What is Speech and Language Therapy?
Speech and language therapists (SLT) provide assessment, treatment, support and advice for children and young people (CYP) who have difficulties with communication. A speech and language therapist will help children to communicate to the best of their ability, working both directly with the child, as well as closely with parents, carers and other professionals. They will also work with children, their families, and educators to reduce or prevent any impact that these difficulties may have on a child’s ability to access daily life.
Communication, Speech and Language
The SLT can support CYP who experience changes to their speech, language and/or voice during treatment. We know that prolonged hospital stays, as well as reduced opportunities for social interaction and access to peers can have an impact on a child’s speech, language and communication skills. They can give advice to parents to support their child’s communication and may provide specific materials to help a child to communicate.
Eating, Drinking and Swallowing Skills
There are types of cancers, as well as specific treatments that can affect a child’s ability to manage an oral diet, or their swallow mechanism. The SLT can assess a child’s eating and drinking skills, and their “safety of swallow” to establish if they can cope with an oral diet, and the SLT may provide adaptations to a child’s diet, as well as techniques to allow a child to continue to eat and drink. Nausea, fatigue and sensory changes to taste and touch can further impact eating and drinking.
The SLT will liaise closely with the Dietitian in supporting a child’s nutrition.
Find out more
Ages and stages (speechandlanguage.org.uk)
How to help your child’s early language skills – top ten tips from the experts – The Education Hub (blog.gov.uk)
How can you encourage a child’s language development? | Baby & toddler articles & support | NCT
www.bbc.co.uk/tiny-happy-people
Contacting SLT
If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child’s communication and/or eating, drinking and swallowing skills, please contact your local Speech and Language Therapy team for further assessment and advice:
Royal Hospital for Children and Young people, Edinburgh: 0131 312 1079
Royal Hospital for Children, Glasgow: 0141 451 6500
Aberdeen Childrens Hospital: 01224 552710
Ninewells Hospital, Dundee: 01382 632931