Speech Therapy: More Than Words
October 25, 2021
A comment I have heard quite frequently as an outpatient speech pathologist during initial speech/language evaluations is, “But why do I need to see you? I speak just fine!”
I am quick to explain that speech pathologists not only work on speech production, but we also work on skills such as listening, language, reading, writing, swallowing, voice and cognitive-communicative skills. This post will focus on the value of a speech pathologist in the area of cognitive-communication skills.
What Is A Cognitive Disorder?
A cognitive disorder can range from a mild cognitive impairment to an advanced dementia. It can be an effect of aging, but it also can be an effect of a stroke, brain injury, or a brain tumor.
These disorders can result in cognitive-communication challenges, such as:
- difficulty with attention
- memory
- organization
- problem solving
- reasoning
- executive functions.
How Do Cognitive-Communication Skill Deficits Impact You?
Deficits in these skills can affect many activities of daily living including:
- recall of events
- money management and bill paying
- organization of tasks
- initiation of tasks
- orientation to time and place.
All of these skill deficits can have an impact on safety in the home and in the community.
How Can Speech Professionals Help Build Cognitive-Communication Skills?
A speech-language pathologist can provide an evaluation to determine current level of skills in the areas of cognitive-communication, and then can set up a treatment plan that typically consists of compensatory strategies, therapeutic exercises, and education to patients and caregivers to address those areas of need.
Some examples of this may include:
- managing medication with a pill organizer
- writing out checks and managing a checkbook
- practicing calling doctor’s offices to make appointments
- forming and organizing a resume
- writing a letter
- planning or organizing a recipe and/or shopping list
- managing a time schedule
- pricing out items at a store
- counting money/making change
- organizing events on a calendar.
With cognitive-communication therapy, prognosis for improvement is strongly determined by the patient and caregiver’s motivation and participation.
Speech-language pathologists are available to help with these cognitive-communication difficulties and would love to help make life easier for patients and caregivers.
