speech pathology name meaning

What do the letters (MA, CCC-SLP) after your name mean?

M.A. is an abbreviation for master of arts. M.S. is an abbreviation for master of sciences. Both graduate degrees have been used for students of Communication Disorders depending on the university attended and the year.

C.C.C. is an abbreviation for Certificate of Clinical Competence. Speech pathologists that have passed a national exam and did a clinical fellowship year with proper accreditation from the American Speech Language and Hearing Association will have those letters after their name.

S.L.P is an abbreviation for Speech-Language Pathologist, a certification awarded by the Americah Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)

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• Jan 8, 2017

What does CCC-SLP mean anyway?

Do you have those times when you realize people have no idea what it is that you do?

I had the opportunity this week to have a student observer join me for therapy and paperwork/planning time. She is doing an internship-like class where she'll shadow me and another SLP to see what it is that we do and what Speech-Language Pathology is all about .

It occurred to me as I was talking with her about what I do and how amazing of a profession this is that there are many people who think I just work on "r" or "l" or lisps. Some know that I work with kiddos who stutter and others who know I have a passion for language development, but the world of Speech Language Pathology is so much more! I'd like to share with you some of the areas that we work on and a little bit about our profession .

I think the best place to begin is at the very beginning! (Did you have that song from The Sound of Music pop into your head..."let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start...")

The letters after my name, CCC-SLP, stand for Certificate of Clinical Competence  and  Speech-Language Pathologist  and mean that I have completed:

a graduate degree from an accredited program focusing on Speech and Language (as opposed to Audiology in which case it would be CCC-A)

1,600+ hours of supervised clinical experience with adults and children

a passing grade on a national exam

30 hours of continuing education every 3 years to maintain my Certificate

ASHA (the American Speech-Language Hearing Association) is the governing body and says "The ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) is a nationally recognized professional credential in the fields of Audiology (CCC-A) and Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP)"

 So, I guess those letters aren't really the beginning! They came after many years of schooling, supervision, exams and lots of continuing education. But boy was I excited when I got the official letter that I had my "Cs."

If you are looking for a Speech-Language Pathologist to help your loved one, make sure they have their Cs! If you are in the Central Florida area, y ou can contact me to find out more about what we can do. If you are outside of the Central Florida, check out ASHA's ProFind to find a certified therapist in your area .

Now, you know what the letters after a Speech Pathologist name mean! Next, I'd like to share with you why those letters are so important!

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PS: Pin this so you'll have it for when you wonder again, what does "CCC" stand for again?

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Home / How to Become a Speech Pathologist / Guide to Certificate of Clinical Competence CCC-SLP / What Is a CCC-SLP and Why It’s Important

What is a CCC-SLP and why it’s important

A Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) demonstrates your knowledge and expertise to employers and patients. The credential can also help you satisfy licensure requirements for many states.

What is a CCC-SLP and why should you consider earning one? Learn more about this speech pathology credential to determine whether it’s the right option to help you meet your goals.

What does CCC-SLP stand for?

A CCC-SLP, or Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech Language Pathology , is a nationally recognized professional credential from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). As the premier certification for speech therapists, the CCC-SLP signifies a strong commitment to professionalism and adherence to the standards set forth by ASHA.

If you’re a speech therapist that has completed at least a master’s program in speech-language pathology , a CCC-SLP may be the next step on your professional path.

CCC-SLP vs CCC-A

ASHA offers two certificates of clinical competence (CCC): The CCC-SLP is for speech-language professionals, while the CCC-A — Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology — is for audiology professionals.

What is the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech Language Pathology?

The CCC-SLP certification demonstrates a speech pathologist’s ability to provide high quality clinical services and commitment to ongoing professional development in maintaining their certification. It also shows that they have voluntarily met ASHA’s rigorous professional and academic standards, which are based on skills validation studies and in-depth analyses.

In order to qualify for certification, applicants must have earned at least a master’s degree in speech pathology from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.

Certification Standards for the CCC-SLP

The CCC-SLP standards are outlined in ASHA’s 2020 Standards and Implementation Procedures . To apply for your certification, you must meet the following requirements at the time of application submission:

• Degree: Applicants must have a master’s, doctoral, or other recognized post-baccalaureate degree.
• Education Program: Applicants must have completed graduate coursework and clinical experience in a CAA-accredited program or a program with CAA candidacy status.
• Program of Study: Applicants must have completed a minimum of 36 graduate credit hours through their program of study.
• Knowledge Outcomes: Applicants must have demonstrated knowledge of biological sciences, chemistry or physics, social and behavioral sciences, and statistics; basic human communication and swallowing processes; communication and swallowing disorders; standards of ethical conduct; and other knowledge-based outcomes.
• Skills Outcomes: Applicants must demonstrate communication skills and sufficient experience in various scenarios, and complete 400 hours of supervised clinical work.

The above list is not exhaustive. Read through the application carefully to ensure that you are qualified to take the CCC-SLP exam. ASHA recommends that applicants take the exam after completing graduate coursework and clinical practicum, or during the first week of a postgraduate clinical fellowship. You do not have to complete your fellowship before applying for certification.

Benefits of obtaining a CCC-SLP

A CCC-SLP assures patients, employers, and colleagues that you’ve proven your knowledge, skills, and experience to provide high-quality clinical services in different settings. ASHA lists the following additional benefits of a CCC-SLP :

• Career Advancement: Having a CCC-SLP credential can help your career and expand your employment opportunities as a speech therapist.
• Mentorship: A CCC-SLP qualifies you to mentor and supervise clinical fellows.
• Salary and Funding: A CCC-SLP can bring salary supplements, federal reimbursement, and research funding.
• Credibility: A CCC-SLP demonstrates your commitment to the speech-language profession and your drive for continuous improvement as a speech pathologist.
• Licensure: A CCC-SLP can ease the process of state licensure if you move to a new state. ASHA makes it easy for state agencies to verify your license online.

CCC-SLP practicum and advanced coursework 

Many speech language pathology programs include opportunities for hands-on clinical experience. This is especially helpful for CCC-SLP candidates, who must complete a practicum consisting of 400 hours of supervised experience during their degree program: 25 hours in clinical observation and 375 hours in direct client contact. 

Supervision is required for 25% of the time that you work with each client. Your clinical work must be supervised by an experienced clinical educator or supervisor who holds a CCC-SLP. The supervisor will provide guidance and feedback as you develop clinical competence as a speech pathologist.

All practicum hours must be spent working with clients from a variety of culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds. While the ASHA certification does not require a specific number of coursework hours in different disorder categories, some state licensing boards may have their own requirements. Check the requirements for the states in which you’d like to seek licensure.

ASHA Praxis exam in Speech-Language Pathology

In addition to meeting the requirements outlined above, you will need to pass the Praxis Examination in Speech-Language Pathology to earn your CCC-SLP. ASHA uses this exam to assess a new practitioner’s understanding of industry practices and content. Applicants must receive a score of 162 or higher to qualify for certification.

The Praxis exam consists of 132 questions in three categories: 44 questions on foundations and professional practice; 44 questions on screening, assessment, evaluation, and diagnosis; and 44 questions on planning, implementation, and evaluation of treatment. It is administered by the Praxis Educational Testing Service (ETS), which offers the Speech-Language Pathology Study Companion (PDF, 1.6 MB) for students to become familiar with the test content.

Some state licensing boards also use the Praxis exam for SLP licensure. Your state’s passing score for licensure may be different from the passing score required to gain CCC-SLP certification as a speech therapist.

Speech Language Pathology Clinical Fellowship

The Clinical Fellowship (CF) is a program that transitions a student from a communication sciences and disorders (CSD) program to a provider of speech-language pathology clinical services. You can begin this mentored experience once you’ve completed the necessary academic coursework and clinical practicum. Completing your fellowship is a requirement for applying for the CCC-SLP.

According to ASHA, Clinical Fellowship experience requires a minimum of 36 weeks and 1,260 hours of experience. As a fellow, 80% of your work is spent in direct client contact. You’ll gain experience screening, assessing, and treating clients. You’ll also write reports and lead individual or family counseling sessions. As a clinical fellow, you must complete your fellowship within four years.

The program cards/tables featured on this page were last updated in May 2022. For the most current program information, please refer to the official website of the respective school. 

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Speech-Language Pathologists (SLP): What Do They Treat?

What Is a Speech-Language Pathologist?

A speech-language pathologist (SLP), also known as a speech therapist, is a health professional who diagnoses and treats communication and swallowing problems. They work with both children and adults of all ages in clinics, schools, and hospitals. They can help if you or someone you love has a developmental disorder, neurological condition, or brain injury that affects your ability to communicate with other people. They also can help if you have trouble eating or drinking safely due to swallowing issues.

What Do Speech-Language Pathologists Do?

A speech-language pathologist does many things. Typically, they check how you're able to communicate or swallow. When you're having trouble communicating or swallowing , they will try to find the cause. They'll also develop a treatment plan just for you based on the trouble you're having and the reason for it. They'll work with you and provide therapy to help. They'll also keep track of how you're doing over time. Any treatment they offer is known as speech therapy.

SLPs provide a broad range of therapies because they treat communication and swallowing problems caused by so many different disorders. Their work may include:

• Helping people learn how to form sounds
• Teaching how to speak clearly and easily
• Using exercises to strengthen muscles used to speak or swallow
• Helping people increase the number of words they can say and/or understand
• Working with people to improve the way they put words together in sentences
• Providing augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems for people who have severe language disorders
• Educating patients and their families about how to overcome challenges from the communication or swallowing problem
• Providing a type of treatment called aural rehabilitation, which helps people with hearing loss

An SLP can help you understand other people better. They can also help other people understand you better by improving your ability to share your feelings through words, gestures, or other means. They can help you learn how to carry on a conversation, including taking turns or giving other people personal space.

SLPs can help you even if you have very limited or no ability to speak the way other people do. They can train you on how to use devices, such as electronic tablets or communication boards. In addition, they can help you learn to swallow safely with approaches that help you better control your swallowing muscles.

SLPs also can help you with:

• How your voice sounds
• How loud you talk
• Memory, attention, problem-solving, organization, and thinking
• Sucking and chewing

Types of Speech Therapy

Speech-language pathologists use different techniques and tools depending on what the underlying cause is, how old you are, and other factors. You may have different types of therapy including:

• Articulation therapy. You'll work on articulating sounds and words more clearly. Your therapist may use games to make it fun.
• Oral motor therapy. Your therapist will work on the muscles around your mouth with exercises to help with speaking or swallowing.
• Language intervention therapy. This type of therapy can help when you have a speech delay or language disability.
• VitalStim therapy. Your therapist may use electrical stimulation around your neck. This approach can help if you've had a stroke leading to problems with eating, swallowing, drinking, or speaking.
• Lee Silverman speech therapy (LSVT). This approach can help with vocal control, volume, and facial expressions. Your therapist may use it if your issues aren't related to your speech ability.
• Modeling techniques. Your therapist may repeat what you say back to you correctly or add in extra words. They'll offer plenty of praise and feedback to help with speech problems.

Speech pathologist vs. speech therapist

You might hear SLPs called speech pathologists or speech therapists. But they are the same thing. Either refers to a health care provider who helps with problems related to speech, communication, or swallowing.

What Conditions Does a Speech-Language Pathologist Treat?

SLPs provide therapy for people with hearing loss, children with developmental delays, and people with communication and swallowing problems. They treat disorders such as:

Speech disorders

These conditions make it difficult to produce sounds. Some examples include:

• Apraxia: When the brain has trouble directing the movements of the muscles used to speak
• Articulation disorders: The inability to form certain sounds, such as “th” or “r”
• Stuttering: When the flow of speech is broken by pauses and repetition
• Resonance disorders: Caused by an obstruction such as a cleft palate
• Dysarthria: Weakness in the muscles used in speech, caused by brain injury

Language disorders

These may be receptive (difficulty understanding language) or expressive (difficulty making oneself understood by others). Some examples are:

• Aphasia: Difficulty speaking or understanding others because of damage to the brain
• Auditory processing disorder: When the brain has trouble understanding the meaning of sounds

Cognitive-communication disorders

Usually, any brain injury that causes problems with memory, attention, organization, or reasoning, cognitive-communication disorders can make it difficult for a person to speak, listen, read, or write. Causes of cognitive-communication disorders include traumatic brain injury, stroke, or dementia .

Social-communication disorders

These conditions make it hard to communicate socially: greeting, asking questions, taking part in conversations, and talking in ways that are appropriate for the situation. Difficulty with social communication can be caused by autism spectrum disorder or events such as a traumatic brain injury.

Swallowing disorders

Sometimes called dysphagia, swallowing disorders are problems with eating and swallowing. Symptoms include coughing or choking during or after eating, food leaking from the mouth, taking much longer than normal to finish meals, weight loss, dehydration, and frequent pneumonia.

How to Become a Speech Pathologist

Speech-language pathologists hold a master’s degree from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology. Along with classes in the assessment and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders, these programs include at least 375 hours of clinical experience.

After graduation, a 1-year clinical fellowship (or medical training period) is required, with a minimum of 1,260 hours of work under the supervision of a certified SLP. Then the candidate must pass an exam to become certified as a speech-language pathologist.

Where Do Speech-Language Pathologists Work?

You can find speech-language pathologists in many different places. Settings include:

• Assisted living facilities
• Business or work settings
• Military bases
• Rehabilitation centers
• Long-term care or skilled nursing facilities

Reasons to See a Speech-Language Pathologist

If you or a loved one experience any of the following problems, it might be a good idea to seek out a speech-language pathologist.

Difficulty communicating after an injury or illness

Speech therapy can help some people regain the ability to express wants and needs, build relationships, carry out daily tasks, and succeed in school or at work. 

Difficulty eating after an injury or illness

Swallowing therapy can strengthen the muscles used in eating, help adults relearn swallowing coordination, and teach ways to reduce the risk of aspiration (accidentally inhaling food particles).

Feeding issues in infants and children

Babies and toddlers with swallowing disorders may have a pattern of fussiness at mealtimes, avoiding certain food textures or temperatures (called sensory aversions ), congestion or vomiting after eating, or gagging during meals. Feeding therapy can teach chewing, sipping, and swallowing, overcome sensory aversions, and help children learn to eat independently and enjoy mealtimes.

Delayed speech development

If you’re concerned that your child might not be speaking or understanding speech at a level appropriate for their age, talk with your child’s doctor. They can refer you to a speech-language pathologist if your child needs to be evaluated. If a child does have a speech or language disorder, getting therapy early can help.

