Do you or your child have difficulty communicating? PAMF has recently added speech therapy to its wide array of services to help improve the quality of life -- and communication skills -- of children and adults alike. Speech language pathology services may help:

• If your child’s teacher told you that your child may have a problem with speech or language skills.
  
• If you are an adult with a speech impediment.
  
• If you have experienced trauma that has compromised your speech or cognition.

PAMF speech language pathologists Laura Elliott Adams, M.S., CCC-SLP, and Danielle Samson, M.A., CCC-SLP, offer answers to some frequently asked questions about speech therapy.

• What is speech language pathology?
• Who can benefit from speech language pathology?
• When should people seek help?
• How do I make an appointment?

What is speech language pathology?

It is the full range of human communication and its disorders. Speech language pathologists evaluate, diagnose and treat speech, language, cognitive communication and swallowing disorders.
Back to top

Who can benefit from speech language pathology?

Anyone of any age who is having difficulty with communication would benefit from the help of a speech language pathologist. Our patients range in age from infants to the elderly. Communication difficulties can include speech production and articulation, voice quality, fluency (including stuttering), cognition, and language comprehension and expression. Speech language pathology services also benefit individuals with swallowing disorders.
Back to top

When should people seek help?

Patients, parents and caregivers should seek help anytime they suspect impairment in communication skills. For young children, an evaluation by a speech language pathologist is warranted if they are not meeting their developmental milestones for speech and language.

For adults, treatment should be sought for rehabilitative purposes for any breakdown in communication or swallowing, including those who have experienced a traumatic brain injury or stroke, or those who are having complications due to neurologic disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, ALS or Alzheimer’s disease.

Back to top

How do I make an appointment?

At PAMF, patients need to obtain a referral from their primary care provider or specialist to see a speech language pathologist. Patients should also contact their insurer to determine what type of speech language pathology service are covered by their policy.
Back to top