Contact Tallahassee Speech Center

(850) 878-0609

What is a Speech-Language Pathologist?

  • Speech-language pathologists assess, diagnose, treat and help to prevent oral motor, swallowing, cognitive-linguistic, speech, and language disorders.
  • Speech-language pathologists work with people of all ages.
    • With speech articulation and fluency difficulty such as Dysarthria
    • With Aphasia (a language disorder) or Apraxia (a motor planning disorder)
    • Who have oropharyngeal weakness that places them at risk for “aspiration” or food/liquid entering the airway when swallowing that can lead to respiratory complications
  • Speech-Language pathologists use physical examination, instrumental technology, and standardized cognitive-linguistic and language tests to diagnose and guide treatment and develop an individualized plan of care.
  • Speech-language pathologists may recommend alternate nutrition based upon aspiration risk when swallowing or recommend diet-level modification to reduce aspiration risk when swallowing. Additionally, they may design an individualized augmentative communication system or prescribe a speech generating device for individuals with nonfunctional speech.
  • They develop daily home programs unique to each individual’s strengths and weakness that facilitate maintenance of swallowing, cognitive-linguistic, speech, or language skills at an optimal level.