Speech-language pathologists work in many different places to help people of all ages when they have problems related to communication, speech, or swallowing for any reason. If you or a loved one is having trouble in any of these areas, ask your doctor if they'd recommend you get speech therapy to help.

Speech-Language Pathologist FAQs

• What happens during speech therapy?

Speech therapists treat many different problems that may be caused by many different conditions. They also use many different techniques and tools. What happens during your speech therapy session will depend on the problems you need help with. Ask your doctor or speech therapist what you can expect.

• How long do you need speech therapy?

That depends. Some people may need speech therapy for a few weeks, while others may benefit for months or even years. It depends on what you need speech therapy for. It also can depend on how much time you put into practicing the exercises or other skills your speech therapist recommends.

• How well does speech therapy work?

Speech therapists go through a lot of training and learn how to use methods that are based on evidence they work. One study of kids with a speech or language problem showed that 6 hours of speech and language therapy over 6 months helped. Another study suggests more variable outcomes after a stroke. How well speech therapy works for you will depend on the condition it's treating. It isn't a cure for any disorder, but it can help you with issues that affect your everyday life and ability to interact with people or eat. Ask your doctor or speech therapist how much they think it can help in your case.

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What Is a Speech Pathologist?

Also Known as a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) or Speech Therapist

• What They Do
• Conditions Treated

Training for Speech Pathologists

• When to See an SLP

A speech pathologist, also known as a speech therapist, is a healthcare professional who helps you improve your speech and communication if you have been ill, injured, or have a chronic disability. Speech pathologists may also be called speech-language pathologists (SLP).

Speech pathologists also work with people who have difficulty swallowing food or drink to help them stay safe while eating.

This article examines the important work that speech pathologists do as part of a rehabilitation team of professionals. You will learn what conditions they treat and when you should seek out the services of an SLP.

What a Speech Pathologist Does

A speech pathologist is a trained medical professional who works with patients who are injured or ill and are having difficulty speaking or swallowing. They work to prevent, assess, and treat these disorders in adults and children.

Speech pathologists help people communicate, and this may involve:

• Expressive communication : The ability to communicate verbally and nonverbally
• Receptive communication : The ability to understand verbal and nonverbal communications

Some speech therapists work closely with audiologists (healthcare professionals who treat hearing and balance problems) to ensure that you can hear and understand language correctly. Others work with otolaryngologists , also called ear, nose, and throat physicians (ENTs), to help patients swallow food and drink safely and to assist patients with oral motor function.

Common Specialty Areas

Some speech pathologists have a more generalized practice, while others have a more narrow focus on specific areas or problems such as:

• Social communication
• Voice and vocal hygiene
• Speech sound disorders

Some of the official certifications that a speech pathologist may receive include:

•  Intraoperative monitoring
•  Fluency disorders
•  Swallowing and feeding disorders
•  Child language disorders

Speech pathologists seeking specialty certification have to meet education, experience, and clinical practice requirements as established by independent specialty certification boards.

Where Speech Therapists Work

There are a variety of settings in which speech pathologists work. This may include:

• Schools: Speech therapists working in schools help children with speech disorders learn to overcome their communication challenges.
• Nursing homes: Speech therapists in nursing homes help patients with dementia or communication issues caused by other conditions like stroke learn communication strategies. They also work with staff on ways to help residents communicate more effectively.
• Hospitals: A speech pathologist working in a hospital may help diagnose and treat language communication problems and swallowing disorders in hospitalized patients. 
• Private practices: Speech pathologists may also work in private practices where they may specialize in one or more language problems or health conditions in specific populations.

Speech pathologists can also work as educators in colleges and universities, and they may be involved in research.

Conditions Speech Therapists Treat

Speech pathologists work with people of various ages and with a variety of conditions. They sometimes work with young children who are having problems speaking properly, or they may help older adults with cognitive communication (communication that is affected by memory, attention, organization, and problem-solving, which are examples of executive functioning ).

A stroke can cause damage to the part of the brain responsible for language and communication. Depending on the extent of the stroke, this loss of ability may be short-term or long-term. A speech pathologist can help someone who is recovering from a stroke regain their ability to speak and understand language.

What is aphasia?

Aphasia is a condition of the brain that affects how you communicate with others. It is caused by damage to the part of the brain responsible for language and can affect your ability to speak and understand what is being said.

Hearing Loss

A speech pathologist may work with other professionals such as audiologists and ENTs to help assess, manage, and treat someone with hearing loss. Some of the things a speech pathologist might do to help someone with hearing loss include evaluating the person's speech, helping them improve listening skills, and working with them to develop alternative communication strategies.

Vocal Damage

Vocal cords can become damaged in various ways including persistent coughing and voice overuse. A speech pathologist can teach you muscle strengthing and voice rehabilitation excercises and other strategies to help your vocal cords heal (such as cough modification). 

English Language Learners

If you are learning a new language and wish to alter your accent, you may benefit from the services of a speech-language pathologist, as well. They can help you form words and sounds correctly to alter your normal speech in learning a new language.

Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury after a blow to the head or an accident that affects the parts of the brain that control language can also lead to problems with communication. A speech therapist can help someone with this type of injury recover lost speech and language skills.

Swallowing Disorders

Dysphagia is the medical term for difficulty swallowing. It can be caused by several different medical conditions including muscular problems, a narrowed esophagus, damage caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease, or esophageal cancer. 

Untreated dysphagia can lead to problems eating and drinking including choking. A speech pathologist can help you develop strategies for safe chewing and swallowing, including exercises, correct body position, and food preparation recommendations. 

People with autism can have difficulty with both written and spoken communication as well as body-language forms of communication such as pointing and waving. Autism is also associated with difficulties relating to and socializing with other people. 

A speech pathologist can help people with autism understand communication norms and improve their written and spoken communication skills. They can also work with the families of people with autism on strategies that can help develop communication skills.

Alzheimer's Disease

People with dementia or Alzheimer's disease may develop communication problems as the disease progresses. A speech therapist can help the person develop memory skills and other strategies that will help them communicate.

Speech pathologists also work with the family and caregivers of people with dementia so they can help the person implement communication tools and strategies.   

Fluency Disorders

Fluency disorder describes speech patterns characterized by differences in rate and rhythm compared to how most people speak. 

Stuttering is the most common example of a fluency disorder. Another example is cluttering, which describes speech that is atypically fast and irregular.

Speech pathologists usually develop an individualized treatment plan for someone with a fluency disorder, which may include strategies such as:

• Minimizing negative reactions to the problem
• Increasing the person's acceptance of the problem
• Improving confidence
• Reducing avoidance behavior

Speech Sound Disorders

Speech sound disorders describe problems articulating words. People with speech sound disorders may be hard for others to understand. This can result in problems with social relationships, at work, or at school. 

Speech sound disorders are common in childhood and can be treated with the help of a speech pathologist. The pathologist will look at how the person moves their tongue, lips and jaw and help them learn the correct way to make sounds. 

People with speech sound disorders often have other problems with language; their speech therapist can also help them develop strategies to overcome these problems.

Gender-Affirming Voice Therapy

Voice therapy for transgender people can be an important part of gender-affirming healthcare. Learning to speak in ways that align with gender identity can improve a transgender person's quality of life as well as their social and psychological well-being.

A speech pathologist can help a transgender person learn to modify the pitch of their voice in ways that limit fatigue and damage to the vocal cords. They can also help the person learn nonverbal communication, articulation, and other strategies that can help their voice align with their gender identity.

To be a speech pathologist, a person must have a master's degree in communication disorders from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA).

Many undergraduate and graduate programs in speech pathology require time spent observing a speech therapist at work prior to admission. This satisfies the requirement for entry into school and provides a good understanding of what a speech pathologist's job is like.

The first year of work as a speech therapist is called a clinical fellowship year. During this time, aspiring speech pathologists will work under the supervision of a licensed speech pathologist.

Additional steps to becoming a speech pathologist include:

• Obtaining a certificate of clinical competence in SLP (CCC-SLP)
• Passing a national Praxis examination for Speech-Language Pathology
• Applying for SLP licensure in the state in which you will be working

A speech pathologist's education does not end when they leave school and pass the national examination. They must also fulfill continuing education requirements from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) to maintain their license.

When to See a Speech Pathologist

There are certain instances in which you may need to see a speech pathologist. For example, parents commonly notice small speech or language impairments in their children and seek out an SLP.

Adults may want to work with a speech pathologist to help with new or existing communication or language problems.

If you become hospitalized, you may have a speech pathologist come to your room and work with you at your bedside. They can help you with speech and language, swallowing and diet issues, and can work with other members of a rehab team to ensure that it is safe and appropriate for you to return home.

When to see a medical professional

Many speech and language disorders benefit from the help of a speech therapist, but some are more urgent than others. Any sudden onset of impaired speech should be considered an emergency, as the person may be experiencing a life-threatening problem such as a stroke.

Children should be closely monitored for speech and language development. If your child does not have the language skills expected for their age, it is a good idea to see a speech pathologist as soon as you can.

If you or a loved one is having trouble communicating or understanding language, then working with a speech pathologist may be a good idea.

SLPs treat children and adults with a variety of conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, stroke, neurological injuries, autism, and more. They are trained to assess your condition and offer strategies to improve your expressive and receptive communication and swallowing function.

Pascoe A, Breen LJ, Cocks N. What is needed to prepare speech pathologists to work in adult palliative care?: What is needed to prepare SPs to work in adult palliative care? .  International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders . 2018;53(3):542-549. doi:10.1111/1460-6984.12367

American Speech Language Hearing Association. Who are speech pathologists, and what do they do? .

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Social communication .

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Speech sound disorders .

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Clinical specialty certification .

Reilly S, Harper M, Goldfeld S. The demand for speech pathology services for children: Do we need more or just different? . J Paediatr Child Health . 2016;52(12):1057-1061. doi:10.1111/jpc.13318

National Aphasia Association. Stroke .

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Aphasia .

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Hearing loss in adults .

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Autism (autism spectrum disorder) .

Alzheimer's Association. Strategies to support changes in memory, language and behavior in the early stages of dementia .

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Fluency disorders .

American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Gender-affirming voice therapy advocacy .

SpeechPathologyGraduatePrograms.org. How to become a speech pathologist .

Johns Hopkins Medicine. Identifying speech and language concerns about your child and when should you seek help?  

Salary.com. Speech Pathologist Salary in the United States .

By Brett Sears, PT Brett Sears, PT, MDT, is a physical therapist with over 20 years of experience in orthopedic and hospital-based therapy.

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Speech-Language Pathologist

What is a speech-language pathologist.

Speech-language pathologists specialize in assessing, diagnosing, and treating people with communication problems that result from disability, surgery, or developmental disorders. They are also instrumental in preventing disorders related to speech, language, cognitive communication, voice, and fluency. This includes both understanding speech and speaking problems. They also evaluate and treat people with swallowing disorders due to stroke, brain injury, or other nervous system impairments.

Speech-language pathologists often direct care related to:

Speech, language, and swallowing disorders

Speech fluency and stuttering disorders

Voice disorders

Augmentative communication devices

Written language disorders

Cognitive (thinking, memory, and learning) disorders

Speech-language pathologists may practice in a variety of settings, including:

Early intervention—head start and other early childhood development programs

Inpatient rehabilitation centers

Outpatient rehabilitation centers

Nursing homes

Home health settings

Telepractice

Private practice

Most speech-language pathologists hold a master's degree and a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology through the American Speech and Hearing Association.

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What’s in a name? Speech Pathologist, Speech Therapist, Speech-Language Pathologist …

Speech Pathologist, Speech Therapist and Speech-Language Pathologist. Is there a difference? 

We regularly field questions from families and members of the public regarding our job title  “What is the difference between a speech therapist and a speech pathologist?” or “My child sees a speech-language pathologist, is that the same as a speech pathologist?”

Simply put, there is no difference between a speech pathologist, speech therapist or speech-language pathologist.  In fact, the ONLY difference is in the name! Each one of these titles is interchangeable.  

In Australia the term speech pathologist is commonly used.  It is more common to hear the term speech therapist in the United Kingdom. In the United States, speech-language pathologist is often the preferred term.

You can know for sure that regardless of whether a therapist uses the term speech pathologist, speech-language pathologist or speech therapist (or the acronyms SP, ST or SLP!) they mean the same thing and will have the same qualifications.  

What’s in a name? What is speech pathology?  

Speech pathologists study, diagnose and treat communication disorders, including difficulties with speaking, listening, understanding language, reading, writing, social skills, stuttering and using voice.

They work with people who have difficulty communicating because of developmental delays, stroke, brain injuries, learning disability, intellectual disability, cerebral palsy, dementia and hearing loss, as well as other problems that can affect speech and language. People who experience difficulties swallowing food and drink safely can also be helped by a speech pathologist.

Why do we prefer pathologist?  

Here at Active Speech Pathology we prefer to be called speech pathologists.

Pathologist means ‘to find the causes and effects of something’. We feel this captures the essence of our role as experts in communication. We work hard to find the cause of communication difficulties and carry out the best treatment following evidence-based practice, for those same difficulties.  

If you have concerns about your child’s communication and would like to see one our Speech Pathologists, call us on 3103 0776.

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About the author: jane rosenlund.

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Speech-Language Pathology SLP

| 20 June 2024

What Is a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) & What Do They Do?

What does SLP stand for? A speech-language pathologist (SLP) diagnoses and treats issues related to speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders. 1 For patients who struggle to communicate or swallow, these healthcare professionals help them to better engage with the world around them.

What is a speech pathologist’s career outlook? Read on to learn more about this exciting and promising field of work.

Table of Contents:

• What Do Speech-Language Pathologists Do?

Where Do Speech-Language Pathologists Work?

What conditions do speech-language pathologists treat.

• Earn Your MS-SLP at USAHS

What Does a Speech Pathologist Do?

What is a speech-language pathologist? SLPs are communication specialists who treat speech, language, communication and swallowing disorders . 1

What does a speech pathologist do for their patients on a day-to-day basis? As part of their work, they may provide the following services : 2 , 1

• Evaluate and diagnose speech, language, voice and fluency disorders in children and adults
• Develop therapies to help patients improve their ability to swallow
• Identify treatment goals for patients
• Design and implement individualized treatment plans, including speech therapy activities , to help patients meet their treatment goals
• Provide aural rehabilitation for people who are deaf or hard of hearing

Treatments may include : 2 , 1

• Teaching patients how to make sounds
• Helping patients improve their voices
• Training patients to maintain fluency when speaking
• Developing exercises to strengthen the muscles used for swallowing
• Sharing vocabulary improvement strategies with patients
• Assisting patients with strategies to improve their sentence structure
• Demonstrating how to use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) systems to communicate

Speech-language pathologists may also spend time helping patients and their families navigate their disability and treatment options. 2 Many speech-language pathologists work as part of a larger healthcare team, including physicians and occupational therapists (OTs) or physical therapists (PTs).

