Speech Therapy in Canada
When it comes to speech and communication, there are various considerations for treatment with speech therapy being one of the most common. In Canada, around one out of ten Canadians has a language, speech, and hearing condition, with the need for speech-language pathologists ever so dire. Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP) are speech professionals who identify, diagnose and treat speech and communication problems in both children and adults.
Most speech and communication problems are often tied to swallowing and pronunciation difficulties, and Speech-Language Pathologists aim to assist their patients to tackle these issues through a customized treatment plan schedule.
Speech difficulties do not allow people to communicate using spoken words, making communication a barrier. But what causes speech difficulties in both children and adults?
· Developmental disabilities
Changes or inability to develop in speech and language in one’s life trajectory can influence a child’s ability to understand and use language as a means of communication. This can be spotted in early child development where the child struggles with the formation of sentences and in most cases rarely uses language to communicate. Early detection of developmental disabilities can be diagnosed by the Speech-Language Pathologist and treated as the child grows up.
· Muscular paralysis
Sometimes the muscles that help individuals to develop speech might be damaged, paralyzed, or weakened. This is most commonly due to some speech disorders or simply an impairment with their tongue or voice box. Such a situation can warrant immediate treatment in speech therapy.
· Brain injuries
Several neurological disorders might cause speech impairment and affect language and communication. For instance, conditions such as nerve injury in the brain, brain tumors, or head injuries can lead to speech problems if not detected early in advance.
· Structural abnormalities
Functional and structural disorders in the brain hugely affect speech and communication. Motor disorders may render a child or adult incapable of oral speech thus leading them towards speech therapy.
Speech therapy and how it works
Speech-Language Pathologists are health professionals whose work is to treat and support individuals struggling with speech disorders. The Speech-Language Pathologist aims in assessing the patient to identify the type of speech problems and difficulties they might have.
After the assessment, the SLP will engage the patient with exercises and activities that are therapeutic in offering treatment towards the identified condition. These activities vary depending on the patient’s age. Some of these activities are:
· Mouth exercises
Speech-Language Pathologists conduct mouth exercises for their patients who’s aim is to strengthen the muscles in the mouth and assist in pronunciation and speech. These exercises include moving the jaw, tongue, and lip to help condition taut and immobile muscles to move freely and seamlessly prompting speech.
· Language skills
The SLP may employ the use of pictures, books, and items to help stimulate the patient’s thought process and guide them to forming words and develop their language. The SLP may go a step further and focus on particular items through repetition to help the patient increase their language skills and strive to communicate about the object displayed.
· Swallowing and feeding therapy
Most speech problems are associated with swallowing and feeding either through underlying diseases or just weak muscles. A patient with speech issues may have lost function with their swallowing reflexes, therefore, losing touch of their oral awareness. By encouraging patients to feed and swallow slowly and promptly, the muscles in the mouth will be strengthened prompting the formation of words and enhancing communication.
· Pronunciation and articulation
By encouraging the patient to communicate and converse fluently, SLP ensures the patient is articulate and can pronounce words well through identifying sounds and intonation.
· Social communication
This activity is mostly for adults to assist them in social settings where they might have speech difficulties due to memory or lack of conversation. The SLP will employ methods in social interaction and engage them in instances where they have to communicate in the presence of company.
Speech-Language Pathologists work with other professionals in schools, hospitals, research centers, and rehabilitation centers to come up with customized treatment plans for their patients. A consultation with these professionals will help them develop a well-rounded treatment plan that aims to cover their patients in all aspects of their lives.
How to become a speech therapist in Canada
To become a Speech-Language Pathologist in Canada, one is required to have completed a four-year Bachelor’s degree program from a recognized university and meet the eleven requirements for a Master’s program in speech pathology.
The candidate should have finished a minimum of four prerequisites in human psychology, phonetics, and child development, and also be registered with a regulatory body for speech pathologists and audiologists within Canada.
General membership in the Canadian National Association of Speech-Language Pathologists is also required to be able to keep up with emerging trends in the speech therapy industry. Different provinces in Canada require registration to a regulatory body. It is advisable to enquire about this in the different province one comes from.
Lastly, there is volunteer work to be completed which will help shape the SLP’s career and give them the much-needed experience required to practice. This volunteer placement also helps in discerning whether the Speech Pathologist career may be for you.
Trends in speech therapy
Speech therapy can now be accessed virtually and is readily available on the web. This has helped meet the growing concerns of social distancing over the last year and encouraged patients to register and seek treatment despite them being far away from physical locations.
Virtual speech therapy requires the patient to have a microphone and table internet connection to be connected with professional Speech-Language Pathologists. The SLPs conduct assessments through a series of QnA’s which understand the patient better to enable them to form a customized treatment plan.
The convenience and privacy of the virtual speech therapy sessions have seen numerous patients register and begin treatment regardless of their location. These sessions are also time-saving as time is needed for commuting utilized for treatment. Clients in remote areas also
benefit from these services as they can access professional treatment from the comfort of their homes.
