What exactly is a Speech Therapist?

The term “speech therapist” is kind of like calling your “smartphone” a “phone.” It doesn’t really tell you all the stuff it can do!

A speech-language pathologist (or SLP for short) is a professional who evaluates and treats children and adults who have difficulty with communication and swallowing disorders. They are often called “speech therapists” for short.

First things first: There is a huge variety of communication disorders. But we usually break them up into two big categories, speech or language. Most people think of “speech” and “language” as the same thing, but the terms actually have very different meanings.

“Speech” refers to the “how” of talking – coordinating the muscles and movements needed for sounds that we call speech. For an SLP, this could include a person who says “wabbit” for “rabbit” or someone who has a breathy or strained voice after a stroke (and everything in between).

Language is how we put messages together to express ourselves and also how we understand someone else’s message. For an SLP, this might work with an 18-month-old who only says 1-word, a school age child who struggles in the classroom, with adults who have survived different health events such as strokes or traumatic brain injuries.

Swallowing food and liquid sounds pretty simple, right? Most of the time it is. But when something goes wrong, it can have devastating impacts on the person’s life. For infants, this might be learning how to suck on a bottle or tolerate different food textures. For adults, it might mean learning special postures or strategies to make sure they can eat safely without choking.

What do SLP’s treat?

SPEECH

Articulation: how we say sounds
Phonology: the speech patterns that we use
Apraxia: difficulty planning and coordinating speech movements
Fluency: stuttering & cluttering
Voice: how the voice sounds (like hoarse or breathy)
Oral-motor disorders: weak tongue and/or lip muscles

LANGUAGE

Receptive language: understanding of language
Expressive language: using language
Pragmatic language: social communication & the way we use language with others

SWALLOWING DISORDERS

Dysphagia: difficulty chewing and/or swallowing
Feeding disorders: problems with sucking, eating from a spoon, etc.

Where do SLP’s Work?

SLP’s see patients in many different settings like schools, hospitals, nursing homes and private clinics. They also work in universities, government agencies, and health departments. SLP’s may specialize in working with children or adults, and some SLP’s may see patients of all ages.

At Belmar Therapy, our therapists can see clients at their pre-school, in their home, in one of Albuquerque’s many wonderful parks or libraries, or at our clinic. We work primarily with children.

How do I Find an SLP?

This website: https://www.asha.org/findpro/ provides a national directory of certified SLPs.

The term certified means that the SLP has earned a Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) which means the person has shown they are skilled at giving therapy for speech, language, and swallowing disorders. This certificate is earned through the hundreds of hours of education and practice; it is issued by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). A qualified speech therapist will likely have a Master’s Degree and some form of state licensure.

If your child is of school age, your local public school district may be able to provide some services for free even if your child is in pre-school or a private school. This is usually done through a special education office.

Here are the phone numbers as of January 2022 for our local districts:

Albuquerque Public Schools, Special Education 505-855-9900
Los Lunas Schools, Special Services 505-865-9636
Rio Rancho Public Schools, Special Services 505-896-0667

Your family physician should also be able to recommend an SLP. Health insurance can typically cover the costs of speech therapy.

What if my child uses two or more languages?

Speaking two languages is a gift, never a weakness.

Unfortunately in the past, many SLP’s believed that being bilingual could confuse a child with a disability. Many modern scientific research studies have shown that being bilingual is an advantage and does not cause nor worsen speech and language delays.

Ideally a bilingual child will be evaluated and treated in both languages; there may be some limited circumstances in which evaluation/treatment is only needed in one language.

Regrettably, few SLP’s are bilingual. SLP’s should use an interpreter/translator to work with your child if they do not speak your child’s language(s).

Parents and family members of the child should use any language in which they feel comfortable expressing themselves, even if it is different from the language spoken in the child’s school or community.

At Belmar Therapy, we speak fluent Spanish. We know there are many other languages spoken across New Mexico, and our therapists were specially trained at the University of New Mexico to work with linguistic diversity.

What Should I Expect at My Child’s First Appointment?

During your first visit, the SLP will start gathering information to help them understand your child’s struggles and strengths.

They will likely give you lots of questionnaires and forms to complete. Some of these will be very similar to ones you see at a doctor’s office, but others will ask specific questions about your child’s developmental history and their communication milestones. For example, you may be asked about their first words, what their speech sounds like, which words they use, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and other things related to communication.

The SLP will also spend time with your child. They will likely do some things like naming toys, pointing to pictures, and engaging in pretend play. These tests will likely feel like games to your child, to help keep them engaged and relaxed.

Some tests are standardized and they help SLP’s compare your child’s skills to other children of the same age. Some tests are non-standardized, and they give the SLP information about your child’s strengths and areas of need. Both are important parts of an evaluation.

What Questions Should I Ask the SLP?

Before the appointment…

What ages do you work with?
What is your specialty area?
How soon can you see my child?
What types of payment and/or insurance do you accept?
Is there a wait list for treatment?
Do you have your CCC and state license?

During the Appointment…

When will I get the results?
Can you share the results with my…(doctor, child’s school, etc)?
Do you recommend therapy?
Why or why not?
How will this affect my child’s education?

If your child needs therapy…

What will occur during therapy?
How often is therapy suggested?
Can I be involved in the sessions?
How will you monitor progress?
Where can I learn more about how to help my child?