What is a speech pathologist’s typical work environment? Speech-language pathologists often work in a variety of settings. The largest employers of speech-language pathologists were as follows:

What is a speech-language pathologist’s role in childhood development? Over half of SLPs work as a part of early intervention programs, preschools or K-12 schools. 3 , 4 In addition to the regular duties of a speech-language pathologist, they also develop individualized education programs (IEPs) and collaborate with other educators to ensure students are meeting their educational goals.

Healthcare settings for speech-language pathologists include the following : 4 , 5

• Assisted living facilities
• Private practices and clinics
• Rehabilitation centers
• Long-term care facilities
• Home health agencies

Some speech-language pathologists also work in corporate settings. 4   What is an SLP’s duty in such settings? They may work with employees on business speaking skills, such as presentation, accent modification or interviewing.

Local, state and federal government agencies hire speech-language pathologists for public health services. 4 The military also employs speech-language pathologists to work with service members and underserved populations.

If you don’t want to work in a clinical setting, you can pursue a role in research or teach at the college or university level. 1

With the high demand for speech-language pathologists, SLPs may work full- or part-time. 1

What is a speech-language pathologist’s role in treating various conditions? They provide solutions for a range of disorders caused by trauma, illness, developmental delays and medical events such as strokes . 2

Speech-language pathologists often treat speech disorders, including: 5

• Articulation disorders: Difficulty controlling muscle movements to create sound
• Phonological disorders: Sounds that are formed correctly in the muscles but don’t sound the way they should
• Resonance disorders: Disruption of sound waves due to conditions such as a cleft palate
• Speech impairments: Various conditions that make it difficult for a person to communicate and be understood, such as childhood apraxia of speech and stuttering

What do speech pathologists do to help patients improve? A speech-language pathologist may work with patients struggling with language disorders such as : 1 , 5

• Problems with receptive language (the ability to understand others)
• Problems with expressive language (the ability to share their ideas and feelings)
• Verbal communication
• Written communication
• Selective language impairment

Speech-language pathologists also treat social communication disorders , including any condition relating to verbal and nonverbal communication in social settings. 1 Individuals with autism or traumatic brain injuries also struggle with social communication disorders 5 , 1

Patients with cognitive communication disorders— often the result of stroke, traumatic brain injury or dementia —may also work with a speech-language pathologist. 1 These issues include difficulties with:

• Organizing thoughts
• Paying attention
• Remembering
• Problem-solving

Speech-language pathologists also treat swallowing disorders that may occur due to illness, surgery, stroke or injury. 1 , 5

Additionally, someone may seek treatment from a speech-language pathologist for issues related to the vocal cord, such as lesions and paralysis or for gender-affirming voice therapy. 5

Is this true, or is it more accurate to say: Individuals with autism or TBIs also struggle with social communication disorders.

Learn more about a career in speech-language pathology with answers to these common questions.

What Is a Speech-Language Pathologist, and How Do They Differ From a Speech Therapist?

When it comes to SLP meaning, a speech-language pathologist and a speech therapist are the same thing, but speech-language pathologist is the preferred term. 5

How Much Does a Speech-Language Pathologist Make?

What is a speech pathologist typically earning per year? The median annual salary for a speech-language pathologist is $89,290 . 6 Your salary will depend on factors like your experience, location and industry.

What Specialties Are Available in Speech-Language Pathology?

What is a speech-language pathologist’s career outlook? There are four specialties available for speech-language pathologists : 7

• Child Language (BCS-CL) from the American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders 8
• Stuttering, Cluttering and Fluency Disorders (BCS-SCF) from the American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders 9
• Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (BCS-S) from the American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders 10
• Intraoperative Monitoring (BCS-IOM) from the American Audiology Board of Intraoperative Monitoring 11

Requirements vary based on the type of specialty but generally involve an exam, portfolio review or interview to assess your skills and expertise in the specialty area.

What Is the Role of a Speech Pathologist?

A speech-language pathologist (SLP) plays a crucial role in diagnosing and treating communication and swallowing disorders. 1 What is a speech pathologist’s main responsibility? They work with patients of all ages to develop personalized treatment plans that address issues such as speech articulation, language comprehension, and social communication skills.

Want to know more about our SLP program?

Earn your ms-slp with usahs.

“Having practiced with all this technology, I was so much more prepared for my job than my coworkers who went to other schools. I knew just what to do on my first day and now I’m teaching my coworkers about what I learned.”

– Bethany W., USAHS MS-SLP Alum

What is an SLP rewarded with as a result of their hard work? There are many benefits to being a speech-language pathologist , including an impressive salary, job security and the opportunity to make a difference in patient lives.

Pursue your dream of becoming a speech-language pathologist at t he University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences (USAHS). Our hybrid online Master of Science in Speech-Language Pathology (MS-SLP) program allows students to take classes online and still engage in hands-on experience.

The USAHS program takes about five trimesters with three different intake dates (spring, summer and fall) to allow for flexibility.*

Our program does not require a GRE, and you’ll have access to state-of-the-art technology and virtual and in-person clinical practicum opportunities, including a pro-bono clinic.

Talk with an enrollment advisor and apply today .

*Time to completion may vary by student, depending on individual progress, credits transferred, and other factors.

The Master of Science (M.S.) education program in Speech-Language Pathology { residential Austin, TX; satellite Dallas, TX; both distance education } at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences is accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2200 Research Boulevard, #310, Rockville, MD 20850, 800-498-2071 or 301-296-5700.

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, “Speech-Language Pathologists,” ASHA , 2024, https://www.asha.org/students/speech-language-pathologists/ .
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Speech-Language Pathologists: What Speech-Language Pathologists Do,” BLS , April 17, 2024, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/speech-language-pathologists.htm#tab-2 .
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Speech-Language Pathologists: Work Environment,” BLS , April 17, 2024, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/speech-language-pathologists.htm#tab-3 .
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, “Employment Settings for SLPs,” ASHA , 2024, https://www.asha.org/students/employment-settings-for-slps/ .
• Cleveland Clinic, “Speech-Language Pathologist,” Cleveland Clinic , January 12, 2023, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/24602-speech-language-pathologist .
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Speech-Language Pathologists: Pay,” BLS , April 17, 2024, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/speech-language-pathologists.htm#tab-5 .
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, “Clinical Specialty Certification,” ASHA , 2024, https://www.asha.org/certification/clinical-specialty-certification/ .
• American Board of Child Language & Language Disorders, “Applying for Specialty Certification,” ABCLLD , 2021, https://www.childlanguagespecialist.org/applicants/
• American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders, “BCS-SCF Candidates,” American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders , 2024, https://www.stutteringspecialists.org/candidates .
• American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders, “Requirements for Applicants,” ABSSD , https://www.swallowingdisorders.org/page/Requirements .
• American Audiology Board of Intraoperative Monitoring, “Membership Application,” AABIOM , 2018, https://www.aabiom.com/application .

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What is an SLP & What do they do?

Speech-language pathology is the scientific study of speech, fluency, feeding and swallowing, and all the mechanisms of speech and language, along with the therapeutic application of corrective and augmentative measures to help people with speech disorders speak and communicate better. It falls under the communication sciences and disorders discipline, which also include the closely aligned—but separate—study of audiology.

Speech-language pathology is focused on a range of human communication and swallowing disorders affecting people of all ages.

• Emerson College - Master's in Speech-Language Pathology online - Prepare to become an SLP in as few as 20 months. No GRE required. Scholarships available.
• Arizona State University - Online - Online Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Science - Designed to prepare graduates to work in behavioral health settings or transition to graduate programs in speech-language pathology and audiology.
• NYU Steinhardt - NYU Steinhardt's Master of Science in Communicative Sciences and Disorders online - ASHA-accredited. Bachelor's degree required. Graduate prepared to pursue licensure.
• Calvin University - Calvin University's Online Speech and Hearing Foundations Certificate - Helps You Gain a Strong Foundation for Your Speech-Language Pathology Career.

According to The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association , the following disorders fall under the umbrella of speech-language pathology:

• Speech Disorders : Occurs when individuals have difficulty producing speech sounds correctly or fluently (e.g., stuttering)
• Language Disorders : Occurs when individuals have difficulty understanding others, sharing thoughts, feelings, and ideas, and/or using language in functional and socially appropriate ways; language disorders may also be in the written form
• Communicating with others socially (e.g., greeting others, asking questions, etc.)
• Changing their way of communicating depending on the listener or setting
• Following socially acceptable rules of conversation and story telling
• Cognitive-Communication Disorders : Occurs when individuals have difficulties paying attention, planning, problem-solving, or organizing their thoughts. Many times, these disorders occur as a result of a traumatic brain injury, stroke, or dementia.
• Swallowing Disorders: Occurs when individuals have difficulty eating and swallowing. Swallowing disorders are often a result of an illness, injury, or stroke.

The practice of speech-language pathology includes those who want to learn how to communicate more effectively, such as those who want to work on accent modification or improve their communication skills. It also includes the treatment of people with tracheostomies and ventilators.

Speech-Language Pathology: The Synthesis of Two Fields of Study

Language differs from speech, which is why speech-language pathology is actually the study of two fields.

Speech is the verbal means of communication. It consists of:

• Articulation: How speech sounds are made
• Voice: The use of breathing and vocal cords to produce sounds
• Fluency: The rhythm of speech

Speech problems often occur because a person has difficulty producing sounds due to the incorrect movement of the lips, tongue, and mouth.

Speech problems include:

• Childhood speech apraxia : Neurological childhood speech sound disorder resulting from neuromuscular difficulties, such as abnormal reflexes or abnormal tone
• Adult speech apraxia : Speech disorder caused by neuromuscular difficulties, such as abnormal reflexes or abnormal tone; usually as a result of stroke, traumatic brain injury, dementia, or other progressive neurological disorders
• Dysarthia : Impaired movement of the muscles used for speech production, including the vocal cords, tongue, lips, and/or diaphragm
• Stuttering : Involuntary repetition of sounds
• Speech sound disorders : Includes articulation and phonological processes difficulties
• Orofacial myofunctional disorders : Tongue moves forward in an exaggerated way during speech or swallowing (called tongue thrusts)
• Voice disorders : Includes vocal cord nodules and polyps, vocal cord paralysis, spasmodic dysphonia, and paradoxical vocal fold movement

Language consists of socially shared rules that include how to put words together, how to make new words, what words mean, and what word combinations are best in what situations. Language disorders include:

• Difficulty understanding others: receptive language disorder
• Difficulty sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings: expressive language disorder

Although speech and language disorders can occur by themselves, they often exist together, which is why speech-language pathology is a combined field of study.

Speech and language disorders are often a result of medical conditions, such as:

• Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
• Huntington’s Disease
• Multiple sclerosis (MS)
• Laryngeal and oral cancers
• Right hemisphere brain injury
• Traumatic brain injury

In children, this may also include selective mutism and language-based learning disabilities resulting from:

• Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder
• Syndromes, such as Down’s syndrome and Fragile X syndrome
• Cerebral palsy
• Failure to thrive
• Low birth weight or premature birth
• Hearing loss
• Intellectual disabilities
• Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder
• Stroke/brain injury
• Cleft lip/palate

What is a Speech-Language Pathologist?

Speech-language pathologists evaluate, diagnose, and treat speech, language, communication, and swallowing disorders. These highly trained clinicians work as part of a collaborative, interdisciplinary team of professionals, which includes physical therapists, occupational therapists, social workers, teachers, physicians, audiologists, and psychologists, among others.

Their job duties include:

• Developing and implementing treat plans based on their professional assessment and recommendation from members of the interdisciplinary team
• Monitoring their patients’ progress and adjusting their treatment plans accordingly
• Documenting patient care and writing reports regarding patient evaluation, treatment, progress, and discharge
• Ordering, conducting, and evaluating hearing, speech, and language tests and examinations
• Educating patients and family members on treatment plans, communication techniques, and strategies for coping with speech/language barriers
• Designing, developing, and employing diagnostic and communication devices or strategies
• Developing and implementing speech and language programs

Though a majority of speech-language pathologists are involved in direct patient care, these professionals also fulfill a number of other roles in areas such as:

• Program coordination and administration
• Teaching at the post-secondary level
• Supervision
• Product development and evaluation
• Consultation

Speech-Language Pathologist Education and Certification

Speech-language pathologists are highly educated and trained clinicians, educators, researchers, and administrators. Speech-language pathologists, at a minimum, hold a master’s degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD).

Most master’s degrees in CSD are Master of Arts (MA) or Master of Science (MS) programs. Master of Education (MEd) programs prepare speech-language pathology educators.

National certification and states licensure require the completion of a program that has been accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology (CAA) .

In most states, additional state licensure requirements include completing a supervised postgraduate professional experience and passing a national exam.

Language-speech pathologists can earn the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) through the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Certification requirements are similar to state licensing requirements, so state licensed language-speech pathologists generally qualify for the CCC-SLP designation.

The History of Speech-Language Pathology

Speech-pathology as a recognized field of study had its origins in the early part of the twentieth century, when the scientific, academic, and clinical foundations began to take shape and a number of organizations (such as the American Academy of Speech Correction in 1926) focused on speech disorders and speech correction were established.

From 1945 to 1965, speech-language pathology began to evolve, thanks to the introduction of a number of assessment and therapy approaches focused on underlying communication disorders. It was during this time that speech-language pathology researchers and clinicians began focusing their attention on the many WWII soldiers returning from war with brain injuries resulting in aphasia.

This period also gave rise to brain studies, technological advances, and the development of standardized testing procedures, including receptive and expressive language assessment and treatment techniques.

Between 1965 and 1975, advancements in linguistics spurred researchers to begin distinguishing language disorders from speech disorders. Their work enhanced the work of speech-language pathologists, allowing them to begin more effectively treating a variety of language delays and disorders.

Today, speech-language pathology continues to evolve as high-quality research evidence is integrated into practitioner expertise and clinical decision making. The increased national and international exchange of professional knowledge, information, and education in communication sciences and disorders continues to strengthen research collaboration and improve clinical services.

