The 6 types of speech therapists (and how they help us)

Do you know the figure of the speech therapist? It is a professional who is dedicated to treating and improving language disorders and disorders. That is, it teaches you to speak better and communicate better, through specialized techniques.

But speech therapy is a very broad field; That is why there are 6 types of speech therapists, each one focused on a specific area. In this article we will know what each specialty consists of and how these professionals can help us.

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Speech therapy: what is it?

The term speech therapy comes from the Greek, and is made up of two words: "logos" (which means "word") and "paideia" (which means education). Thus, speech therapy is the “education of the word”.

It is the science that studies language and hearing disorders that appear in children, adolescents and adults.

Language and communication are two very important elements for cognitive development, which have a lot to do with the brain and thinking. That is why all these elements are connected, and that the speech therapist must know the relationship between the brain and language. But,

What do speech therapists actually do?

What do speech therapists do?

The function of the speech therapist is to treat language disorders, whether due to an alteration in the language development, due to difficulties with articulation, speech, fluency, rhythm, voice, etc.

In turn, it also intervenes in language disorders caused by neurological disorders; These have to do with alterations in reading and writing language and in communication. They appear as a consequence of autism, intellectual disability, other neurodevelopmental disorders, etc.

Thus, broadly speaking, this type of professional develops different activities that allow to prevent, evaluate and language disorders, communication, hearing, voice and non-verbal oral functions (eg swallowing). They can treat people of all ages, from neonates (babies) to the elderly (old age).

The 6 types of speech therapists (and how they help us)

But, What are the 6 types of speech therapists that exist? What characterizes them and how are they different? We are going to know each one of them:

1. Clinical speech therapist

The first of the 6 types of speech therapists that we are going to talk about is the clinical speech therapist. This is the specialized clinical speech therapist, that is, the one who treats language problems derived from an organic disease or previous mental (be it a nervous disease, schizophrenia, tumor, dementia, cerebral palsy, etc).

Thus, it can treat both children and adults; examples of problems that can be treated are: language problems that arise from a previous psychopathology (for example schizophrenia or anxiety), dysphemia (stuttering), heavy speech, joint problems, etc.

2. School speech therapist

The school speech therapist, as her name indicates, works in the school environment. It is precisely in this area that language and communication problems are first detected.

This type of speech therapist usually treats issues of mutism, dysphemia, dyslexia, dyslalia, etc. In addition, their patients may or may not have an associated neurodevelopmental disorder that causes such symptoms, such as an autism spectrum disorder or an intellectual disability.

He also works with students with some sensory deficiency (for example, deafness), enhancing their communication skills. Thus, this type of speech therapist can also work in special education schools (not only ordinary).

3. Geriatric speech therapist

The next of the types of speech therapists is the geriatric speech therapist, which is responsible for intervening with elderly people who have difficulties or alterations in speech (or language) typical of age or other concomitant medical conditions.

That is why they tend to work in more residential and elderly contexts (for example, residences, day centers ...), but also in hospitals. The functions that this type of professional develops in the field of the elderly include: evaluating and intervening in disorders of communication, stimulate oral and written language, teach the use of compensatory strategies to find the right word, etc.

On the other hand, the geriatric speech therapist will also be able to work with the patient on the understanding and expression of complex sentences that may have been reduced by the memory difficulties associated with the old age.

4. Children's speech therapist

The child speech therapist works with children (and sometimes also with adolescents) who have language disorders. This type can overlap with the school and / or clinical speech therapist, if the professional's specialty is childhood.

Language in childhood and adolescence receives great attention, especially in childhood, since it is It is a very important stage, where the child also begins to speak for the first time (around 3 years).

In this case, the child speech therapist usually treats cases of dysphemias, specific language disorder (SLI), alterations in joint (dyslalias), whether the latter are caused by a functional factor or an organic factor (for example, having a lip cleft).

On the other hand, as in previous cases, they also usually treat cases of children with autism, intellectual disability, ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), etc. In fact, as a curious fact that few imagine, infant speech therapists can treat even babies, who were born deaf, to enhance their communication, either through oral language or other means.

5. Neurologist

Neurologypedia is a branch of speech therapy that focuses on the language disorders in people with any disease, injury or involvement in the nervous system (for example ictus, cerebral palsy, brain damage, head trauma, etc.). That is, the neurologist is another type of speech therapist, who has specialized in neuropsychology, and has notions of neurology, speech therapy and psychology.

Neurologists treat language disorders that appear as a result of brain damage or a specific neurological disease. Its objective is to design specific interventions for each specific case, so that the patient recovers language (for example in a stroke), or that she can improve it.

They usually work in a clinical setting (eg a hospital) or in a school setting.

6. Speech therapist specialized in the voice

The last of the 6 types of speech therapist is the speech therapist specialized in the voice, which is an element of oral language. This type of professional focuses on two central elements: voice disorders and voice re-education.

In this case, people with respiratory problems who speak in a difficult way are treated, with people with aphonia, with problems with pronunciation, articulation, etc. Thus, the voice speech therapist aims either to help a person to regain their voice (aphonia), or to contribute to their rehabilitation or to enhance their communication resources.

They can also treat professionals for whom the voice is their work tool; for example presenters, radio announcers, singers, actors, etc.

Bibliographic references

• Gallardo, J.R. (1993). School speech therapy manual. Cistern. Malaga.

• Peña-Casanova, J. (2001). Speech therapy manual. 3rd edition. Masson. Barcelona.

• Rodríguez, F. Specific Language Disorders. Course Material on Infant Neuropsychology taught by COP Madrid 2005-2006.