Download the face of a communication disorder

May is Better
Speech, Language
and Hearing Month
THE FACE OF A COMMUNICATION
DISORDER
My Name is Kaity
I have dsypraxia
Can you give me a voice?
WHAT IS A COMMUNICATION
DISORDER?
A communication disorder is an inability to
understand or use speech and language to
relate to others in society. This can be divided
into four areas:

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Language - this involves listening, speaking, reading
and writing
Articulation - the pronunciation of sounds and words
Voice - the sound produced by vibration of the vocal
cords
Stuttering - a disruption in the normal flow or rhythm
of speech
THE FACE OF A COMMUNICATION
DISORDER
My Name is Robbie
I have Prader-Willi Syndrome
Can you give me a voice?
THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION


The ability to communicate effectively is an
essential skill in modern society
Speech and language skills are the most
critical human function allowing for full
participation in society because:

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Language provides the main method of establishing
and maintaining social relationships
Language constitutes a principal means of
organizing behaviour and is central to the normal
acquisition of many cognitive and academic
skills, particularly literacy
THE FACE OF A COMMUNICATION
DISORDER
My Name is Jessica
I have a Communication Disorder
Can you give me a voice?
WHAT ARE THE CAUSES OF
COMMUNICATION DISORDERS?

The brain is very complex and our
understanding of how it works is very
limited. For the majority of
Communication Disorders, we do not
understand the cause. However, we do
have an understanding of how to help
many children maximize their speech
and language development
THE FACE OF A COMMUNICATION
DISORDER
My Name is Bruce-Earl
I have Asperger’s Disorder
Can you give me a voice?
COMMUNICATION FACTS

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1 in 10 Canadians have a Communication
Disorder – ranging from hearing impairments,
to speech disorders, to language disorders
Language is not just another subject in school.
It is the means by which all other subjects are
pursued
The drop out rate in children with speech and
language disorders is 43% compared to 23%
in non-impaired children.
COMMUNICATION FACTS

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Children who have communication
impairments are at a disadvantage in every
way, including their ability to be educated
Speech and language disorders are strongly
related to failure in reading and writing
Oral communication skills are the precursors to
literacy skills. Children with poor or disordered
oral communication have great difficulty with
literacy skills
THE FACE OF A COMMUNICATION
DISORDER
My Name is Kayla
I have a Language Disorder
Can you give me a voice?
COMMUNICATION FACTS


The child with an unresolved language
problem at school typically has problems
in learning to read and write, may be
isolated due to difficulties in socializing,
and eventually may have great difficulty
in getting and holding a job
Friendships, which are based on the
ability to share, are hindered by weak
language skills.
THE FACE OF A COMMUNICATION
DISORDER
My Name is Cameron
I have Global Delays
Can you give me a voice?
COMMUNICATION FACTS


Children with communication disorders
can become so frustrated by their lack of
understanding or ability to express
themselves that they misbehave
Children with behavioural disorders are
10 times more likely than other children
to have unsuspected language disorders
THE FACE OF A COMMUNICATION
DISORDER
My Name is Breaden
I have Autism
Can you give me a voice?
COMMUNICATION FACTS


Language acquisition is an integral component
in the development of an individual and failure
of the language system will have life-long
negative impact on social, academic and
vocational success
As the language delayed child ages, the gap
between themselves and their peers widens.
Thus, the longer the child’s problems remain
unmanaged, the more pronounced the delay
becomes and the more pervasive the impact
COMMUNICATION FACTS

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Children with communication impairments are
more likely to be ignored by other children
Speech and language services, delivered by a
Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) are
fundamental education tools our children
require to be able to complete their basic
education and prepare them for life
THE FACE OF A COMMUNICATION
DISORDER
Our Names are Aaron & Avery
We have a Communication Disorders
Can you give me a voice?
WHO IS THE SPEECH LANGUAGE
PATHOLOGIST?

Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) is
the uniquely qualified professional to
provide services. S/he has a Master’s
Degree or equivalent including a
minimum of six years of University
Educational training in:

Child development, and psychology
WHO IS THE SPEECH LANGUAGE
PATHOLOGIST?



Linguistics: the study of the structure of
language and it’s acquisition, production,
form, content and use
Language disorders: oral and written
communication
Sound Development, and disorders of
acquisition and production
WHO IS THE SPEECH LANGUAGE
PATHOLOGIST?

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300 classroom hours (minimum) in the
assessment and treatment of language
disorders
320 hours of supervised clinical
management of Communication Disorders
WHO IS THE SPEECH LANGUAGE
PATHOLOGIST?

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9 month Mentorship Program post-graduation
Regulated Profession by the College of Audiology
and Speech-Language Pathology
Agencies providing speech and language
intervention services (including assessment and
unsupervised remediation) through unsupervised,
unlicensed personnel are open to legal action and
fines under the Ontario Rehabilitation Health
Professional Act
THE FACE OF A COMMUNICATION
DISORDER
My Name is Glen
I have Semantic/Pragmatic
Developmental Language Disorder
Can you give me a voice?
WHO IS THE SPEECH LANGUAGE
PATHOLOGIST?


Speech-Language Pathologists serve the sometimes
invisible and voiceless minority who can not always
understand or speak for themselves yet they deserve
to be treated as equitably as those with more obvious
disabilities.
The SLP not only intervenes to improve the
communication skills but also to facilitate access to
others in the child’s world, sometimes enhancing
access to training and education and sometimes
providing the social link so necessary to the
psychological well being of humans. One could say
that the SLP provides access to the quality of life we
all enjoy.
THE FACE OF A COMMUNICATION
DISORDER
My Name is Nick
I have Dysfluency
Can you give me a voice?
WHY ARE SPEECH-PATHOLOGY
SERVICES NEEDED IN SCHOOLS?
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The language used in the classroom is complex
Most instruction is delivered through the
language code in spoken or written form so
you must be able to listen or read to
understand
The child lets the teacher know what they
have learned by speaking or writing
WHY ARE SPEECH-PATHOLOGY
SERVICES NEEDED IN SCHOOLS?

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Children are expected to learn through
listening at least 60% of the time during the
elementary school years and 90% of the time
during the secondary school years
Learning to read requires good language skills,
since reading is simply another code which
depends upon oral language knowledge
WHY ARE SPEECH-PATHOLOGY
SERVICES NEEDED IN SCHOOLS?

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Learning to write involves high level
language skills
It is estimated that 10% of students will
have a language delay or disorder
THE FACE OF A COMMUNICATION
DISORDER
My Name is Brendan
I have a Communication Disorder
Can you give me a voice?
WHAT IS THE SOLUTION?

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There is clear evidence that language
intervention is effective and that the earlier
treatment is began, the better the outcome
For school children with weak language skills,
language services which are integrated into
the education setting by school Speech
Language Pathologists have resulted in
important educational outcomes:
WHAT IS THE SOLUTION

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Significant gains in reading skills for elementary
school children
Meaningful improvements in adaptive behaviour in
the classroom and at home
Substantial reductions in the drop-out rate for
secondary school
Better outcomes in education for children
mean that these children become contributing
and independent members of society thus
saving our limited resources
We are the future. We want to be
a taxpayer, a voter, to live and
work independently and to be a
vital part of society.
Can you help give us a voice?
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Call your MPP
Request mandated Speech
Language Services in our schools
and increased monies to the
Preschool Language Programs
and the
Community Care Access Centres.
Lanark, Leeds & Grenville Chapter
(613) 284-1227