Speech-Language Pathology Resources

• Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech Language Pathology (CAA)
• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
• American Academy of Private Practice in Speech Pathology and Audiology
• International Clinical Phonetics and Linguistics Association
• National Student Speech Language Hearing Association
• National Aphasia Foundation
• Childhood Apraxia of Speech Association of North America
• The Cherab Foundation
• The Voice Foundation
• Selective Mutism Foundation
• Stuttering Foundation of America
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

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• Career Resources
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• Dual Certification in SLP and Lactation Consultancy
• Continuing Education is Key to Career Versatility and Longevity in This Field
• Do You Speak with an Accent? … You Can Still Be an Outstanding SLP
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• Some Advice on How to Approach Your Clinical Fellowship
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• 5 Things I Love Most About Being an SLP
• Your Guide to Getting Started in Telepractice
• Why Team Player SLPs are Even More Effective Than Superstars
• Why Working With the Entire Family Gets the Best Results in Kids Struggling with Speech-Language Issues

WCU » Glossary » Speech pathology

Speech pathology

Speech pathology, also known as speech-language pathology, is a healthcare profession focused on the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders. Speech pathologists, or speech-language pathologists (SLPs) , work with individuals of all ages who have difficulties with speech, language, voice, fluency (stuttering), or swallowing. They evaluate the nature and severity of communication or swallowing problems and develop personalized treatment plans to improve communication skills and enhance quality of life. Speech pathology interventions may include exercises to strengthen muscles used in speech and swallowing, techniques to improve articulation and language skills, counseling, and the use of assistive communication devices or alternative communication methods when necessary.

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• What is the Difference Between a Speech Therapist and a Speech Pathologist?

Donald Fuller Speech-Language Pathologist

April 17, 2006.

• Ask the Experts
• Early Intervention

In a word: none. The terms "speech therapist" and "speech pathologist" have been used for years as titles for persons who work with persons having communication impairments. In the past, the term "speech pathologist" was used by professionals to describe themselves, but the term most commonly used today is "speech-language pathologist" or "SLP." Lay people have more often referred to us as "speech therapists," "speech correctionists," or even "speech teachers." These are all terms that describe the same profession, but "speech-language pathologist" is the preferred term because it captures the essence of our work (speech and language) and also signifies that we are qualified by our training and clinical experience to identify, assess, and provide remediation for pathological conditions of communication. The term "speech" is used to denote the components of vocal activity such as phonation (the production of a vocal tone via the larynx or "voice box"), articulation (the movement of the structures in the mouth to create speech sounds to produce words), resonance (the overall quality of the voice as well as the process that transforms the vocal tone into what we recognize as a person's "voice") and fluency (the timing and synchronization of these components of the complex speech act). "Language" refers to the comprehension and production of language, including the mode in which it is comprehended or produced (oral, gesturing, writing, or reading). Even the term "speech-language pathologist" doesn't quite capture the totality of our scope of practice. For example, speech-language pathologists also address the needs of persons who exhibit difficulties with cognitive functions (attention, memory, problem-solving), literacy, social interaction, and swallowing. Considering such a wide scope of practice, perhaps in the future a new term will be coined to describe who we are and what we do. Dr. Donald R. Fuller has been a speech-language pathologist for 16 years. He is Chair of the Department of Communication Disorders at Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA. His doctorate degree was earned from Purdue University in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).

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Speech pathology

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What is a speech pathologist?

A speech pathologist or speech therapist is an allied health professional . They are trained to diagnose and treat communication disorders. This includes problems with:

• social skills
• understanding language
• using voice

They also help people with swallowing and feeding problems.

Speech pathologists need to have a degree in speech pathology. Many speech pathologists are members of Speech Pathology Australia (SPA) . This means that they have an appropriate qualification.

A Certified Practicing Speech Pathologist has met certain standards of practice. You can check if a speech pathologist is certified by searching the SPA website .

What conditions can a speech pathologist help me with?

Speech pathologists can help people who have difficulty communicating because of:

• cerebral palsy
• developmental delays in children
• hearing loss
• intellectual disability
• autism spectrum disorder
• stroke or other brain injury
• other problems that affect speech and language

Speech Pathologists can also help people who have difficulty swallowing and eating.

How do I find a speech pathologist?

You can find a speech pathologist by:

• using Speech Pathology Australia’s ‘ Find a speech pathologist ’ service
• calling Speech Pathology Australia on 1300 368 835

You don’t usually need a referral from your doctor to see a speech pathologist. In some situations, Medicare will cover some of the costs of your appointment, but you need to have a chronic disease management plan prepared by your doctor.

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find speech pathologists and other health services in your area.

What should I ask the speech pathologist before making an appointment?

Before making an appointment, you might want to ask the speech pathologist what they charge. Speech pathologists set their own fees and may charge different fees for different services.

It’s a good idea to ask the speech pathologist if they have worked with people with problems like yours. Speech pathologists often develop special interest areas or age groups that they like to work with. For example, some may have extra training in: literacy for children with learning disabilities or helping people with accents.

You might also want to ask where you will see them.

Where do speech pathologists work?

Speech pathologists work in many different settings. You might find a speech pathologist in a:

• aged care facility
• school or early childhood education service
• private practice
• community health centre

Some speech pathologists will do home visits.

How much does it cost to see a speech pathologist?

The cost of seeing a speech pathologist can vary. It’s best to ask the cost before you make an appointment.

In some cases, Medicare might cover some of the costs, but only if your doctor refers you.

If you have private health insurance , some of your costs might be covered. Check with your health fund to see what is covered.

People with a disability might be entitled to help with the cost of a speech pathologist through programs like the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) . You can call the NDIS to learn more on 1800 800 110.

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Last reviewed: September 2022

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What is a nonverbal learning disorder? Tim Walz’s son Gus’ condition, explained

Gus Walz stole the show Wednesday when his father, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, officially accepted the vice presidential nomination on the third night of the Democratic National Convention. 

The 17-year-old stood up during his father’s speech and said, “That’s my dad,” later adding, “I love you, Dad.”

The governor and his wife, Gwen Walz, revealed in a People interview that their son was diagnosed with nonverbal learning disability as a teenager.

A 2020 study estimated that as many as 2.9 million children and adolescents in North America have nonverbal learning disability, or NVLD, which affects a person’s spatial-visual skills.

The number of people who receive a diagnosis is likely much smaller than those living with the disability, said Santhosh Girirajan, the T. Ming Chu professor of biochemistry and molecular biology and professor of genomics at Penn State.

“These individuals are very intelligent and articulate well verbally, but they are typically clumsy with motor and spatial coordination,” he told NBC News. “It’s called a learning disorder because there are a lot of cues other than verbal cues that are necessary for us to keep information in our memory.”

People with NVLD often struggle with visual-spatial skills, such as reading a map, following directions, identifying mathematical patterns, remembering how to navigate spaces or fitting blocks together. Social situations can also be difficult. 

“Body language and some of the things we think about with day-to-day social norms, they may not be able to catch those,” Girirajan said. 

Unlike other learning disabilities such as dyslexia, signs of the disability typically don't become apparent until adolescence. 

Early in elementary school, learning is focused largely on memorization — learning words or performing straightforward mathematical equations, at which people with NVLD typically excel. Social skills are also more concrete, such as playing a game of tag at recess. 

“But as you get older, there’s a lot more subtlety, like sarcasm, that you have to understand in social interactions, that these kids might not understand,” said Laura Phillips, senior director and senior neuropsychologist of the Learning and Development Center at the Child Mind Institute, a nonprofit organization in New York.

In her own practice, she typically sees adolescents with NVLD, who usually have an average or above average IQ, when school demands more integrated knowledge and executive functioning, such as reading comprehension or integrating learning between subjects. They also usually seek help for something else, usually anxiety or depression, which are common among people with NVLD. 

Sometimes misdiagnosed as autism

Amy Margolis, director of the Environment, Brain, and Behavior Lab at Columbia University, is part of a group of researchers that is beginning to call the disability “developmental visual-spatial disorder” in an effort to better describe how it affects people who have it.

People with NVLD are “very much verbal,” Margolis said, contrary to what the name suggests.

The learning disability is sometimes misdiagnosed as autism spectrum disorder. Margolis led a 2019 study that found that although kids with autism spectrum disorder and NVLD often have overlapping traits, the underlying neurobiology — that is, what’s happening in their brains to cause these traits — is unique between the two conditions.

Margolis is trying to get NVLD recognized by the DSM-5, the handbook health care providers use to diagnose mental health conditions. Without such official recognition, people with NVLD can struggle to get the resources they need, such as special class placements or extra support in school.

“Without an officially recognized diagnosis, it’s hard for parents to understand how to seek information, and then communicate to other people what kinds of things might be challenging for their kid,” Phillips said, adding that widespread awareness is key to helping these families navigate NVLD.

Kaitlin Sullivan is a contributor for NBCNews.com who has worked with NBC News Investigations. She reports on health, science and the environment and is a graduate of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at City University of New York.

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Kamala harris fact-check: how accurate was her 2024 dnc speech in chicago.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks as she accepts the Democratic presidential nomination Aug. 22, 2024, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago. (AP)

If Your Time is short

• PolitiFact fact-checked both the 2024 Republican National Convention and the 2024 Democratic National Convention. Find our RNC coverage here and our DNC coverage here .

CHICAGO —  Reflecting Democrats’ optimism that the presidential race has shifted in their favor over the past month, Vice President Kamala Harris formally accepted the Democratic presidential nomination.

Harris is the second woman to become a major-party presidential nominee, the second Black nominee and the first Asian. In a 37-minute speech — roughly one-third the length of former President Donald Trump’s at the Republican National Convention in July — Harris retold the story of her upbringing in a "beautiful working-class neighborhood" in San Francisco’s East Bay. She described being a child of divorce who was raised with the help of people, "none of them family by blood, and all of them family by love."

As she has at recent rallies, Harris leaned into several key policy themes: abortion rights, voting rights and support for Ukraine as it fights a continuing Russian invasion. Broaching an issue Democrats have sometimes been reluctant to raise — immigration — Harris dared Republicans to oppose a revival of a bipartisan immigration bill that GOP lawmakers abandoned earlier this year under pressure from Trump, the Republican presidential nominee.

As Harris sounded notes of unity and optimism, she also expressed disdain for her opponent. Harris said, "In many ways, Donald Trump is an unserious man. But the consequences of putting Donald Trump back in the White House are extremely serious."

PolitiFact fact-checks politicians across the political spectrum. We also fact-checked the Republican National Convention in July. Read more about our process.

Here are fact-checks of some of Harris’ statements on the convention’s fourth and final night.

RELATED : Live fact-checking of Night 4 of the DNC

Harris: Trump "plans to create a national anti-abortion coordinator and force states to report on women's miscarriages and abortions." 

Mostly False.

What Harris describes is Project 2025. Although the 900-page policy manual makes such recommendations, it isn’t Trump’s plan. The project, led by conservative Heritage Foundation, contains proposals for the next Republican administration, and got input from dozens of Trump allies. But Trump and his campaign have repeatedly said they were not involved in the project and Trump is not listed as an author, editor or contributor. 

Project 2025 doesn’t mention a "national anti-abortion coordinator." The document calls for a "pro-life politically appointed Senior Coordinator of the Office of Women, Children, and Families."

It says the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s abortion surveillance and maternal mortality reporting systems are inadequate and proposes withholding federal money from states that don’t report to the CDC how many abortions take place in their states.

The document calls for the Health and Human Services Department to "use every available tool, including the cutting of funds, to ensure that every state reports exactly how many abortions take place within its borders, at what gestational age of the child, for what reason, the mother’s state of residence, and by what method."

It also says that the statistics should be separated by category, including spontaneous miscarriage, treatments that incidentally result in fetal death (such as chemotherapy), stillbirths and "induced abortion."

In an April interview with Time magazine, Trump said some states "might" choose to monitor and punish women for illegal abortions. But, when asked about the topic, he told the reporter to "speak to the individual states" about it.

Harris: "As a part of his agenda, he and his allies would limit access to birth control, ban medication abortion and enact a nationwide abortion ban, with or without Congress."

Harris’ predictive, multipart claim exaggerates Trump’s abortion agenda by tying him to Project 2025 "allies" and misleading about some of the document’s scope.

• Birth control: After a May interview in which he said he was "looking at" birth control restrictions, Trump wrote on Truth Social that "I have never and will never advocate for imposing restrictions on birth control." 

Project 2025 zeros in on some forms of emergency contraception — particularly Ella, a pill that can be taken within five days of unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy — and says they should be excluded from no-cost coverage. The Affordable Care Act requires most private health insurers cover recommended preventive services, which involves a range of birth control methods, including emergency contraception.

• Medication abortion: Trump is on record against Project 2025’s position on this issue. 

Project 2025 recommends that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reverse its 2000 approval of mifepristone, the first pill taken in a two-drug regimen for a medication abortion, the most common form of abortion in the U.S. 

If the FDA doesn’t reverse its mifepristone approval, Project 2025 recommends new rules, such as cutting its use from 10 weeks into pregnancy to seven weeks. It would have to be provided to patients in person rather than being sent by mail.

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge to mifepristone’s FDA approval over procedural grounds in June. Trump said during the June 27 presidential debate that he wouldn’t ban mifepristone, mistakenly saying because the court "approved" it. (The question at the center of the case could be revisited.) 

Project 2025 would have the Justice Department enforce the 1873 Comstock Act, which bans the mailing of "obscene" materials, to ban mailing abortion medication. Trump told CBS News on Aug. 19 that "generally speaking" he wouldn’t enforce the Comstock Act to ban mailing the medication.

• Enact a nationwide abortion ban, with or without Congress: Trump said this year he would not sign a national ban, even though he endorsed a 20-week cutoff as president. Since April, Trump has said abortion should be left to the states. 

Project 2025 doesn’t call to ban abortion nationwide, but it recommends policies that would significantly curtail access. It says the Department of Health and Human Services should "return to being known as the Department of Life by explicitly rejecting the notion that abortion is health care."

Some Trump allies have discussed other executive actions outside of Congress that could limit abortion, such as enforcing the Comstock Act .

Harris: "I … helped pass a homeowner bill of rights, one of the first of its kind in the nation."

As California’s attorney general, Harris was part of a multistate settlement that won debt relief for homeowners affected by the 2007-10 housing crisis. She initially withdrew from settlement talks in 2011 because the offer of $4 billion was "crumbs on the table," she said in 2012. The settlement involved five banks: Bank of America Corp., Wells Fargo & Co., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Citigroup Inc. and Ally Bank/GMAC Mortgage.

