Introduction to speech problems

Speech pathology, also termed speech-language pathology and speech & language therapy (SLT, mainly in the UK) is the study of disorders that affect a person's speech, language and swallowing. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) or Speech and Language Therapists (SLTs) address people's speech production and language needs through speech therapy in a variety of different contexts including schools, hospitals, and through private practice.

Methods of assessment
Children who are identified in school as having a speech disorder or difficulty learning language are often referred to an SLP. Standardized tests are administered to assess the patient's receptive and expressive vocabulary, linguistic concepts, sentence structure, etc.

Common tests used for children:


 * Clinical Evaluation of Language Fundamentals-Preschool (CELF-Preschool) (Wiig, Secord and Semel, 1992)


 * Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test-Third Edition (PPVT-III) (Dunn, Dunn, & Williams, 1997)