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Speech vs Language

THE GIST

  • A speech and language pathologist (SLP) handles more than just lisps and stutters

  • SLPs treat all aspects of communication and the communication barriers that people face across the lifespan

  • It is best to consult an SLP sooner rather than later when you have questions or concerns about your loved one’s communication.


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Why Speech Therapy is about More than Speech 

(excerpted from The Gift of Speech by Gabriele S. Nicolet, MA, CCC-SLP)


Earlier in the book, I said I would talk about why “speech therapy” isn’t really the most accurate term to use. I’d like to tell you why and explain some terms you might come across in your child’s journey.

What is the Difference between Speech and Language?

The first difference you need to know about is one you might have already picked up on in the job title: speech and language. What’s the difference? Simply put, speech is the part of communication that comes out of your mouth (the talking part) and language is what happens inside your head (the “thinking” part). If a child sees a picture of a furry creature with a cottontail and big ears and says “wabbit,” that’s a speech problem (depending on the age of the child). If a child sees that same picture and says, “cup,” that’s a language problem. If someone asks the child to get the cup and they bring a spoon, that’s a language problem. I’m oversimplifying, but you get the idea.

Language

Let’s pick those apart even more because it turns out that language is a big topic.

Receptive language is the ability to understand the meanings of spoken words, phrases, sentences, and conversations. Receptive language encompasses things like following directions and knowing what things are called (pointing to body parts, for example, is a display of receptive language knowledge). It also includes the ability to follow and understand a conversation. Receptive language difficulties can involve a child not being able to learn or understand words even though they hear well, getting words or sounds confused, not being able to follow directions, or not being able to follow the meaning of a longer conversation.

Expressive language refers to what we say. The words we use, and how we put them together to form phrases, sentences and conversations is one part. Another part of expressive language includes use of grammar, like verb tenses, plurals, and possessives. Another part of expressive language is the way in which we tell stories (narratives) that should be organized and easy to follow. Problems with expressive language include difficulty learning or remembering new words, not being able to find the words you need as you need them, mixing up the order of a story that you’re trying to tell, or using incorrect verb tenses or grammatical markers like plurals.

Finally, there’s how we use what we understand and say in order to interact with other people. This is called pragmatic language. It is arguably the most important (though most frequently ignored) aspect of spoken communication. Pragmatic language elements include what types of words you use depending on whom you are talking to; how often you talk or interact with others, how long you talk when it’s your “turn,” as well as how you maintain and change topics within a conversation. Problems with pragmatic language are common in (though not exclusive to) autism, and include things like, not looking at the person to whom you are speaking, talking too much during your “turn” in a conversation, not asking questions, not answering questions, and using speech patterns that sound stilted or “off.”

People can have problems with one, two or all three of these aspects of language, and it’s the job of the speech therapist to understand where the weaknesses lie and how to help.

Speech

Within the “speech” bucket, we have articulation (sound production), which refers to how you say certain sounds. A lisp (saying “th” for “s”) is probably the most familiar speech problem and is an example of an issue with articulation, but children can have much more complex and involved problems with speech sound production, encompassing multiple sounds and multiple types of sounds. Another speech problem in childhood is apraxia (also called dyspraxia or childhood apraxia of speech). In apraxia, even though the muscles for speech are working, the child cannot consistently coordinate the movements needed in order to speak. Dysarthria, in which the muscles for speech are weak, can also affect speech production. The speech therapist also evaluates and treats problems with voice (does your voice sound ‘right” for you and is it healthy?), fluency (do you stutter?), and intelligibility (can other people understand what you say?).

The job of a speech therapist encompasses all aspects of human communication: what we say and understand, how and how much we say, what we say and why/when, and to whom. A better title might be “human communication and interaction therapist.” It’s a big job!

Copyright 2019 Gabriele S. Nicolet

Raising Orchids 6-week class is back!


Starting July 8th, myself and the talented Jen Dryer are back at it. Join us while we help parents of neurodiverse children learn tools for improving the relationship with their children and exploring practical strategies for empowering your child to learn new skills, understanding difficult behaviors, supporting your child's independence and sense of confidence, planning for your child's success and troubleshooting difficult situations.


The hour long class runs Wednesdays from 8:30 to 9:30 PM EST and runs from July 8th to August 12th.


Click HERE to sign up for your chance to make things easier for you and your child.


If you have any questions, please reach out to jendryer@parentadvocate.com.