When a settlement agreement was reached in 2012, California won a combined $20 billion for its homeowners. Homeowners gained debt forgiveness and a reduction of monthly payments. But the settlement had checkered results.

Many homeowners didn’t keep their homes ; they opted to sell them for less than the amount owed, with the banks shouldering the loss . Critics said vulnerable groups such as non-English speakers had difficulty obtaining relief. Nearly a quarter of the relief went to people with second mortgages and some experts said much of the relief was for debt the banks would have anyway without the deal. However, the deal helped homeowners offload debts without going through foreclosure, which would have harmed their credit history. 

In July 2012, the California Legislature passed the California Homeowner Bill of Rights, a set of laws to protect homeowners from foreclosures. The laws, which were largely modeled after the foreclosure lawsuit, took effect in January 2013, Harris endorsed them. 

Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., praised the bill’s signing in 2012 and thanked Harris for her "ceaseless efforts to protect Californians against abuses by some in the mortgage servicing industry." 

The Homeowners Bill of Rights prohibits lenders from " dual tracking ," meaning lenders generally can’t foreclose on someone when they’re negotiating how to make a mortgage more affordable.

In 2012, the Los Angeles Times reported that the legislation made California the first state to prohibit this practice. And The Associated Press wrote that California would become the first state to write the parts of the mortgage settlement into law.

For a previous story, a consumer advocacy organization’s director told PolitiFact that in 2012, the bill’s protections served as "the strongest foreclosure prevention law in the country."

Harris: Trump "intends to enact what, in effect, is a national sales tax — call it a Trump tax — that would raise prices on middle-class families by almost $4,000 a year."

Trump has said that he would propose a 10% tariff on all nondomestic goods sold in the U.S. Although tariffs are levied separately from taxes, economists say that much of their impact would be passed along to consumers, making them analogous to a tax.

Harris’ figure about how much it will cost families is higher than most estimates.

The American Action Forum, a center-right think tank, has projected additional costs per household of $1,700 to $2,350 annually.

The Peterson Institute of International Economics, another Washington, D.C.-based think tank, projected that such tariffs would cost a middle-income household about $1,700 extra each year.

A more recent estimate , from the liberal group the Center for American Progress Action, came up with a $3,900 figure but that was based on the high end of a 10% to 20% tariff range that Trump on one occasion speculated about.

Harris: "The United States Supreme Court just ruled he would be immune from criminal prosecution."

The court did not grant Trump — or any president — full immunity.

In a landmark decision July 1, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that presidents have immunity from prosecution when carrying out "official acts." 

"Under our constitutional structure of separated powers, the nature of Presidential power entitles a former President to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority," the court wrote . "And he is entitled to at least presumptive immunity from prosecution for all his official acts. There is no immunity for unofficial acts."

We don’t yet fully know how the ruling will affect the outcome of pending criminal cases against Trump. The ruling delayed Trump’s federal prosecution on charges that he interfered with the 2020 election. A federal judge now must decide whether Trump’s actions constituted official acts.

The ruling also delayed the sentencing of Trump’s Manhattan conviction for falsifying business records.

PolitiFact Chief Correspondent Louis Jacobson, Senior Correspondent Amy Sherman, Staff Writers Grace Abels, Kwasi Asiedu, Madison Czopek, Samantha Putterman, Sara Swann, Loreben Tuquero and Maria Ramirez Uribe and Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this story. 

Our convention fact-checks rely on both new and previously reported work. We link to past work whenever possible. In some cases, a fact-check rating may be different tonight than in past versions. In those cases, either details of what the candidate said, or how the candidate said it, differed enough that we evaluated it anew. 

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Understanding Speech Pathology Terms: A Guide For Parents and Educators

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• Neurodivergence
• Child concerns

As parents and educators, it is essential to have a basic understanding of speech pathology terms to support children and better understand the child’s needs and subsequent supports. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs), commonly known as speech therapists, play a crucial role in diagnosing and treating various communication disorders. This guide aims to demystify some common speech pathology terms, empowering parents and educators to communicate better with SLPs, and aid children’s language development.

Articulation

Articulation refers to the ability to produce speech sounds correctly. Some children may encounter challenges in articulation, leading to difficulties with pronouncing certain sounds or substituting one sound for another. For example, a child might say “wabbit” instead of “rabbit”. Speech pathologists can assess articulation challenges and provide targeted interventions to improve speech clarity. Read more about speech development here.

Being “stimulable” for a speech sound is being able to spontaneously say a sound correctly or having the potential to say that sound with minimal help. For example, if a child can almost say the ‘r’ sound and, with some guidance, they can get it right, they are stimulable for that sound.

Childhood Apraxia of Speech

Childhood Apraxia of Speech, often referred to as CAS, is a motor speech disorder that affects a child’s ability to plan and coordinate the precise movements of the articulatory organs (such as the lips, tongue, and jaw) necessary for clear speech production. CAS is characterised by the brain’s difficulty in sending accurate signals to coordinate speech movements.

Children with CAS may have inconsistent speech sound errors, difficulty sequencing sounds, and challenges in imitating speech. Their speech may appear effortful, and they might struggle to produce longer or more complex words and phrases.

Intelligibility

Speech intelligibility refers to the degree to which spoken language is understood by listeners. It involves the clarity and comprehensibility of an individual’s speech sounds, words, and sentences. A child with low speech intelligibility is difficult to understand.

Phonological Delays and Disorders

Phonological disorders involve patterns of sound errors that affect multiple sounds in a systematic way. Neurodivergent children and those with a gestalt language processor might have difficulties with specific sound groups, making it challenging to understand their speech. Speech therapists can work with these children to address these patterns and improve overall speech intelligibility.

Phonological Processes

• Assimilation: When a sound changes to become more similar to a neighbouring sound. For example, saying “gog” for the word “dog” (velar assimilation).
• Fronting: When sounds that are usually produced at the back of the mouth (like ‘k’ and ‘g’) are replaced with sounds produced at the front (like ‘t’ and ‘d’). For example, saying “tea” for the word “key”.
• Reduplication: Repeating a whole syllable, like “wawa” for “water”.
• Voicing: When a voiceless sound becomes voiced, like “pie” for “buy”.
• Final Consonant Deletion: Leaving off the last sound in a word, like “ca” for “cat”.
• Weak Syllable Deletion: Leaving off an unstressed syllable, like “nana” for “banana”.
• Cluster Reduction: Simplifying a consonant cluster (two or more consonant sounds together), like “top” for “stop”.
• Stopping: Replacing a fricative sound (like ‘s’ or ‘f’) with a stop sound (like ‘t’ or ‘d’), like “dun” for “fun” or “sun.”
• Deaffrication: Changing an affricate sound (like ‘ch’ or ‘j’) to a fricative (e.g. ‘s’ or ‘f’) or stop sound (‘t’ or ‘d’), like “dips” for “chips”.
• Gliding: Replacing a liquid sound (like ‘r’ or ‘l’) with a glide sound (like ‘w’ or ‘y’), like “wabbit” for “rabbit”.
• Fricative Simplification: Replacing a fricative sound (e.g. ‘th’) with a simpler sound, like “fum” for “thumb”.
• Backing: Replacing a sound produced further back in the mouth, like ‘g’ for ‘d’ (velar backing). For example, saying “got” for the word “dot”.
• Affrication: Changing a stop sound to an affricate sound, like “chicken” for “kitchen”.
• Initial Consonant Deletion: Leaving off the first sound in a word, like “at” for “cat”.
• Medial Consonant Deletion: Leaving off a consonant sound in the middle of a word, like “bu-er” for “butter”.
• Intrusive Consonants: Adding extra consonant sounds between vowels in a word, like “bank” for “back.”
• Denasalisation: Replacing a nasal sound (like ‘n’ or ‘m’) with a non-nasal sound, like “dot” for “not”.
• Favoured Sound: A sound that a child consistently uses in place of other sounds due to difficulty producing certain sounds.
• Coalescence : A linguistic phenomenon where two distinct sounds or phonemes blend or merge together into a single sound. The result is a new sound that shares characteristics of both original sounds, like “foon” for “spoon”.
• Epenthesis : Insertion of a segment (usually a schwa) in the middle of a word (usually between two consonants of a cluster). For example, if the original word is “athlete”, the epenthetic form would be “ath-a-lete”. In this example, the extra ‘a’ sound is inserted between the ‘th’ and ‘l sounds, resulting in “ath-a-lete”.
• Metathesis : Reversal or swapping of the position of two consonants in a word. For example, if the original word is “comfortable”, the metathetic form would be “comfterble”. In this example, the ‘r’ and ‘t’ sounds switch places, leading to the pronunciation “comfterble”.
• Migration: Movement of a sound from one position in a word to another. Here’s an example of a metathesis-related migration, if the original word is “ask”, the metathetic form would be “aks”. In this case, the ‘s’ and ‘k’ sounds switch places, leading to the pronunciation “aks” instead of “ask”.
• Diminutisation: The addition of the vowel at the end of a word, like “doggie” for “dog”.

Language Delay

A language delay occurs when a child’s language development lags behind their peers. It can affect both expressive language (speaking) and receptive language (comprehending). Neurodivergent children and those with a gestalt language processor might experience language delays, and early intervention by a speech pathologist can help them catch up and develop age-appropriate language skills.

Receptive Language

Receptive language refers to the ability to understand and comprehend spoken language. Neurodivergent children and those with a gestalt language processor may have difficulty following instructions, understanding questions, or grasping the meaning of words and sentences.

Auditory Comprehension

Auditory comprehension is like the brain’s ability to understand spoken language. It’s when you listen to someone talking and the brain processes the words and their meanings to make sense of what’s being said. This skill helps you follow conversations, understand instructions, and respond appropriately. Whether it’s a simple sentence or a complex idea, auditory comprehension allows you to grasp the messages conveyed through spoken words.

Expressive Language

Expressive language is the ability to communicate thoughts, ideas, and feelings through spoken language writing, signs, gestures and AAC. Children with expressive language difficulties may struggle to use words and form sentences to convey their needs or engage in conversations.

Linguistics

Linguistics is the systematic study of language structure, including its sounds (phonetics and phonology), word formations (morphology), sentence structures (syntax), and meanings (semantics).

Metalinguistics

Metalinguistic skills involve the awareness and control of linguistic components of language. Simply put, it implies the ability to think and discuss language. These skills require an awareness of others as listeners and an ability to recognise significant details that indicate changes in speech. For example, you do not usually speak to a teacher in the same way you would speak to a friend. In addition, you do not typically speak in a restaurant the same way in which you speak in a museum. Noticing what kind of speech is appropriate in various environments with various speakers is reflective of metalinguistic skills.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)

AAC refers to the use of communication tools and strategies to support individuals who have limited or no speech, or need supports to communicate in certain situations they may find difficult. These tools can range from simple picture boards to advanced electronic devices that help children express themselves effectively. Read more about AAC.

Multimodal Communication

Multimodal communication refers to the use of various communication methods and channels simultaneously or interchangeably to convey messages and interact with others. It involves combining different modes of communication, such as speech, gestures, facial expressions, body language, sign language, writing, pictures, and technology-assisted tools like Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices. By integrating multiple communication modes, individuals can enhance their ability to express themselves, understand others, and engage in effective interactions across various contexts and environments.

Nonverbal Communication

Nonverbal communication encompasses the conveyance of information, feelings, and meanings through means other than spoken or written language. It includes facial expressions, gestures, body language, eye contact, posture, tone of voice, and touch. Nonverbal cues play a significant role in conveying emotions, attitudes, and intentions, often complementing or even contradicting spoken messages. This form of communication is universal and can be particularly important in situations where language barriers exist or when individuals may have difficulty expressing themselves verbally.

Presymbolic Communication

Presymbolic communication refers to the early forms of communication that occur before an individual begins using conventional symbols or words to convey meaning. This type of communication involves using gestures, facial expressions, vocalisations, and body language to express needs, wants, and emotions. It serves as a foundation for later language development and can include actions like pointing, reaching, showing objects, and making sounds to communicate effectively with others.

Symbolic Communication

Symbolic communication involves the use of symbols, such as words, gestures, or images, to represent and convey meaning. Unlike presymbolic communication, where meaning is conveyed through immediate actions or cues, symbolic communication relies on shared understandings of the meanings associated with specific symbols. Written language, spoken words, sign language, and even art and music are examples of symbolic communication.

Key Word Sign

Key Word Sign (KWS) is a tool or strategy which can be used to support children and adults with communication difficulties to understand and get their message across to others. KWS adds signs to spoken words. The key words in a message are signed. KWS is not a sign language, but it borrows the signs from the sign language of the country it is used in. In Australia, this is Auslan. Learn more here.

Vocalisations

Vocalisation refers to the production of sounds using the vocal cords and the vocal tract. These sounds can include speech sounds, cries, laughter, and various other vocal expressions. Vocalisation is a fundamental aspect of human communication, allowing individuals to convey emotions, thoughts, and intentions through the modulation of pitch, tone, and intensity. In infants, vocalisation is an early form of communication before the development of words.

Activities of Daily Living

Daily living skills, also known as activities of daily living (ADLs), encompass a range of fundamental self-care tasks that are essential for a child’s well-being and development. These skills empower children to become more independent and confident in their daily routines. Examples of children’s daily living skills include personal hygiene activities (like brushing teeth and washing hands), getting dressed, eating, tidying up toys, using the restroom, and basic grooming tasks. Acquiring these skills is an important step in a child’s growth, fostering self-sufficiency, and setting a foundation for lifelong habits of responsibility and independence.

Pragmatics involves the social use of language, including understanding and using nonverbal cues, taking turns during conversations, and adapting language depending on the audience and context. Speech therapists can work on improving pragmatic skills to enhance social interactions. The focus of pragmatic language interventions is to improve relationships, not to teach neurodivergent individuals to interact in neurotypical ways. Read more about social communication.

Semantics is the branch of linguistics that focuses on the meaning in language. There are various aspects of meaning, including word definitions, synonyms, antonyms, connotations, and the ways words combine to create meaningful expressions.

Voice Disorders

Voice disorders can result from misuse or abuse of the vocal cords, leading to hoarseness, pitch problems, or loss of voice. Speech pathologists can assess and treat voice disorders, helping children use their voices effectively and safely.

Neurodivergent

Neurodivergent is a term used to describe individuals whose neurological development and cognitive functioning differ from the societal norms or majority. It encompasses a wide range of neurological variations, including but not limited to autism, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourette syndrome, and other developmental differences. Neurodivergent individuals may experience diverse ways of processing information, emotions, and sensory input. Embracing neurodiversity promotes the understanding that these neurological differences are a natural and valuable part of human diversity, and it encourages the creation of inclusive and accommodating environments that celebrate the strengths and capabilities of all individuals. Read more about neurodiversity here.

