A

AAC – Augmentative and Alternative Communication

Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) refers to ways of communicating in addition to, or instead of, spoken speech. AAC can include gestures, signing, communication books, picture symbols, communication boards, apps and speech-generating devices.

Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)

An acquired brain injury is damage to the brain that occurs after birth. It can result from causes such as stroke, trauma, infection or other neurological conditions. Speech pathology may help with communication, language, cognition and swallowing following an acquired brain injury.

Articulation

Articulation refers to how the lips, tongue, jaw and other parts of the mouth move to produce speech sounds. Articulation difficulties can make particular sounds difficult to say clearly.

Articulation Therapy

Articulation therapy is speech therapy designed to help a person produce particular speech sounds more accurately and clearly. A speech pathologist may use modelling, practice, feedback and activities tailored to the person's needs.

Assessment

A speech pathology assessment is an evaluation of a person's communication, speech, language, voice, fluency, literacy, feeding or swallowing skills. Assessment may involve interviews, observation, formal testing and informal activities.

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C

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)

Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a speech sound disorder in which a child has difficulty planning and coordinating the movements needed for speech. Speech may be inconsistent or difficult to understand.

Cognitive Communication

Cognitive communication involves the relationship between thinking skills and communication. Difficulties may affect attention, memory, organisation, problem-solving, conversation or understanding and using language.

Cognitive Communication Therapy

Cognitive communication therapy supports communication skills affected by changes in cognition, such as following a brain injury, stroke or neurological condition.

Communication

Communication is the exchange or sharing of meaning between people. It can happen through speech, writing, gestures, facial expressions, signs, pictures, symbols, technology and many other methods.

Communication Assessment

A communication assessment looks at how a person understands and expresses messages. Depending on the person's needs, it may consider speech, language, social communication, literacy, AAC and other communication skills.

Communication Difficulties

Communication difficulties occur when a person experiences barriers to communicating or when their communication needs are not being met. Speech pathologists can assess these difficulties and provide strategies and therapy.

Communication Partner Training

Communication partner training teaches family members, carers, teachers, support workers or other communication partners strategies that can make communication easier and more successful.

Communication Support Needs

Communication support needs describes the supports a person may require to understand or express messages and participate in communication. Speech Pathology Australia has identified this as a preferred term when referring to people with communication disability or difficulty.

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D

Developmental Language Disorder (DLD)

Developmental Language Disorder is a condition where a child has ongoing difficulties learning and using language that are not explained by another known biomedical condition. Difficulties may involve understanding language, using words and sentences, telling stories or following instructions.

Dysarthria

Dysarthria is a motor speech disorder caused by weakness or difficulty controlling the muscles used for speech. It can affect speech clarity, loudness, rate and voice quality.

Dysfluency

Dysfluency refers to interruptions or disruptions in the flow of speech. Stuttering is one type of dysfluency.

Dysphagia

Dysphagia is the clinical term for difficulty with eating, drinking or swallowing. Dysphagia can affect the safety and efficiency of swallowing and may require assessment and management by a speech pathologist.

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E

Early Intervention Speech Pathology

Early intervention speech pathology provides assessment and support for babies and young children who have communication, speech, language, feeding or swallowing concerns. Early support can help families understand a child's communication needs and develop useful strategies.

Expressive Language

Expressive language is the ability to communicate thoughts, ideas, needs and information using language. It can include vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, storytelling and conversation.

Expressive Language Disorder

An expressive language disorder involves difficulty expressing thoughts and ideas using spoken, written, signed or other forms of language.

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F

Feeding Therapy

Feeding therapy supports children or adults who experience difficulties with eating, drinking or mealtimes. Depending on the person's needs, therapy may address feeding skills, communication around food, mealtime participation or swallowing.

FEES – Fibreoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing

FEES is an instrumental swallowing assessment that uses a small flexible camera to examine the throat while a person eats and drinks. It may be recommended when more detailed information about swallowing is required.

Fluency

Fluency refers to the flow and smoothness of speech. Speech pathologists assess fluency when a person experiences stuttering or other interruptions to speech.

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G

Gestalt Language Processing

Gestalt language processing is a term used to describe a way some children may acquire and develop language, including learning larger chunks or phrases before breaking them into smaller language units. Speech pathologists may consider a child's individual language development when selecting appropriate therapy approaches.

Goal Setting

Goal setting in speech pathology involves working with the person and, where appropriate, their family or support team to identify meaningful communication, feeding or swallowing goals.

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I

Inclusive Communication

Inclusive communication involves reducing barriers so that people can understand information, express themselves and participate in communication. This can involve adapting the environment, communication style, information format or available supports.

Intelligibility

Intelligibility refers to how easily a person's speech can be understood by another person. Speech intelligibility can be affected by speech sounds, rate, voice, motor speech difficulties and other factors.

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L

Language

Language is the system people use to understand and communicate meaning. It can involve spoken, written, signed and symbol-based communication.

Language Assessment

A language assessment examines how a person understands and uses language. It may assess vocabulary, grammar, sentence structure, comprehension, following instructions, storytelling and conversation.

Language Delay

Language delay is a general term used when a child's language development is behind what would typically be expected for their age. A speech pathologist can assess a child's individual communication profile and determine whether further support is appropriate.

Language Therapy

Language therapy supports a person's ability to understand and use language. Therapy may target vocabulary, sentence construction, comprehension, storytelling, conversation, following instructions or other language skills.

