Educational Articles
The Role of Speech Therapy in Chronic Health Conditions and Rehabilitation
Speech language pathologists (also known as speech therapists) work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in all ages.
Speech therapists can be found working in schools, outpatient clinics, hospitals, assisted living and skilled nursing and rehabilitation centers like Dove Healthcare, and even in your own home.
Speech therapy can be traced back to a few different moments in history. First, 18th century England focused on perfecting speech through elocution, which was imperative for politicians and public speakers. When the idea of speech perfection came to the United States, its focus evolved into helping those with speech, language, and communication disorders.
In the mid-1900s, with so many Veterans returning from the war with head injuries, addressing cognitive-communication deficits became the main role for speech therapists nationwide. Speech therapy continued to evolve into the field that it is today, covering a wide range of disorders.
· Articulation Disorders: Difficulty producing specific sounds or sound combinations.
· Fluency Disorders: Stuttering or other interruptions in the flow of speech.
· Voice Disorders: Problems with vocal quality, pitch, or loudness.
· Dysarthria: Weakness or paralysis of the muscles involved in speech production, leading to slurred or unclear speech.
· Apraxia: Difficulty planning and coordinating the movements needed for speech, even with intact muscles.
· Aphasia: Difficulty understanding or expressing language, often resulting from brain damage.
· Cognitive-Communication Disorders: Problems with higher-level communication skills, such as organization, memory, and problem-solving related to language.
· Dysphagia: Difficulty swallowing food, liquids, or saliva.
· Cognitive impairments: such as memory, attention, and problem-solving.
Article contributed by Regional Assistant Director of Rehabilitation Emily Erickson
Contact us about outpatient and inpatient therapy:
- info@dovehealthcare.com
- 715-723-9348 ext. 1250
- https://www.dovehealthcare.com/rehabilitation.phtml
Sources: Gorenberg, Blair. "The History of Speech Therapy." The Therapy Place, 1 June 2022, www.therapyplacenj.com/the-history-of-speech-therapy/.professional,
Cleveland Clinic medical. "How Do I Know If I Need Speech Therapy?" Cleveland Clinic, 14 Feb. 2025, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22366-speech-therapy.