ADHD, or Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, is a neurodevelopmental condition that can affect children. It is characterised by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity that can impact a child’s functioning and daily life. Read more about ADHD here.

Autism, also known as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), is a complex neurodevelopmental condition that affects social interaction, communication, behavior, and sensory processing. Autism is characterised by a range of symptoms and challenges that can vary widely among individuals. Read more about autism here .

Monotropism

Monotropism is a concept in psychology and autism research that describes a cognitive style characterised by intense and narrow attention focus on a specific interest or topic. Coined by psychologist Dinah Murray in 1992, the term suggests that individuals with monotropic thinking tend to concentrate their mental efforts intensely on a single subject or activity at a time, often to the exclusion of other stimuli in their environment. This cognitive pattern is commonly associated with autistic individuals who may display exceptional expertise and knowledge in their areas of interest while showing challenges in shifting attention to different subjects or engaging in reciprocal social interactions. Monotropism helps explain the unique cognitive processing and information-seeking behavior often observed in autistic individuals. Read more about monotropism .

Gestalt Language Processor

Gestalt Language Processing (GLP) is a form of language development that starts with whole memorised phrases. Gestalt language processing means that a child learns language in longer strings that are related to emotional context. We can call these “chunks”  gestalts  or scripts. You may also have heard this referred to as “delayed echolalia”.

For example “I need a band-aid” may be a script that a child learns during a moment they have injured themselves and so they received a hug from their caregiver. So, the child later uses “I need a band-aid” to indicate they want a hug rather than literally asking for a band-aid. Read more about this in our blog Gestalt Language Processing Stages.

Within Normal Limits

Speech Pathologists often use the terms “within normal limits” and “delayed”, but what do these mean?

As Speech Pathologists, we rely on “norms”, or, averages. Using assessments and observations, we can determine where your child’s skills fit with other children their age. If their skills are about the same as most children their age, we say their skills are “age appropriate” or “within normal limits”. If their skills are below most children their age, we say their skills are “delayed” and we would recommend therapy to build up your child’s skills in these difficult areas.

Phonological Awareness

Phonological Awareness (PA) is the ability to manipulate sounds in words, and are important pre-literacy skills.

Phonological awareness delays might look like:

• Difficulty identifying and making rhyme
• Difficulty identifying the first, last or middle sound in a word
• Difficulty breaking words up in to their sounds
• Difficulty identifying syllables in words
• Difficulty changing sounds in words

Read more about phonological awareness.

Other Useful Resources

For more information on what your child’s speech and language skills should look like between the ages of 1 and 5, have a look at our milestones handouts  here .

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Speech Therapy Terms Dictionary

 21 min read

A glossary of definitions for adult speech-language pathology & technology

Quick links: a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z.

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)  – Any brain damage that occurs after birth, in contrast to genetic brain disorders or damage to the brain in the womb or during birth. Typically refers to head injury, stroke, brain tumors, and lack of oxygen to the brain, but excludes degenerative brain conditions, such as dementia. Find out  more about brain injury  on our  Brain Injury Resources page.

Acquired Communication Disorder  – A problem with speech, language, voice, pragmatics, or fluency that develops after a person has developed language. Contrasted with a  developmental  communication disorder. Typically refers to aphasia, dysarthria, apraxia of speech, cognitive-communication disorders that occur after an acquired brain injury.  Learn the difference  between these types of communication disorders.

Alphabet Supplementation  – A technique of pointing to the first letter of each word as it is said. Use the letter board in  AlphaTopics AAC  to practice alphabet (and topic) supplementation to improve speech intelligibility for people with dysarthria. Learn  10 ways alphabet supplementation can help .

Alveolar  – A class of sounds made when the tongue touches or is close to the bumpy front part of the roof of the mouth, called the alveolar ridge. English alveolar consonants include /n, t, d, s, z, ch, l, r/.

Alzheimer’s Disease  – The most common type of dementia, often recognized by declining short-term memory in the early stages. Like all dementias, people with Alzheimer’s get worse over time as it is a degenerative condition.  Spaced Retrieval Therapy  is an app designed to be used during therapy with people with Alzheimer’s Disease to help with memory of specific facts and procedures.

Android  – A mobile operating system developed by Google, run by several brands of smartphones and tablet computers such as Nexus, Samsung, Kindle, LG, Sony, and Motorola. Apps are sold on the  Google Play store . Apps for Android devices are not compatible with Apple devices (iPad, iPhone) running iOS. Most of Tactus Therapy’s most popular apps are now available for Android on Google Play.

Anomia  – An expressive language impairment that makes it difficult to recall words and names. Anomia is a common and frustrating part of most types of aphasia. Anomic aphasia is a specific subtype of aphasia with anomia as the primary symptom.  Naming Therapy  and  Advanced Naming Therapy  are apps designed to work on improving word retrieval for people with anomia.

Aphasia  – An acquired language disorder caused by damage to the language centers of the brain. Aphasia can impact auditory comprehension, verbal expression, reading, writing, and use of symbols. It does not affect intelligence. Read  “What is Aphasia?”  for more information.

App  – Short for “software application.” An app requires an operating system to run on. In mobile devices, an app can be downloaded from an app store and launched by touching the icon. See all the Tactus Therapy apps on this  list .

App Store  – An online store that sells apps for Apple devices running iOS. The App Store is part of iTunes on a computer, or can be found as an app pre-installed on an iPad or iPhone. All Tactus Therapy apps for Apple devices are purchased directly through the  App Store , not through our website.

Apraxia of Speech (AOS)  – An acquired motor speech disorder that impairs the ability to form and execute the motor plans for speech. Read  “What is Apraxia?”  for more information.  Speech FlipBook  is an app designed to help with apraxia of speech by presenting sounds in a hierarchy of complexity.  Apraxia Therapy  is an app to help people with AOS speak in time with a video.

Articulation  – The movement of the tongue, lips, and jaw to make speech sounds. Articulation is one part of the whole speech process that includes respiration, phonation, articulation, resonance, and prosody. Articulation problems are common after a stroke or brain injury as part of dysarthria.  Speech FilpBook  is our app for articulation.

ASHA  – The  American Speech-Language-Hearing Association  is the organization that certifies Speech-Language Pathologists in the United States. The annual ASHA convention is held every year in November in various locations around the country, featuring continuing education and an exhibit hall  for 10,000-14,000 attending speech pathologists, audiologists, and students.

Assessment  – The evaluation phase of therapy in which a speech therapist determines whether an impairment exists, the degree and nature of the impairment, and sets the direction for therapy, usually with a written report summarizing the findings. Assessments may include formal or standardized tests or may be informal, consisting of an interview or a variety of non-standardized tasks. Many assessments include a combination of formal and informal measures.

Attention  – A cognitive process of allocating processing resources to certain information. Attention is addressed in a hierarchy of focused, sustained, selective, and alternating. Attention is required for memory, and is frequently impaired after brain injury.  Visual Attention Therapy  is an app designed to work on attention to both sides of personal space.

Auditory Comprehension  – Understanding words through listening. Auditory comprehension is often impaired in aphasia. It can be relatively in-tact for single words or simple sentences, but impaired for complex sentences, grammatical words, or when there are background distractions.  Comprehension Therapy  is an app that addresses auditory comprehension of single words, and Advanced Comprehension Therapy addresses auditory comprehension of sentences and directions.

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC)  – Communication methods used by a person with a communication disorder. to enhance or replace spoken or written communication. AAC can be  unaided  or  aided  by a device or communication tool, and can be  low-tech  (paper or equivalent) or  high-tech  (computer, smartphone, or dedicated device).  AlphaTopics  is an AAC app for dysarthria and aphasia.

Autism (ASD)  – A neurodevelopmental disorder that often involves impaired social interaction, decreased communication skills, and repetitive behaviors. Read why Tactus Therapy apps work well for  children with autism .

Bilabial  – A class of sounds made with both lips. In English, the bilabial consonant sounds are /m, b, p/.

Brain Injury  – See also  Acquired Brain Injury  or  Traumatic Brain Injury . Learn more about the types of brain injuries and what to expect in “ What is Brain Injury? ”

Broca’s Aphasia  – See also  Expressive Aphasia .  Language Therapy  is an app developed for people with Broca’s aphasia to improve naming, listening, reading, and writing skills.  See a video of a man with Broca’s aphasia here.

Bundle  – An app bundle is a set of paid apps that can be purchased together on the App Store at a discount over buying each app separately. Tactus Therapy offers three  app bundles  to save you money: Tactus Aphasia Essentials, Tactus Aphasia Elements, & Tactus Clinical Tools.  Learn more  about how you can save when you stock up on great apps for therapy.

Caregiver  – A person who provides care for a person with a disability. A caregiver can be a spouse, sibling, parent, or friend as well as a paid caregiver hired to care for a person. Also called a carer or care partner.

Category  – A class of things sharing a similar attribute. Read more about the  Importance of Categories  in speech therapy.  Category Therapy  is an app designed to work on understanding and organizing categories.

Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA)  – The medical term for a stroke. A stroke occurs when the blood supply to the brain is blocked (ischemic stroke) or ruptures (hemorrhagic). Read  What is a Stroke?  for more information or find  resources for stroke .

Circumlocution  – Literally talking around a word, a method of describing a concept. Circumlocution is a  strategy  used by people with anomia, as well as a common characteristic of aphasic speech.  This approach is used in  Naming Therapy  in the  Describe  activity. See also Semantic Feature Analysis.

Cognition  – The mental processes related to knowledge, including awareness, attention, perception, reasoning, memory, language, and judgement.

Cognitive-Communication  – Cognition as it relates to communication. Disorders of cognition often have a negative effect on communication. Read more about  cognitive-communication disorders  and see how  apps can help treat cognitive-communication .

Communication  – The transmission of  a message from a sender to a recipient through a medium (e.g. verbal, non-verbal, written).

Communication Disorder  – Any disorder that impairs communication. Communication disorders may affect speech (speech-sound disorder, articulation disorder, motor speech disorder, apraxia of speech), language (aphasia, expressive language disorder), pragmatics (autism, frontal head injury), fluency (stuttering), literacy (dyslexia, agraphia, alexia), cognition (dyscalculia, dementia),  or voice. Learn more about  communication disorders acquired after stroke .

Compensatory Strategy  – A method of carrying out a task when the easiest or most direct method of achieving the goal is impaired. Example: Describing a word is a compensatory  word-finding strategy  that can be used when a person cannot think of the exact word; using this strategy may result in the listener guessing the word, thereby compensating for the word finding deficit. A person must remember to use the strategy for it to work. Compensatory strategies used for cognition, language, speech, and swallowing and are frequently taught in speech therapy.

Comprehension  – Understanding. Auditory comprehension is understanding through listening. Reading comprehension is understanding written words.  Comprehension Therapy  is an app designed to work on auditory and reading comprehension of single words.  Reading Therapy  is an app meant to be used for reading comprehension at the phrase and sentence levels. Advanced Language Therapy contains both Advanced Comprehension Therapy for working on understanding sentences, and Advanced Reading Therapy for working on understanding paragraphs.

Confrontation Naming  – Saying the name of an object that is presented. Objects may be real or pictured. This ability is frequently impaired in aphasia and dementia.  Naming Therapy  is an app designed to practice confrontation naming.

Consonant  – A speech sound in which the air is partially obstructed. Consonants combine with vowels to make syllables or with other consonants to form clusters. All of the consonants and most clusters in English are featured in  Speech FlipBook .

Convergent Naming  – Stating the category that certain words have in common. Given “apple, banana, pomegranate,” the category is “fruit.” Categories may be concrete or abstract.  Category Therapy  is an app that works on convergent naming of categories in the  Classify  and  Add One  activities.

Conversation  – The exchange of ideas through language. The end goal of speech therapy in many cases.  Conversation Therapy  is an app designed to encourage conversation in therapy.

Cue  – An auditory, visual, or tactile message that prompts a person to say or do something. Cues are given in speech therapy to help a person find a word, produce a sound, remember something, or use a compensatory strategy. Also referred to as a hint or prompt, and included in  Language  Therapy and Number Therapy .

Cueing Hierarchy  – A set of cues arranged in an order from most helpful to least helpful. The cues in  Naming Therapy  in the  Practice  mode and  Number Therapy  in the  Speak  activity form a cueing hierarchy for word retrieval. Learn more about  how to use a cueing hierarchy .

Customization  – Adapting something to personal preference or needs. In apps, this can be achieved by changing settings to make the app work in a custom way, or through adding your own words, pictures, or exercises to make the app personally relevant.  Language Therapy and  AlphaTopics  are highly customizable apps, allowing you to add own words, questions, and pictures.

Degenerative Disease  – A medical condition that gets worse, or progresses, over time. Often speech therapy for people with degenerative disorders will focus on teaching strategies that can be used by the person or family as skills deteriorate. Dementia, Parkinson’s, ALS, cancer, and PPA are  progressive conditions  that can affect communication.

Deglutition  – A scientific word for swallowing, or passing something from the mouth into the stomach via the throat and esophagus. Disorders of deglutition are called  dysphagia . Treatment for dysphagia can be found in our  Dysphagia Therapy app .

Dementia  – An umbrella term for a set of degenerative brain disorders that often affect memory and thinking skills first, before impacting language, emotions, and motivation. Alzheimer’s, Lewy body, frontotemporal, and primary progressive aphasia are all types of dementia. See also  Alzheimer’s .

Divergent Naming  – Listing items in a given category. For example, “name 5 types of fruit” is a task for divergent naming. Often clients in speech therapy are asked to name items within a semantic category or that start with a common sound or letter. These exercises can test and strengthen networks in the brain and highlight organizational difficulties. Find over 200 divergent naming tasks in  Advanced Naming Therapy .

Dysarthria  –  A motor-speech disorder that results in unclear speech, often due to stroke, TBI, Parkinson’s, ALS, or cerebral palsy. This inability to speak clearly is because of weakness, slowness, or lack of coordination in the muscles of the mouth, voice, and lungs. There are several different types of dysarthria. Read “ What is dysarthria? “, then learn how using an app like  AlphaTopics AAC  can help  improve speech intelligibility .

