25 August 2023
Did you know that 1 in 7 Australians will experience a communication difficulty in their lifetime?
It's Speech Pathology Week, and in 2023 Speech Pathology Australia is focusing on the important role speech pathologists play in ensuring clients can access a basic human right: the ability to communicate for life.
To find out more about how speech pathologists make a lasting impact on Clients lives, we spoke with MSWA Senior Speech Pathologist Cassandra Latouche and Speech Pathologist Rebekah Smith.
Cassandra Latouche
What drew you to a career in speech pathology?
Communication is a basic human right. Being able to support those who have difficulties communicating and to be able provide them with strategies to communicate their ideas, opinions, needs and wants successfully and independently with others, and to have their voice heard, is a very fulfilling and rewarding profession to be a part of.
In your own words, why is communication so important across all stages of life?
Communication is everywhere and is an integral part of being human. Communication is not only achieved using speech, it can also be achieved through non-verbal means such as body language, gestures and written text (emails, text messages). Sound communication skills enable a person to share their ideas, opinions, needs and wants with others. It also allows people to create new and maintain social relationships and to be successful in academic and employment settings.
For those who don’t know what speech pathologists do, can you give some examples of how speech pathologists assist their clients?
A speech pathologist can assist people who have difficulties with communication. This includes difficulties with speaking and understanding spoken and written language. They can also assist those who have difficulties with swallowing.
A communication impairment presentation is unique and diverse. Two people with the same condition may differ greatly in terms of the severity of their communication impairment and the symptoms they experience. Some may lose their ability to communicate verbally. Some may have difficulties with their voice and speech clarity. As such, how we assist our Clients who have a communication impairment varies and is very individualised. For some Clients who have lost their ability to communicate verbally we may explore with them the use of high- or low-tech communication devices to enable them to continue to communicate. For others who still can communicate verbally, but have concerns about their quality of speech and voice, it may be that we provide them with support and education around clear speech strategies.
Is there a myth you would like to bust, or a surprising fact about Speech Pathology you wish people knew?
‘Speech Pathologist just help people to talk’. Our role is a lot more diverse than people initially think. Whilst we do help people who have difficulties with articulation and speech, we also support those who have difficulties with language (including expressive and receptive language), voice, fluency and swallowing disorders.
What do you love about working with the Clients at MSWA?
I love the diversity of Clients that I work with. Being able to support, educate and guide my Clients and their families to achieve their communication and swallowing goals, to have the opportunity to work with them over the years and to be a part of their health journey is very rewarding.
Rebekah Smith
What drew you to a career in speech pathology?
I always liked the idea of working in the healthcare industry and studied Human Biology in year 11 and 12 which definitely cemented this idea. Thanks to some of my family members who worked in healthcare, they suggested that speech pathology might be a suitable option for me, so I looked into the degree at Curtin University and believed it suited my personality and the direction that I wanted to go, within the healthcare industry.
In your own words, why is communication so important across all stages of life?
Communication is so important for a multitude of reasons. It is a way of expressing who we are as an individual. We are able to express our thoughts, opinions, emotions, our wants and needs. Communication helps us to connect with people, share our experiences and build relationships. Without communication, it can lead to frustration, anxiety, social isolation and can cause a breakdown in relationships.
For those who don’t know what speech pathologists do, can you give some examples of how speech pathologists assist their clients?
Speech pathologists work with both paediatric and adult populations with a wide variety of different conditions; such as neurological conditions, development delays, intellectual disabilities and many more. We conduct various assessments and provide therapy intervention for people who are experiencing speech, voice and language difficulties, and provide various alternatives to verbal communication through communication technologies. Furthermore, we manage people who experience swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) through compensatory strategies or rehabilitative exercises.
Is there a myth you would like to bust, or a surprising fact about Speech Pathology you wish people knew?
'Speech Pathology is only for kids' – Myth! Many people often think that speech pathologists only work with children, however, like I have mentioned before, speech pathologists work with adults too. Adults can experience a variety of speech, voice, language, and swallowing difficulties often caused by a neurological condition, brain injury or disease.
What do you love about working with Clients at MSWA?
I enjoy providing therapy in people’s homes and being able to support them within the community. Our Clients are all at different stages of life and it’s wonderful to be able to support them during a difficult time and support their families too. Whether it’s supporting the Client with their communication and maintaining their speech and voice function, providing them with alternative ways of communicating (i.e., communication devices), developing strategies to help them express themselves and comprehend information or to support them with safe and enjoyable mealtimes.
Keen to know more about how speech pathology could positively impact your life? Find our more on our services page.