What is a Speech Language Pathologist?
A speech-language pathologist (SLP) is a professional who evaluates and treats communication and feeding disorders that may impair an individual’s ability to speak, read, write, or understand what others are saying and eat a variety of foods safely. Causes of such disorders may originate from developmental delays, hearing impairment, and even neurological deviations/insults. Many speech-language disorders, however, have unknown, unidentified causes. SLPs identify speech-language deficits and tailor treatment to facilitate communication within a person’s naturalistic, everyday environment.
The speech language pathology department at HSDC provides screening, assessment and intervention to individuals of all ages. Our staff speech-language pathologists work with people who have communication disorders that may impair speech, language, reading or writing. Services are provided at Center facilities and, in addition, at area schools, Pediatric Otologic Diagnostic Clinics (of the Ohio Department of Health) and other outreach sites.
Causes of speech language delays and disorders are many and include: hearing loss, cognitive deficits, neurologic disorders, genetic abnormalities, physical impairments, birth trauma, stroke, and Parkinson’s Disease just to name a few.