Dysphagia  – Impaired swallowing. Dysphagia is common after a stroke, but also occurs from other neurological conditions or physical damage to the mouth, throat, or esophagus. Speech-language pathologists are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of oral and pharyngeal dysphagia. Exercises, modified diets, and strategies may be recommended after a clinical/bedside or instrumental assessment. Find out more by reading “ What is Dysphagia? “. Clinicians can find information about dysphagia assessment and treatment in the  Dysphagia Therapy app .

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)  – An approach to clinical practice that values research and evidence of efficacy above tradition when making treatment decisions. Evidence exists along a hierarchy of strength, from clinical expertise and case studies to randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses. Read “ Is this app evidence-based? ” for more information, or find out  the evidence for using Language Therapy .

Executive Functioning  – The term for the overall management of tasks, including planning, reasoning, monitoring, adjusting, problem solving, and evaluating. This is the highest level of cognitive functioning and often impaired in brain injury survivors.

Expressive Aphasia  – A type of aphasia characterized by effortful, non-fluent (fewer than 5 words per utterance), and agrammatic (omitting function words) speech with relatively good auditory comprehension. Syntax and grammar are often impaired for both verbal expression and auditory comprehension. Writing is frequently more impacted than reading, though both are likely to be decreased from previous abilities.  Read more about this type of aphasia, also known as  Broca’s Aphasia .

Fluent Aphasia  –  A type of aphasia in which words, or non-words/jargon, are produced largely without effort in longer bursts. Comprehension is often impaired. Wernicke’s aphasia is a type of fluent aphasia. See a  video of a person with fluent aphasia  to learn more about it.

Frontal Lobe  – One of the four lobes of the brain, located at the front of the skull behind the forehead. The frontal lobe is associated with executive functioning, decision making, self control, and problem solving. It is frequently damaged in brain injuries caused by motor vehicle collisions.

Generalization  – The process of a skill learned in therapy being used in a broader context. Also known as  carry-over  or  transfer .

Hierarchy  – An order of cues, tasks, or stimuli ranked according to difficulty or helpfulness. The cues presented in the  Naming Practice  portion of  Naming Therapy  are arranged in a hierarchy of helpfulness. The levels in  Visual Attention Therapy  are arranged in a hierarchy of difficulty.  Apraxia Therapy  takes users through a hierarchy of repetitions from the most support to the most independence. See also  cueing hierarchy .

In-App Purchase  – An app feature that can be purchased from within the app, after the app is downloaded. This can be a consumable or non-consumable purchase.

Intensive Therapy  – A schedule of delivering speech therapy, usually for aphasia or stuttering, that provides many hours of therapy in a short period of time with the aim of seeing faster and better results. Using apps as part of a home program can help to give people with aphasia more practice to intensify the therapy experience.

International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)  – The set of symbols to represent all the sounds in the world’s languages. 

Intonation  – The rise and fall of pitch in the voice during speech. A component of  prosody .

iOS  – The operating system of Apple’s mobile touch-screen devices: iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch.

iPad  – A touch-screen tablet made by Apple. All  Tactus Therapy apps  can run on an iPad.

Jargon  – Non-words produced by a person with aphasia, usually fluent aphasia, that sound like real words and are produced with appropriate intonation. Also, terminology specific to a profession, like most words on this list.

Language  – A system for communicating. The words and rules for combining them understood by a community; can be spoken or written. English, Spanish, and American Sign Language are three examples of languages.  Language Therapy  is an app that covers the 4 basic domains of language: verbal expression, auditory comprehension, written expression, and reading comprehension. Advanced Language Therapy covers these skills at the sentence and paragraph levels.

Left Neglect  – see  Neglect

Letter Supplementation  – A method of pointing at the first letter of each word spoken to give the listener a clue to the word being said and slow down the speaker.  Read how  this strategy can help speakers with unclear speech.

Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA)  – A philosophy or model of service delivery for aphasia therapy that expands the focus from only addressing the language impairment to also include the person, their environment, and their participation in activities to more fully impact quality of life. Find out  5 things often misunderstood about LPAA .

Memory  – The cognitive process of storing (or encoding) and recalling (or retrieving) information in the brain. There are many types of memory: short-term, long-term, procedural, declarative, semantic, and episodic. Memory can be impaired through an acquired or degenerative brain condition, such as a TBI or dementia.  Spaced Retrieval Therapy  is an app that uses an evidence-based approach to help people remember facts, procedures, or names when memory is impaired.

Motor Speech Disorder  – A problem producing speech, typically a type of  dysarthria  or  apraxia . Results from neurological, neuromuscular, or musculoskeletal problems with respiration, phonation, articulation, resonance, or prosody.

Naming  – The process of saying what you see. The ability to name objects or actions is frequently impaired in people with aphasia and dementia. The  Naming Therapy  app can help practice the ability to name using a cueing hierarchy, semantic feature analysis, phonological component analysis, and picture description – all  evidence-based naming treatments . The Advanced Naming Therapy app uses more complex exercises to improve generative naming and word finding.

Neglect  – A neurological condition that results in a person being unaware of things that appear on one side of their visual field, even though their eyes are fine. Left neglect is more common than right neglect, though both are possible. Read more  about neglect and how to treat it .

Neurologist  – A medical doctor specialized in disorders of the nervous system (brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves).

Neuroplasticity  – The principle that the brain can change, even in adulthood, based on experience. Discover the  10 principles of neuroplasticity  to know which types of treatment are likely to help.

Neuropsychologist  – A psychologist specialized in behaviour as it relates to disorders of the brain. In a stroke or brain injury rehabilitation team, the neuropsychologist will often administer tests of cognitive function.

Numbers  – A special type of language that communicates quantity. The  communication of numbers  is frequently impaired in people with aphasia.  Number Therapy  is an app that works on the transcoding of numbers in speech, listening, and typing activities.

Occupational Therapy (OT)  – A field of therapy that rehabilitates people with physical or mental illness through the performance of everyday tasks. Occupational Therapists often focus on the upper extremity (arm and hand), wheelchair mobility, activities of daily living, and visual-spatial skills in the rehab setting.

Operating System (OS)  – The software that runs the basic functions of a computer, tablet, or smartphone that allows it to launch other software applications. Windows, OS X, Linux, iOS, and Android are some common operating systems. When purchasing apps or software, it is important to ensure they are compatible with the OS of your computer, tablet, or smartphone. For example, an app designed for iOS will not work on your Windows computer or Android tablet.

Parkinson’s Disease  – A progressive or degenerative medical condition that affects movement by impacting the dopamine systems in the brain.  People with Parkinson’s Disease, or Parkinsonian symptoms, can have speech and swallowing problems that can be helped by speech therapy.

Phonation  – Sound made when air vibrates the vocal folds in the larynx to produce speech. In some motor speech disorders, phonation is absent, impaired, or mis-timed.

Phonemes  – The sounds that are distinct in a language. The word “cat” has 3 phonemes: k + æ + t. Phonemes can be written using the International Phonetic Alphabet, or IPA. The  Speech FlipBook  app allows you to create words with specific sets of phonemes.

Phonological Awareness  – A set of skills that allow a person to hear and manipulate the sounds in words regardless of the meaning. Rhyming, alliteration, segmenting, and blending are all phonological awareness skills.

Phonological Components Analysis (PCA)  – An evidence-based therapy technique for aphasia focusing on phonological awareness skills, such as identifying the first and last sounds in a word, generating rhymes of a given word, and counting the syllables in a word.  Naming Therapy  incorporates PCA into the  Describe  activity when the  Sound  cues are turned on in the  Settings . Learn more about  how to do PCA .

Physical Therapy (PT)  – A field of therapy that rehabilitates people with physical impairments through exercise, massage, heat, or other treatments that are not surgery or medication. Physical Therapists often focus on transfer skills (e.g. moving from bed to chair), walking, and climbing stairs in a rehabilitation setting.

Pragmatics  – The social use of language, including tone of voice, taking turns in a  conversation , providing context to a story, and using words appropriate to the audience or situation. Pragmatic skills are often impaired after a brain injury or a stroke on the right side of the brain.

Primary Progressive Aphasia (PPA)  – A rare type of frontotemporal dementia that starts with a gradual loss of language. Speech therapy can help to provide strategies for communication or exercises to strengthen language skills to slow the decline. Read “ What is PPA? ” for more information.

Privacy  – Tactus Therapy values your privacy. We never collect any names, personal data, or email addresses through our apps. Healthcare providers can easily keep patient data private using Tactus Therapy apps. See our  privacy policy  for more information.

Prosody  – The melody of speech, including suprasegmental features such as rate, rhythm, intonation, volume, stress, and pitch. Prosody can convey emotion, sarcasm, a question vs a statement, and energy. Damage to the brain can impair a person’s ability to produce or understand prosody. People with Broca’s aphasia or apraxia are often dysprosodic. Those with right-hemisphere damage may not understand the intent of the speaker if sarcasm is used, called sensory or receptive aprosodia.

Question  – A sentence meant to elicit information from someone. A query or interrogative. 

Receptive Aphasia  – Another name for  fluent aphasia  or  Wernicke’s aphasia , used because of the marked difficulty with comprehension.  Read more and see a video  of this type of aphasia.

Recovery  – The process of restoring function after a loss. Recovery from a brain injury or stroke can take years, and may never be a full recovery to previous levels of functioning. However, recovery is always possible to some extent. Read  5 factors you can control in stroke recovery .

Remediation  – Improving the problem. One of 4 approaches used in speech-language therapy. Read  more about remediation  and the other 3 approaches.

Resonance  – The flow of air through the nose or mouth during speech. The velum prevents air from going through the nose in all but the nasal sounds (m, n, ng) in normal speech. Cleft palate, stroke, and progressive diseases can cause disorders in resonance in speech.

Respiration  – Breathing, and the first component of speech production.

Responsive Naming  – Generating the name of an object or idea when given attributes about it. For example, “what do you use to tell time?” could be a question meant to elicit the names “clock” or “watch.” To practice responsive naming, use the  Naming Practice  part of the  Naming Therapy  app and listen to the first definition cue without looking at the picture.

Semantic Feature Analysis (SFA)  – An evidence-based method of naming therapy that entails describing something in a systematic way. Detailing the color, size, shape, function, category, smell, taste, feeling, etc of an object or action is a communication strategy, a prompt to retrieve the word, and a restorative exercise.  Naming Therapy  uses SFA in the Describe activity. Read more about  how to do SFA .

Semantics  -The meaning of language.

Smartphone  – A touch-screen phone that serves as a phone and a mini-computer. It can run apps, browse the web, send text messages, take photos, and handle e-mail. The iPhone is Apple’s smartphone.

Spaced Retrieval  – A scientifically proven method to help people with dementia or other memory impairments actively train to recall important information. Recalling an answer over multiplying intervals of time helps to cement the information in memory.  Spaced Retrieval Therapy  is an enhanced interval timer app with independent data tracking and prompts. Read more about how to do it in our  How To: SRT  guide.

Speech  – The expression of language through articulated sounds. Speech consists of respiration, phonation, articulation, resonance, and prosody. Disorders of speech may include problems with any of these areas, including fluency (stuttering or stammering) and voice.

Speech and Language Therapist (SLT or SALT)  – The same as a Speech-Language Pathologist. This title is used for professionals who are trained to evaluate and treat communication and swallowing disorders in many countries such as the UK.

Speech Therapy  – The treatment of communication and swallowing disorders.

Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)  – The official title given to professionals who are trained to evaluate and treat communication and swallowing disorders.  The term ‘Speech-Language Pathologist’ is meant to better reflect the scope of practice of professionals commonly referred to as ‘speech therapists.’ In the US and Canada, entry-level education to qualify to be a SLP is a Master’s degree.

Strategy  – A plan for achieving a goal. People with communication and swallowing disorders may benefit from using strategies to do the tasks that have become difficult for them. See also  Compensatory Strategy .

Stroke  – An event inside the brain in which there is a sudden loss of function, also known as a  brain attack  or  cerebrovascular attack (CVA) . A stroke occurs when a part of the brain is deprived of the oxygen it needs to function properly. Learn more by reading  What is a Stroke?  and watching the helpful video.

Subscription  – An ongoing monthly or annual expense to use an app or service. When you stop paying for your subscription, you have no access to the app or service anymore. At Tactus Therapy, we don’t believe in charging you for a subscription. When you purchase our apps, you own them for good. We even give you free updates. Don’t worry about our servers going down or using our apps when you don’t have WiFi. They’ll always work.

Syntax  – The rules for combining words in a language. Syntax is often impaired in non-fluent aphasia.

Tablet  – The generic name for a touch-screen computer or device roughly the size of a pad of paper. The iPad and iPad mini are tablets made by Apple. There are also tablets that run on the Android and Windows operating systems.

Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)  –  A jolt or blow to the head or a penetrating head injury that disrupts the normal functioning of the brain. Learn more about  brain injury in this post .

Velar  – A class of sounds produced at the back of the mouth by approximating the base of the tongue to the velum, or soft palate. /k/, /g/, and /ng/ are velar consonant sounds in English.

Visual Scanning  – A treatment for visual attention deficits, or neglect, that can be done with our  Visual Attention Therapy  app. Learn more about how visual scanning works as a treatment in this  How To: Visual Scanning  post.

VNeST  – Verb Network Strengthening Treatment. Learn more about this effective therapy protocol for improving word finding in aphasia in our step-by-step guide on  How To Do VNeST .

Vowel  – Sounds made with an open vocal tract that form the nucleus of a syllable. You can create words lists with any English vowel in  Speech FlipBook .

Wernicke’s Aphasia  – A type of fluent aphasia with poor auditory comprehension and jargon speech. See  Fluent Aphasia  for more or read  this story  about a couple dealing with Wernicke’s aphasia.

Wh Question  – A type of question that starts with one of these words that starts with “wh”: who, what, where, when, why, which, whose. “How” is also often considered a wh question. 

Yes/No Question  – A type of question that can be answered with “yes” or “no.”

Want to learn more about speech and language disorders in adults? Visit our Learn pages to discover other helpful resources. We also have a wide variety of  apps for speech therapy  you can download to get started on improving communication today.  

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Megan S. Sutton , MS, CCC-SLP is a speech-language pathologist and co-founder of Tactus Therapy. She is an international speaker, writer, and educator on the use of technology in adult medical speech therapy. Megan believes that technology plays a critical role in improving aphasia outcomes and humanizing clinical services.

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There are an estimated 1.2 million Australians with communication support needs, who benefit from services like speech pathology.

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The Most Common Speech-Language Pathology Abbreviations

Wondering what a certain speech-language pathology abbreviation means—or when to use it? Check out this list for common SLP abbreviations.

