Speech Pathology Week is about promoting the great work speech pathologists do. More than 1.1 million Australians have a communication or a swallowing disorder that impacts on their daily life.
A speech pathologist helps diagnose and treat communication disorders. They help people that may suffer with problems such as: speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills and stuttering. They also may work with people that have suffered from a stroke, brain injuries, learning disabilities, cerebral palsy and dementia to name a few. They can also play a fundamental role in infants to school age children’s speech development.
People who experience difficulties swallowing food and drink safely can also be helped by a speech pathologist.
You don’t need a GP referral to see a speech pathologist but talking to your GP or child and family health nurse is a good place to start if you’re worried.
