Speech

• The oral communication of language
• How we say sounds and words

Speech

Dysphagia

• The medical term used to describe difficulties with swallowing.

• Some individuals struggle to swallow certain foods or liquids and others are unable to swallow at all.

Swallowing

Patient 1

Example 1

• 8 year old client with a diagnosis of Autism spectrum disorder
• Difficulty making eye contact
• Challenges socializing with peers
• Minimal verbal language, uses mainly 1-2 word utterances and becomes frustrated when her listener does not understand her message
• Uses a speech generating device (SGD) to supplement verbal language

Patient 2

Example 2

• 30 year old man who stutters
• Diagnosed with a stutter at age 5
• Often switches out words that he thinks he might stutter on
• Sometimes uses interjections such as "um" "like" and "uh" to increase fluency
• Is transitioning to a new job and is concerned about how his coworkers will perceive him due to his stutter

Patient 3

Example 3

• 45 year old woman with muscle tension dysphonia (MTD)
• She complains of increased hoarseness, occasional voice loss and discomfort at the end of the day
• She works as a teacher and has heavy voice use
• Hopes to regain the prior quality of her voice and decrease the discomfort that comes from talking

Patient 4

Example 4

• A 75 year old man with dysphagia secondary to late-stage dementia

• Client struggles to swallow, often coughing when eating and drinking

• Has difficulty chewing and requires a diet that consists primarily of soft foods (mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, etc.)

Patient 5

• Premature infant in the NICU
• Challenges with feeding due to cleft palate
• Parent instruction in feeding techniques, positioning, and specialized cleft bottle and nipple

Example 5

Educational Settings

Educational settings include:

• Early Intervention (children from birth-5 years)
• Elementary School
• Jr. High
• High School

Education

Private Practice

• Some private practices focus entirely on speech therapy while others combine speech therapy with different disciplines such as occupational therapy and physical therapy.

Private Practice

Medical Settings

Medical settings include:

• Hospitals
• Skilled nursing facilities
• Hospital outpatient clinics

Medical

Research and Teaching

Some SLP's choose to continue their education and receive a PhD or SLPD. This often leads to them:

• Conducting research in the field
• Becoming a professor at the undergraduate and graduate level

Research