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Speech Therapy - Common Medical Diagnoses

There are many reasons someone may see a speech therapist, as you can see above. Here is a list of a few example medical diagnoses that may warrant a speech-language pathology evaluation.

Stroke or CVA
Parkinson's Disease
Traumatic Brain Injury or Concussion
Alzheimer's Disease or Dementia
Multiple Sclerosis
Selective Mutism
Muscle Tension Dysphonia

Cerebral Palsy
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Cancer
Developmental Delay
Status Post Surgery or Hospitalization
Hearing Impaired or Deaf
Spasmodic Dysphonia

We provide speech, language, voice, swallowing, and cognitive therapies to people of all ages. If you or a loved one is experiencing challenges in any of the following areas, speech therapy can assist. If you are unclear whether speech therapy is best for you, please contact us, and we will gladly assist you.

SPEECH

Children	Adults
Delayed speech development	Apraxia of Speech
Stuttering and/or Cluttering	Slurred speech
Articulation difficulties	Dysarthria
Apraxia of Speech	Difficulty being understood
Difficulty being understood	Stuttering and/or Cluttering
Speech following Cochlear Implant (CI)	Articulation difficulties
Hearing Loss / Aural Rehabilitation	Lisp
	Prosody / Monotone
	Speech affected – Cochlear Implantee/Hearing Air users
	Speech following Laryngectomy
	Hearing Loss / Aural Rehabilitation

LANGUAGE

Children	Adults
Not speaking age appropriately	Aphasia
Difficulty understanding words	Anomia
Difficulty understanding and following instructions	Difficulty speaking
Inability to distinguish between sounds, letters, or numbers	Feeling lost during conversations
Difficulty sounding out words	Cannot think of the right words
Tendency to put numbers or letters in the wrong sequence	Need for alternate ways to communicate
Difficulty grasping certain words and concepts	Reading problems and writing difficulties
Inappropriate responses
Tendency to reverse letters
Difficulty with reading or writing
Phonological disorder
Expressive/Receptive Language Disorder
Auditory Processing Disorder / Difficulty with Social skills / Pragmatics

VOICE

Adults
Quiet or Harsh voice
Dysphonia
Vocal Fatigue or Strain
Vocal Fold Nodules / Polyps
Vocal Cord Paralysis / Paresis
Vocal Cord Dysfunction
Transgender or Gender Affirming Voice

SWALLOWING

Children	Adults
Pocketing of food in cheeks	Dysphagia
Avoids foods with certain textures, temperature, taste	Coughing while eating or drinking
Screen time during eating	Choking on food or drinks
Picky eater	Fear of swallowing
Throws tantrums at mealtime	Modified diet textures
Won’t eat or drink from ageappropriate supplies	Effortful chewing or swallowing
Prolonged eating time	Increased time to finish meals
Choking	Weight loss due to difficulty swallowing
Spitting food out	Pocketing food in cheeks
Difficulty chewing food with different textures	Food or Drinks get stuck
Gagging	Food goes down the wrong pipe
Has difficulty gaining weight

COGNITION, SOCIAL SKILLS, AND ACTIVITES OF DAILY LIVING

Children	Adults
Poor memory	Confusion or Difficulties with
Difficulty focusing	Memory
Short attention span	Problem Solving
Difficulty telling time	Attention and Concentration
Confusion between right and left	Executive Functioning
Difficulty expressing thoughts and emotions	Planning
Poor hand-eye coordination	Organization
Disorganization	Motivation
Restlessness and impulsiveness	Initiation
Inability to understand the consequences of actions.	Visuospatial Skills
Poor problem-solving skills	Left or Right Sided Neglect
Difficulty learning (refer to Impu’s text)	Sequencing
Prefers to play alone rather than with other children	Processing Speed
Prefers to keep their belongings to themselves (has trouble sharing with peer groups)	Orientation
Hesitates to participate in circle games	Completing Tasks
Has difficulty initiating and maintaining a conversation with family, unfamiliar peers, or adults.	Forgetfulness
	Forgetting directions

Occupational therapy can be beneficial for children and adults with special needs. It helps them to develop the skills they need to participate. in daily activities and improve their quality of life. Occupational therapists work with people to improve their fine motor skills. Sensory processing, social skills, and general independence. Through personalised therapy plans, individuals can learn how to better navigate their surroundings, communicate effectively, and engage in meaningful activities. Overall, occupational therapy can help special children and adults lead fulfilling lives.

Children	Adults
Developmental delay in milestones such as rolling, sitting, crawling and walking	Muscle weakness that can lead to twitching, aching and pains
Abnormal muscle tone such as floppy or stiffness	Muscle spasticity which later causes joint stiffness or deformities
Abnormal posture	Muscle loss/wastage
Cognitive impairment	Numbness, tingling or painful sensations related to nerve pathological conditions
Involuntary movements and lack of muscle control	Difficulty in mobility and function of the joint
Bowel and bladder incontinence	Difficulty in daily living activities (brushing, combing, gripping)
Visual impairment	Difficulty in transitions (eg: from bed to wheel chair)
Gross motor, fine motor skills is poor along with coordination	Imbalance- uneven surfaces
Lack of social smile	Poor eye hand and foot coordination
Eye to eye contact	Breathing difficulty
Delay in motor skills	Involuntary movements lead to slow movement / rigidity
Delay in cognitive or learning skills	Impaired cognitive skills
Hyperactive/impulsive/inattentive behaviour	Gait impairment
Gastrointestinal issues (such as constipation, gut related)
Unusual eating and sleeping habits