AussieCare’s speech-language pathologists, also called SLPs, are experts in communication.

SLPs work with clients of different age groups, from babies to adults. They are equipped to treat many types of communication and swallowing problems. These include issues with:

• Speech sounds—how we say sounds and put sounds together into words. Other words for these problems are articulationor phonological disorders, apraxia of speech , or dysarthria .
• Language—how well we understand what we hear or read and how we use words to tell others what we are thinking about. In adults, this problem may be called aphasia .
• Literacy—how well we read and write. People with speech and language disorders may also have trouble reading, spelling, and writing.
• Social communication—how well we follow the rules, like taking turns, how to talk to different people, or how close to stand to someone when talking.
• This is also called pragmatics.
• How our voices sound. We may sound hoarse, lose our voices easily, talk too loudly or through our noses, or be unable to make sounds.
• Fluency, also called stuttering, is how well speech flows. S
• Cognitive-communication, how well our minds work. Problems may involve memory, attention, problem-solving, organization, and other thinking skills.
• Feeding and swallowing, how well we suck, chew, and swallow food and liquid. A swallowing disorder may lead to poor nutrition, weight loss, and other health problems.