Literacy

Literacy includes the skills needed to read and write. Speech pathologists may support aspects of literacy such as phonological awareness, language comprehension, spelling, reading and written language.

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M

Mealtime Assessment

A mealtime assessment looks at how a person eats and drinks and may consider swallowing, feeding skills, positioning, food and fluid textures, equipment and the overall mealtime environment.

Motor Speech

Motor speech refers to the planning, coordination and movement involved in producing speech. Conditions such as dysarthria and apraxia of speech can affect motor speech.

Multimodal Communication

Multimodal communication means using more than one way to communicate. For example, a person might combine speech, gestures, facial expressions, writing, pictures and AAC.

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O

Oral Motor Skills

Oral motor skills involve the movement and coordination of the lips, tongue, jaw and other structures used for activities such as speech, eating and drinking. Assessment is based on the individual's presenting difficulties and clinical needs.

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P

Paediatric Speech Pathologist

A paediatric speech pathologist works with babies, children and adolescents who have communication, speech, language, fluency, literacy, feeding or swallowing needs.

Phonological Awareness

Phonological awareness is the ability to notice and work with the sound structure of spoken language. It includes skills such as identifying rhymes, syllables and individual sounds in words and is important for learning to read and spell.

Phonological Disorder

A phonological disorder is a speech sound difficulty involving the way a person organises and uses speech sounds. It can make speech difficult to understand.

Phonological Therapy

Phonological therapy is speech therapy that targets difficulties with the organisation and use of speech sounds. A speech pathologist selects an approach based on the person's age, speech profile and goals.

Pragmatics

Pragmatics refers to the social use of communication. It includes skills such as taking turns, staying on topic, adjusting communication for different situations and understanding social aspects of communication.

Private Speech Pathologist

A private speech pathologist provides speech pathology services outside the public health system, often through a private clinic, home visits, school visits or telehealth.

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S

Semantic Language Skills

Semantic language skills involve understanding and using word meanings. Difficulties may affect vocabulary, categorisation, describing, explaining or understanding relationships between words.

Social Communication

Social communication is how people use communication when interacting with others. It includes conversation, understanding social cues, taking turns, adapting language to different situations and interpreting non-verbal communication.

Social Communication Disorder

Social communication disorder involves difficulties using communication appropriately and effectively in social situations.

Speech

Speech is the production of sounds used to communicate spoken words. Clear speech requires coordinated movement of the lips, tongue, jaw, palate and other structures.

Speech Assessment

A speech assessment examines how a person produces speech sounds and how clearly they can be understood. Depending on the person's needs, assessment may consider articulation, phonology, motor speech, voice and fluency.

Speech Delay

Speech delay is a general term often used when a child's speech development is slower than expected for their age. A speech pathologist can assess speech sound development and determine whether intervention may be helpful.

Speech Generating Device

A speech generating device (SGD) is an electronic communication device that produces spoken messages selected by the user. It is one type of AAC.

Speech Pathologist

A speech pathologist is an allied health professional who assesses and supports people with communication and swallowing difficulties. Speech pathologists work with children and adults across settings including private practice, schools, hospitals, aged care and community services.

Speech Pathology

Speech pathology is the profession concerned with assessing and supporting communication and swallowing. It can include speech therapy, language therapy, fluency therapy, voice therapy, AAC support, feeding and swallowing management and literacy support.

Speech Sound Disorder

A speech sound disorder occurs when a person has difficulty producing or using speech sounds. It may involve articulation, phonological patterns or other speech sound difficulties.

Speech Therapy

Speech therapy is a commonly used term for treatment provided by a speech pathologist. It may address speech sounds, language, fluency, voice, social communication, literacy, communication or swallowing.

Stuttering

Stuttering involves interruptions to the flow of speech. These may include repetitions, prolongations or blocks. Stuttering can vary between people and may change depending on the situation.

Stuttering Therapy

Stuttering therapy provides support for people who stutter. Therapy may focus on communication confidence, participation, managing the impact of stuttering and developing strategies according to the person's individual goals.

Swallowing Assessment

A swallowing assessment evaluates how safely and effectively a person eats and drinks. Depending on the situation, a speech pathologist may assess swallowing clinically and recommend further instrumental assessment.

Swallowing Therapy

Swallowing therapy is treatment and management for people experiencing swallowing difficulties. It may include exercises, strategies, positioning, food or fluid modifications and recommendations for safer and more effective eating and drinking.

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T

Telehealth Speech Pathology

Telehealth speech pathology provides speech pathology assessment, therapy or consultation remotely using video or other communication technology. Whether telehealth is appropriate depends on the person's needs and the type of assessment or therapy required.

Total Communication

Total communication is an approach that uses multiple communication methods to support understanding and expression. Depending on the person, this may include speech, signs, gestures, pictures, writing and AAC.

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V

VFSS – Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study

A videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) is an instrumental assessment that uses X-ray video to examine swallowing. It can provide detailed information about what happens during different stages of a swallow.

Voice

Voice is the sound produced by the vocal folds and shaped by the structures of the throat, mouth and nose. Voice difficulties can affect pitch, loudness, quality or the ability to use the voice comfortably.

Voice Therapy

Voice therapy is speech pathology treatment for people experiencing voice difficulties. Therapy may address vocal habits, voice production, vocal health and techniques for using the voice more effectively.

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W

Written Language

Written language involves communicating through reading and writing. Speech pathologists may support written language skills including spelling, sentence construction, comprehension and written expression.

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