Speech therapist

"Speech therapists are professionals who work on the prevention, detection, diagnosis, and therapy of disorders related to verbal and/or non-verbal communication, as well as oral-laryngeal function disorders, in individuals of all age groups. Their work aligns with the regulations and programs outlined by the World Health Organization (WHO), the European Speech and Language Therapy Association (ESLA), and the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)."

Croatian Speech-Language Therapy Association (HLD)

If deviations occur in communication and/or language-speech development or in swallowing and feeding abilities, it is important to recognize them in time and seek speech therapy support. Early detection of speech and language disorders and timely inclusion in speech therapy can prevent the development of more significant difficulties and/or alleviate existing ones.

A speech therapist at the Silver Center supports children (early childhood, preschool, and school-age) and adults through professional assessment services (speech-language diagnostics) and psychosocial support (individual and group therapy and counseling), as well as early developmental support for younger children. In doing so, they often collaborate with other professionals such as psychologists, special educators-rehabilitators, and sensory integration therapists.

For the therapeutic process to be as effective as possible, cooperation with parents and the user's family is essential. This involvement includes being informed about all phases, methods, and progress of the therapy process, as well as receiving guidance on ways to stimulate communication and language-speech skills, pre-reading and writing skills, and swallowing and feeding skills at home and in everyday activities outside the therapeutic setting.

SPEECH-LANGUAGE DIAGNOSTICS

Speech-language diagnostics is conducted to determine the intensity of therapy and define therapeutic goals. The purpose of speech-language diagnostics is to assess the user's current communication and/or language-speech status.

For speech-language assessment, individual professional observation is used, along with standardized diagnostic tests and internal assessment materials. After analyzing the collected data and consulting with parents, a speech-language report and opinion are prepared. This report serves as the foundation for defining therapeutic and developmental goals, as well as the dynamics of speech therapy itself.

• Speech-language diagnostics – Includes an assessment of communication and language-speech development, and, if necessary, an evaluation of swallowing and feeding abilities.

• Team assessment – Includes evaluations by a speech therapist, psychologist, and/or sensory integration therapist.

SPEECH THERAPY

Following speech-language diagnostics, speech therapy begins.

Therapeutic goals are individually tailored for each user. Each therapy session lasts 45 minutes, occurring once or twice per week (depending on the user's age, type of difficulty, and the speech therapist's assessment) over a minimum period of six months. Since parents play a crucial role in the therapeutic process, up to 15 minutes is allocated after each session for discussion and counseling.

The duration and outcome of speech therapy depend on the type and severity of the difficulties, regular attendance at sessions, and the work of the user or parents with the child at home following the speech therapist's guidance. It is crucial for parents to understand and accept their child's difficulties while aligning their expectations with the child's actual abilities.

TYPES OF DIFFICULTIES ADDRESSED BY THE SPEECH THERAPIST:

• Social communication disorder and autism spectrum disorder

• Language disorders (language development delay, developmental language disorder, aphasia)

• Speech sound disorders (articulation disorder, phonological disorder, childhood apraxia of speech)

• Fluency disorders (cluttering, stuttering)

• Voice and resonance disorders (e.g., cleft palate, professional voice users, laryngectomy)

• Motor speech disorders (dysarthria, acquired speech dyspraxia)

• Hearing impairment (hearing loss 26–93 dB / deafness above 93 dB)

• Auditory processing disorder (normal hearing but difficulties understanding speech in noise, binaural listening challenges, etc.)

• Specific learning disorders (dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia)

• Communication, language, speech, or swallowing difficulties as part of other developmental or genetic conditions (intellectual disabilities, selective mutism, ADHD, etc.)

• Cognitive-communication disorders (following traumatic brain injuries or neurodegenerative diseases such as dementia)

• Swallowing disorders (dysphagia)