Defining the Scope of SLPs/SLPAs

Defining the scope of SLPs/SLPAs 

• Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology
• Speech-Language Pathology Assistant Scope of Practice
• Services individuals from birth through geriatrics

Assessment and Treatment of the following:

Fluency/Stuttering:

• The disorder is characterized by disruptions in the production of speech sounds, also called disfluencies.
• Detailed information

Speech Sound disorders:

• Speech sound disorders is an umbrella term referring to any combination of difficulties with perception, motor production, and/or the phonological representation of speech sounds and speech segments (including phonotactic rules that govern syllable shape, structure, and stress, as well as prosody) that impact speech intelligibility
• Add info to clarify motor speech disorders
• Detailed information

Language:

• The Minnesota Department of Education is in the process of publishing an evidence based practice document that highlights the role of speech language pathologists in developing language skills in the schools. For more information visit Minnesota Department of Education Spoken Language Disorders
• Language disorders can be characterized by either having difficulties expressing language or difficulties understanding language
• Detailed information regarding children
• Detailed information regarding adults
• Written language disorders involve a significant impairment in fluent word recognition (i.e., reading decoding and sight word recognition), reading comprehension, written spelling, or written expression.
• Detailed information regarding written language disorders

Cognition:

• Dementia
  • Dementia is a group of symptoms related to memory loss and overall cognitive impairment.
  • Detailed information
• Traumatic Brain Injury
  • Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a form of brain injury caused by sudden damage to the brain
  • Detailed information
• Strokes
  • Aphasia is an acquired neurogenic language disorder resulting from an injury to the brain—most typically, the left hemisphere. Aphasia involves varying degrees of impairment in four primary areas:
    • Spoken language expression
    • Spoken language comprehension
    • Written expression
    • Reading comprehension
  • Detailed information

Cleft Lip and Cleft Palate:

• Craniofacial conditions, including cleft lip and palate, are congenital structural anomalies caused by atypical embryological development.
• Detailed information

Voice:

• A voice disorder occurs when voice quality, pitch, and loudness differ or are inappropriate for an individual’s age, gender, cultural background, or geographic location
• Accent, voice modification
• Detailed information

Feeding and Swallowing: 

• Feeding disorders include problems gathering food and getting ready to suck, chew, or swallow it
• Swallowing disorders, also called dysphagia (dis-FAY-juh), can occur at different stages in the swallowing process
• Detailed information regarding children
• Detailed information regarding adults

Augmentative and Alternative Communication:

• Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) includes a variety of methods that people use to communicate as a supplement to or replacement for speech.
• Low- and no-tech forms can include communication boards, pictures or objects, manual sign, gestures, spelling, and others.
• High-tech forms include a variety of speech-generating devices.
• Detailed information

Multicultural Populations:

• MNSHA recognizes the increased need to provide services that are culturally and linguistically sensitive. MNSHA created a guide for speech-language pathologists and educators working with linguistically diverse young children and their families.
• For detailed information please visit Talk with Me

Auditory Habilitation/Rehabilitation:

• With infants and children, audiologic (hearing) rehabilitation services are sometimes called habilitative rather than rehabilitative. The term rehabilitation focuses on restoring a skill that is lost. In very young children, a skill such as talking may not be there in the first place, so it has to be taught- hence, the services would be habilitative, not rehabilitative.
• Detailed information