Conditions a SLP May Treat

Cued Speech  Autism  Dysphagia  Aphasia  Dance Therapy  Share &  Links

Introduction

Life has its challenging times for all. There are many of us, though, who also deal with disabilities caused by various diseases or injuries. Family members and caretakers are also affected. Each of us, in our careers and other aspects of our lives, finds ways to contribute to society, to make the world function and hopefully better each other's lives. At the UNH 2007 Commencement, President Clinton noted, We do not exist alone. Therefore, for us to ignore one another's problems is a travesty. I'm pursuing a career in speech pathology in hopes of improving the quality of life of those coping with communication disorders. To practice, I must first obtain a M.S. in communication sciences and disorders.

There are many conditions that create a need for speech therapy. This site will discuss a few in the following order.

1^st ALS
2^nd Autism
3^rd Cerebral Palsy
4^th ABI
5^th Deaf or hard of hearing

By education and practice, we can learn how to interact with more ease and understanding when presented with communication disorders.

ALS

ALS is Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, sometimes referred to as Lou Gehrig's Disease, after the baseball player. It is a neurodegenerative disease that affects upper and lower motor neurons. Degeneration occurs throughout the brain and spinal cord. Muscle weakness and atrophy result, causing difficulties in speech, walking, breathing, and swallowing.

Symptoms are:

• muscle weakness in:
  • hands
  • arms
  • legs
  • muscles of speech, swallowing, or breathing
• tripping and dropping things
• abnormal fatigue of the arms and/or legs
• slurred speech
• muscle cramps and twitches
• uncontrollable periods of laughing or crying

The ALS Association provides some information regarding the long term outcomes:

Although the life expectancy of an ALS patient averages about two to five years from the time of diagnosis, this disease is variable and many people live with quality for five years and more. More than half of all patients live more than three years after diagnosis.

About twenty percent of people with ALS live five years or more and up to ten percent will survive more than ten years and five percent will live 20 years. There are people in whom ALS has stopped progressing and a small number of people in whom the symptoms of ALS reversed.

Learn more at the ALS Association website.

Click here to read one family's story of living with ALS.

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Autism

Some disorders are categorized as an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Autism and four other disorders are grouped as Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD):

1. Autistic Disorder
2. Asperger's Disorder
3. Childhood Disintegrative Disorder (CDD)
4. Rett's Disorder
5. Pervasive Developmental Disorders Not Otherwise Specified (PDD-NOS)

See my Autism page.

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Cerebral Palsy

Learn more at http://www.cerebralpalsy.org/

Some Causes

• Premature Birth
• Brain injury during birth or early years
• Substance Abuse
• Infections, e.g., bacterial meningitis, viral encephalitis, jaundice

Some Types

Erb's Palsy

This happens during birth. Nerves are torn when the shoulders are caught. It results in no muscle control or feeling in the arm.

Hypotonic Cerebral Palsy

There is a lack of muscle control and a delay in motor skill development. May be a result from injury or malformation during brain development.

Here a dance therapist works with children who have cerebral palsy. To read about it, go to the WHYY website.

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ABI

Learn more about ABI, that is acquired brain injury, at Brain Injury Association of America.

Deaf or Hard of Hearing

See my Cued Speech  page.