Speech and language therapy

Published by Bupa's Health Information Team, June 2010.

This factsheet is for people who are planning to have speech and language therapy, or who would like information about it.

Speech and language therapy is the assessment, diagnosis and treatment of problems with speech, language, communication, eating, drinking and/or swallowing in babies, children and adults.

This factsheet is relevant for both adults who are having speech and language therapy and parents of children who are having therapy. However, for simplicity we will refer to you throughout.

About speech and language therapy

Over one million children and young adults in the UK have speech, language and communication problems.

Speech and language therapists are health professionals who assess, diagnose and treat speech, language and communication problems in babies, children and adults. They may also help people who have eating, drinking and/or swallowing problems.

Speech and language therapists work closely with parents, carers, teachers and health professionals including doctors, nurses, and occupational therapists. They work in a number of settings including nurseries, schools, homes, hospitals and local health clinics. Some speech and language therapists work independently (in private practice).

What problems can speech and language therapy help?

Speech and language therapy can help if you have problems swallowing, understanding language, forming words and sounds, using spoken language, or co-ordinating facial movements.

Speech and language therapy can help children who have:

• learning difficulties
• physical difficulties
• hearing impairment
• autism
• cleft palate
• voice problems
• stammering
• dyslexia

It can help adults who have:

• voice problems
• learning difficulties
• mental health problems
• stammering
• hearing impairment
• physical disabilities

Speech and language therapists also work with adults who have communication or eating, drinking and/or swallowing difficulties following stroke, head injury, and head, throat or neck cancer. They also work with adults who have Parkinson's disease and dementia.

Where can I find a speech and language therapist?

All speech and language therapists must be registered with the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists and with the Health Professionals Council (HPC).

If you're in hospital, for example after a stroke or if you have had a laryngectomy for laryngeal cancer, your doctor will usually refer you to the speech and language therapy team at the hospital.

You can usually refer yourself to a local speech and language therapy service, or speak to your GP. A speech and language therapist will decide whether you need treatment and you will usually be given an appointment. The demand for the service is usually very high so you may have to wait for your appointment.

You can pay for private speech and language therapy. You may have this individually or within a group. If you're interested in finding a private speech and language therapist in your area, contact The Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice.

If you think that your child needs speech therapy, you can usually refer him or her to a local speech and language therapy service. You can also contact his or her GP, teacher or health visitor who can refer your child to a speech and language therapist. If speech and language therapy is needed, your child will be offered an appointment, usually at your local health centre or hospital.

About a speech and language therapy session

You may need to visit a speech and language therapist once a week for an agreed period of time. You can have one-to-one therapy or therapy in a group with other people. Your speech and language therapist may give advice to other health professionals or your family to provide support.

The first appointment

Your first appointment may take up to an hour. The aim of the appointment is to assess and decide if you have a speech and language difficulty. It will also give your speech and language therapist an idea of what treatment you need.

You may have already seen a speech and language therapist for an initial assessment while in hospital following a stroke, head injury or mouth, neck or head cancer. You may continue to have speech and language therapy as an outpatient or with a therapist in your local area. Your therapist will have information about the cause of your communication problems and this will help him or her decide about your ongoing treatment.

If you have a problem with your voice, you may have already been seen by an ENT doctor, or your speech and language therapist will refer you to make sure there is no underlying medical problem.

Your speech and language therapist may carry out a standard assessment. This involves one or more 'formal' tests.

If your child needs an assessment, the speech and language therapist will play with your child and ask you questions to assess if he or she has speech, language or communication problems. The speech and language therapist may show your child a selection of toys or pictures and ask some set questions. They may also talk to your child's teacher, to help build a full picture of his or her speech, language and communication skills.

Once you have seen the speech and language therapist, he or she will give you advice and will assess what support you need.

What happens next

After the assessment your speech and language therapist may recommend you have speech and language therapy. He or she will explain how the therapy will be delivered and how long it will last. Your speech and language therapist will give you a written report following the initial assessment. The therapy that you receive will be very specific to your individual needs. Your speech and language therapist may talk with other health professionals that are involved in your treatment. He or she may also work with your family.

Your speech and language therapist may carry out further assessments at regular intervals during the course of therapy sessions to see how you are progressing. You may be given a follow-up appointment after a few months to review your progress and see if you need more speech and language therapy.

If your child has had an assessment, the speech and language therapist may decide that therapy isn't necessary and advise on ways to help develop your child's speech and language. He or she may talk to other people involved with your child, for example teachers or school staff.

If the speech and language therapist decides that your child needs therapy, he or she may give you some activities to carry out at home. He or she may also refer your child to a specialist for further testing, such as a hearing test. Your child may need extra help at school, for example, support in the classroom. Your speech and language therapist will talk to school staff about your child's difficulties and give them ideas to help your child in lessons. If your child has severe, persisting speech and language difficulties, he or she may need a higher level of support. He or she may need to attend a resource class in a mainstream school or a special school.

How many sessions will I need?

The number of speech and language therapy sessions you will need will depend on the type of speech and language problem and your progress made in therapy. Your speech and language therapist will discuss with you how many sessions you're likely to need.

For answers to frequently asked questions on this topic, see Common questions.

For sources and links to further information, see Resources.