Older adults experience various kinds of diseases that may affect their ability to speak effectively. Diseases such as strokes, dementia, head injuries, etc., often cause problems with speech, behavior, manage things, and the ability to resolve problems promptly. These are all areas that may profit from speech therapy services. 

There are many consequences to neglecting speech and translation problems. They can include:

An incapacity to get the attention of someone and efficiently communicate what is required. This can be as simple as getting a water drink or as complicated as getting emergency medical care. Seldom can a person seem to be able to communicate effectively. A closer inspection reveals that the person cannot request special items or respond correctly to questions if asked.

Prolonged difficulty in properly communicating sentiments. This can begin arguments, inappropriate behavior, or physical threats. These problems can be communication-based or stress-related.

Difficulty in managing personal, medical, and financial affairs. This may cause problems with needed appointments. It can begin to miss medications or other medical practices. It can also lead to overdue bills and the threat of judicial action.

An incapacity to anticipate possibly dangerous situations and evade injury. Some elders will take help from outsiders without thinking of the possible outcomes. They may share secret information with people over the phone. They may be involved in dangerous behaviors that may cause injury (climbing a ladder to clean out the canals, carrying heavy things, running when there is a lot of ice and snow).

A comprehensive speech therapy evaluation can determine if there is a language-based problem, the nature of the problem, and how best to address it through treatment. 

Speech therapy can help in teaching the patient techniques to process, remember, or recall information. The main work of speech therapy may involve education in compensatory procedures such as writing down the message, recording data, color-coding knowledge, or recording experiences in a diary.

There are also events when a speech therapy evaluation may be required to rule out a speech, language, or cognition problem. In such cases where there does not seem to be a communication or language deficiency, it may make sense to look at other viable factors. These can include vaccinations, dehydration, depression, or an underlying medical problem. It is not normal for an older adult to have difficulty communicating, making their thoughts, or performing everyday tasks related to personal, medical, and financial administration. Problems with these tasks should be associated with the primary care doctor, determining whether symptoms can be treated, possible causes identified, and proper treatment provided.

Does Your Child Need a Speech Therapist?

Before you can determine whether your child needs a speech therapist, you need to see some of the reasons he may be undergoing slow speech development. There are various reasons that you can recognize and change if necessary. If the underlying cause is genetic or medical, then a speech therapist Adelaide will be required at some stage. Look at the list below and see if any of the categories apply to your child.

Reasons for slow speech development

A child may be slow to develop language because:

1. He is not often spoken to or put into situations where the conversation is taking place.
2. He has a physical defect such as deafness or a cleft palate. 
3. He is mentally slow to develop or has a condition such as cerebral palsy.
4. He has brothers and sisters who do it for him.
5. He is not interested in speaking and is a slow learner.
6. He comes from a quiet, uncommunicative family.

If a child is not exhibiting signs of speech – single words or dialect language – by the time he is 18 months, the clinic doctor or family doctor should be advised, and the child will be tested. It may be required for him to see a speech therapist who will try to find the slowness cause.