Who Needs A Speech Language Pathologist?

When I was a kid, I went to a speech language pathologist (SLP) for help pronouncing my /r/ and /s/ sounds. It didn't take many sessions for my speech to clear up and off I went. In time, I learned that SLP's do so much more than just help kiddos speak clearly! We work with people across the lifespan to facilitate many functions that are often taken for granted - communicating, swallowing, thinking, playing, eating, hearing, and more. Can you imagine struggling with just one of those areas? I absolutely fell in love with the difference we get to make in people's lives.

During my career, I've been lucky to work with all kinds of people in all kinds of settings. Here are some favorite moments that make me feel like the luckiest SLP in the world:

• Coaching a mom to use simple sign language with her late talking kiddo so he could express basic needs and wants and reduce his frustration and tantrum behavior

• Helping a man who had a stroke be able to tell his wife he loves her

• Teaching the family of a man with Parkinson's Disease how to safely feed him as his function deteriorated

• Guiding a student on the Autism Spectrum through the tricky world of social skills to help her connect with peers and enjoy quality friendships

• Educating nurses on the signs and symptoms of swallowing trouble so they could keep their patients safe

• Building a communication device for a man who had a stroke so he could express the thoughts and needs that wouldn't come out as clear speech

• Strengthening safety awareness and cognitive skills so a young main could return to independence following his traumatic brain injury

• Providing community education and advocacy to help someone with expressive aphasia (his words get "stuck") be respected as the intelligent man he still was following his stroke

If you or someone you care for has ever needed an SLP, you already understand the vast scope of our practice and the positive difference we can make. I wish everyone who struggled with these essential everyday functions could know that help is available!