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The use of shorthand to denote medical diagnoses, devices, movements, anatomical landmarks, certifications, credentials, and more—whether in writing or via an EMR —is commonplace among today’s clinicians. However, the list of medical abbreviations is ridiculously lengthy, so we thought it would be beneficial to narrow our focus, and zero in on the most commonly used speech-language pathology (SLP) abbreviations. (Don’t worry; we’ve got lists for physical therapy and occupational therapy abbreviations , too.) 

To help us on our quest to discover as many SLP abbreviations as possible, we consulted a friend of WebPT, Paige Luetkemeyer, M.S., CCC-SLP (thanks, Paige!). We also divided this article up into three sections for easier scannability. And as the bulk of our speech-language pathology abbreviations fall into the clinical category, we’ll start there. 

Clinical Speech-Language Pathology Abbreviations

A couple of caveats before we dive into the list (don’t worry, we’ve kept this abbreviated—lol):

• As with any abbreviation used for medical records and legal documents, a facility may have a prior agreed-upon list that supersedes anything that follows here, so consult with your company’s compliance department or EMR superuser to be safe. 
• Speaking of compliance, the push for more inclusive language and transparency has led some agencies and organizations to eliminate abbreviations outright. Fortunately, text expanders—like the one built into the WebPT EMR —can change designated abbreviations into their full-text equivalents, saving you time in the process.

Alright, back to our regularly scheduled programming.

AAC – augmentative and alternative communication ABR – auditory brainstem response AD – assistive device ADL – activity/activities of daily living AICD – automatic implantable cardiac defibrillator AKA – above-knee amputation Amb – ambulation A/P – anterior/posterior ASD – autism spectrum disorder

B – bilateral BID – twice a day BKA – below-knee amputation

c (with a line over it) – with CABG – coronary artery bypass graft (open heart surgery) CAD – coronary artery disease CAS – childhood apraxia of speech CGA – contact guard assist CHF – congestive heart failure CHI – closed head injury CI – cochlear implant C/O – complains of Cont – continue(d) COPD – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease CP – cerebral palsy CPAP – continuous positive airway pressure CPR – cardiopulmonary resuscitation CPSE – Committee on Preschool Special Education CR – Cluster Reduction CRF –chronic renal failure CSF – cerebrospinal fluid CVA – cerebrovascular accident CVI – cortical visual impairment

DBP – Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrician/Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics dB HL – decibels hearing level DC – discharge (or D/C) DDK – Dysdiadochokinesia DNR – do not resuscitate DNT – did not test DOE – dyspnea on exertion d/t – due to DTTC – Dynamic Temporal and Tactile Cueing DVT – deep vein thrombosis Dx – diagnosis

EEG – electroencephalogram EENT – eyes, ears, nose, and throat EI – early intervention EOB – edge of bed Estim or ES – electrical stimulation Ex – exercise Ex Lap – exploratory laparotomy or laparoscopy 

FCD – final consonant deletion

FEES – fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing FIM – functional independence level (also called FIM score) FTT – failure to thrive f/u – follow up Fx – fracture FWW – front-wheeled walker

GI – gastroenterologist or gastrointestinal GP – generative phonology or general practitioner GSW – gunshot wound

HAPP-3 – Hodson Assessment of Phonological Patterns, 3rd Ed HEP – home exercise program HEENT – head, eyes, ears, nose, and throat HL – hearing loss HNC – head and neck cancer H/o – history of HOB – head of bed HOHA (HOH) – hand over hand assist HP – hot pack Hx – history Hz – hertz (cycles/sound)

I (or Ind) – independent ICD-10 – 10th revision: International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems IALP – International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics ICD – Initial Consonant Deletion ICF – International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health ICF-CY – International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health – Children and Youth IDDSI – International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative IEP – individualized education program IFSP – individualized family service plan IPA – International Phonetic Alphabet IPA – International Phonetic Association IV – intravenously

L – left LBQC – large-base quad cane LBW – low birth weight LCL – lateral collateral ligament LE – lower extremity LLE – left lower extremity LOA – level of assist LOS – length of stay LRE – least restrictive environment LTG – long-term goals LUE – left upper extremity

Max A – maximum assist MBS – modified Barium swallowing study MBSImP – Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile MHP – moist hot pack MI – myocardial infarction Min A – minimum assist MIT – Melodic Intonation Therapy MLU – mean utterance length MVA – motor vehicle accident Mod I – modified independent

NBQC – narrow base quad cane NG – nasogastric NICU – neonatal intensive care unit NKA – no known allergies NMES – neuromuscular electrical stimulation NNS – non-nutritive suck NPO – nothing by mouth NS-OME – Non-Speech Oral Motor Exercises NS-OMT – Non-Speech Oral Motor Treatments NVD – nausea, vomiting, diarrhea

O2 – oxygen OB/GYN – obstetrics and gynecology ODD – oppositional defiant disorder OM – otitis media OMA – Oral Musculature Assessment OME – Otitis Media with Effusion OME – Oral Musculature Examination Oto – otolaryngology OOB – out of bed

P – pain PACS – Phonological Assessment of Child Speech PACT – Parents and Children Together PCC – Percentage of Consonants Correct PCP – primary care provider PE – pulmonary embolism PEDS – pediatrics PEG – percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy PECS – picture exchange communication system PICC – peripherally inserted central catheter PMX (or PMHx) – past medical history PNF – proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation PO – by mouth PRN – as needed PROMPT – prompts for restructuring oral muscular phonetic targets method Pt – patient PVC – Percentage of Vowels Correct PVD – peripheral vascular disease PVM – Place Voice Manner PD – peritoneal dialysis  

Q – every QC – quad cane QD – every day QID – four times a day

SAMPA – Speech Assessment Methods Phonetic Alphabet sCAS – suspected Childhood Apraxia of Speech SEIT – Special Education Itinerant Teacher SETT Framework – Student, Environments, Tasks, & Tools SGD – Speech-Generating Device SLI – Specific Language Impairment SODA – Substitutions Omissions Distortions Additions SPE – The Sound Patterns of English SSD – Speech Sound Disorder(s) SSP – Sonority Sequencing Principle

R – right RA – rheumatoid arthritis RCT – randomized controlled trial RICE – rest, ice, compression, elevation RLE – right lower extremity RT – respiratory therapist/therapy RUE – right upper extremity RW – rolling walker Rx – treatment or prescription

S (with a line over a lowercase S) – without SBA – stand-by assist SBQC – small base quad cane SC – straight cane SFA – semantic feature analysis SGA – small for gestational age SL – under the tongue SLI – speech language impairment SOB – shortness of breath SOS Approach – sequential-oral-sensory approach to feeding SPC – single-point cane STS – sit-to-stand SW – standard walker Sz – seizure

TB – tuberculosis TENS – transcutaneous electrical neuromuscular stimulation THA – total hip arthroplasty TherEx – therapeutic exercise THR – total hip replacement TIA – transient ischemic attack TID – three times a day TKA – total knee arthroplasty TKR – total knee replacement TMJ – temporomandibular joint Total A – total assist TOTs – tethered oral tissues Trach – tracheostomy Tx – treatment

UE – upper extremity URI – upper respiratory infection US – ultrasound UTI – urinary tract infection

VCF – Velo-cardiofacial syndrome VPI – Velopharyngeal insufficiency VFSS – Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study

WBQC – wide-base quad cane WC (or w/c) – wheelchair WFL – within functional limits WNL – within normal limits WSD – weak syllable deletion WW – wheeled walker

4WW – four-wheeled walker

Professional Speech-Language Pathology Abbreviations and Certifications

As with many healthcare professionals, there are a slew of certifications that follow many an SLP’s name. We’ve gathered as many as we could think of to help you better understand what each of these mean—and help you wade a bit more confidently through the alphabet soup that is often professional titles. 

ATC – Athletic Trainer, Certified ATP – Assistive Technology Practitioner BCS – Board Certified Specialist BCS-CL – Board Certified Specialist in Child Language* BCS-F – Board Certified Specialist in Fluency and Fluency Disorders* BCS-IOM – Board Certified Specialist in Intraoperative Monitoring* BCS-S – Board Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders* CAPS – Certified Aging in Place Specialist CBIS – Certified Brain Injury Specialist CCC-A – Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology CCC-SLP – Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech Language Pathology CCI – Certified Clinical Instructor CCM – Certified Case Manager CCP – Clinical Certification Program CCSC – Committee on Clinical Specialty Certification CDE – Certified Diabetes Educator CDRS – Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist CFCC – Council for Clinical Certification in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology CHC – Certified in Healthcare Compliance CPHQ – Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality CPHRM – Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management CPT – Certified Personal Trainer CPT – Certified Pilates Teacher CSCS – Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist CYI – Certified Yoga Instructor CYT – Certified Yoga Therapist EdD – Doctor of Education HHP – Holistic Health Practitioner LMT – Licensed Massage Therapist MBA – Master of Business Administration MHA – Master of Healthcare Administration MPH – Master in Public Health M.S. – Master of Science Ph.D. – Doctor of Philosophy RHIA – Registered Health Information Administrator * Designates an official certification within ASHA and the CCSC

Interprofessional Rehab Therapy Abbreviations and Designations

Working in a team with other professionals is common for rehab therapists. So to better understand a teammate’s background and expertise, here is a list of some common credentials seen working alongside SLPs.

CDE – Certified Diabetes Educator COTA – Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant CRNA – Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist DO – Doctor in Osteopathic Medicine DPT – Doctor of Physical Therapy DHSc – Doctorate in Health Sciences LPN – Licensed Practical Nurse LPT – Licensed Physical Therapist MD – Medical Doctor MPT – Master of Physical Therapy MOT – Master of Occupational Therapy MSOT – Master of Science in Occupational Therapy NP – Nurse Practitioner OT – Occupational Therapist/Therapy OTA – Occupational Therapy Assistant OTD – Occupational Therapy Doctorate OTR/L – Occupational Therapist, Registered/Licensed PA – Physician's Assistant PT – Physical Therapist/Therapy PTA – Physical Therapist Assistant RN – Registered Nurse RPT – Registered Physical Therapist RT – Respiratory Therapist/Therapy Sc.D – Doctor of Science SLA – Speech-Language Assistant SLP – Speech-Language Pathologist/Pathology SLPA – Speech-Language Pathology Assistant

This is certainly not an exhaustive series of lists, and the field of speech-language pathology continues to grow with new opportunities and specialties on the horizon. With that in mind, we’ll update this article periodically as new certifications and specializations come to light!

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Speech-Language Pathology Acronyms & Abbreviations

SLP: Speech-Language Pathology Unveiled

SLP stands for Speech-Language Pathology, a term that encompasses a wide range of expertise in diagnosing, treating, and managing communication and swallowing disorders. SLPs work with diverse populations, from children who have difficulty articulating sounds to adults recovering from stroke-related language impairments.

ASHA: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

ASHA, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, is a cornerstone organization for SLPs in the United States. It establishes practice standards, offers certification, and is a central resource for ongoing education and research. Familiarity with ASHA's guidelines is indispensable for practicing SLPs and students alike.

IEP: Individualized Education Program

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a tailored educational plan for students with unique educational needs, including speech-language therapy requirements. These plans involve collaboration among educators, therapists, parents, and students to ensure a holistic educational approach.

AAC: Augmentative and Alternative Communication

AAC, or Augmentative and Alternative Communication, refers to the methods and tools used to support or replace spoken language for individuals with significant speech challenges. These tools range from sophisticated electronic devices to simple picture boards, all aimed at facilitating effective communication.

APD: Auditory Processing Disorder

Auditory Processing Disorder, or APD, is a condition where the brain struggles to process sounds, including speech. This disorder can profoundly affect learning and communication, requiring specialized strategies and interventions from SLPs.

Dysphagia: Swallowing Disorders Decoded

Dysphagia, though not an acronym, is a critical term in SLP, referring to swallowing difficulties. These disorders range in severity and can have significant implications for an individual’s health and quality of life.

Fluency Disorders: Stuttering and Cluttering

Fluency disorders, such as stuttering and cluttering, disrupt the flow and rhythm of speech. Stuttering involves the repetition or prolongation of sounds, while cluttering is characterized by rapid, disorganized speech. SLPs play a vital role in providing effective strategies and therapies to improve speech fluency.

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Voice Disorders: Comprehensive Care for Vocal Health

Voice disorders include a variety of conditions affecting vocal production, from temporary issues like laryngitis to chronic problems such as vocal nodules. SLPs assess and treat these disorders, often collaborating with medical professionals for comprehensive care.

LSVT LOUD: Enhancing Vocal Loudness in Parkinson’s Disease

The Lee Silverman Voice Treatment, or LSVT LOUD, is a specialized therapeutic approach developed for individuals with Parkinson's disease. This program focuses on increasing vocal loudness, improving speech clarity, and enhancing overall communication.

TEFPA: Ensuring English Language Proficiency for SLPs

The Test of English as a Foreign Language for SLPs, or TEFPA, is an assessment tool designed for non-native English-speaking SLPs. This test ensures that SLPs possess the necessary English language proficiency to provide effective care and therapy in English-speaking contexts.

Bilingual Speech Therapy: Addressing Multilingual Needs

In our increasingly diverse society, bilingual speech therapy has become crucial. SLPs working with bilingual or multilingual clients must understand the intricacies of language development and disorders in multiple languages to provide effective treatment.

Early Intervention: The Key to Successful Outcomes

Early intervention in speech-language therapy can lead to significantly better outcomes. Identifying and addressing speech and language issues in early childhood can greatly improve future communication skills and academic success.

Telepractice in Speech-Language Pathology

Telepractice, or the delivery of speech-language therapy services via telecommunication technology, has gained prominence, especially in remote or underserved areas. This approach ensures that more individuals have access to quality speech-language therapy services.

Cultural Competence in SLP

Cultural competence is paramount in SLP. Understanding and respecting cultural differences in communication styles, language use, and treatment preferences is essential for providing effective and sensitive care.

Research and Evidence-Based Practice

Staying current with research and engaging in evidence-based practice are fundamental for SLPs. This involves integrating the best available research with clinical expertise and client preferences to provide high-quality care.

Continuing Education: A Lifelong Commitment

Continuing education is a lifelong commitment for SLPs. Regular participation in professional development activities ensures that practitioners remain at the forefront of the field, equipped with the latest knowledge and skills.

Understanding the language of speech-language pathology is crucial for effective practice and communication in this field. This comprehensive guide serves as a foundational resource for professionals, students, and anyone interested in the realm of speech-language therapy.

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