When I inform people that I am a Speech Pathologist, the typical reply is “So….. you help people talk, right?”. Little do they know we cover many more areas! But what does working in Speech Pathology actually involve?

A Speech Pathologist works with individuals across the entire lifespan – from babies right through to great-grandparents.

Who Needs a Speech Language Pathologist?

This allows us to help children and adults with a huge range of medical conditions, for example: developmental delays, hearing impairments, autism spectrum disorder, cleft palate, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability, stroke, traumatic brain injury, Parkinson’s disease, and Motor Neuron Disease.

People present with many different problems which Speech Pathologists can help with. Did you know that 1 in every 7 person has some sort of communication difficulty?  Every person is different, so we are always making sure our assessment and therapy is tailor made to suit the individual we are working with.

The main areas we can help with include:

  • Speech: Difficulties producing sounds or saying words correctly.
  • Language:
    Receptive     – Difficulties understanding or processing information.
    Expressive – Difficulties producing and expressing ideas/thoughts.
  • Literacy: Difficulties spelling, reading or writing.
  • Swallowing: Difficulties swallowing or appropriately managing food and/or fluids.
  • Stuttering: When the flow of speech is interrupted by abnormal stoppages, repetitions or prolongations.
  • Voice: Difficulties with the quality, pitch or volume of the voice.
  • Augmentative and Alternative Communication: Using gestures or communication devices to express wants and needs.
  • Social Skills: taking turns, making friends, transitioning.

Here at Hanrahan Health, we are able to provide our clients with services in the clinic, within the community, at home, at school, in addition to hospitals and nursing homes. This allows for sessions to be suitable and flexible for all clients and their families.  We love making things work for you and your family.

Being a Speech Pathologist is such a rewarding job, and we feel very privileged to share in the communication journey our clients are on. Our clinicians are motivated to help you and your family achieve your goals.

If you believe a Speech Pathologist might be able to assist you, or a member of your family, give our clinic a call to discuss further options with our friendly team!