What is a Speech and Language Therapist (SALT)

What is a Speech and Language Therapist

A Speech and Language Therapist (SALT) is a healthcare professional who helps children and adults who have difficulties with communication, speech and language, plus voice, fluency, and swallowing.

Think of it as support for anyone who struggles to express themselves clearly, understand others, or eat and drink safely.

Speech is the physical production of sounds.

It involves:

• Moving the lips, tongue, and jaw

• Coordinating breathing

• Using the voice

Language is about understanding and using words to communicate ideas.

It includes:

• Vocabulary

• Grammar

• Sentence structure

• Understanding instructions

• Conversation skills

• Speech = the sounds

• Language = the meaning

• Communication = the whole package

  
  

What Does a Speech and Language Therapist Do?

Speech and Language Therapists (often called SLTs or SALTs) assess, diagnose, and treat communication and swallowing difficulties.

They work with people who have:

🗣️ Speech Difficulties

💬 Language Difficulties

• Difficulty understanding language

• Trouble forming sentences

• Limited vocabulary

• Struggles with conversation skills

🧠 Social Communication (Pragmatics)

• Difficulty with turn-taking

• Not understanding social cues.

• Challenges are often seen in conditions like Autism Spectrum Disorder.

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🎤 Voice & Fluency

• Stammering/stuttering

• Hoarse or strained voice

• Voice loss

  
  

🥣 Swallowing (Dysphagia)

• Difficulty chewing or swallowing

• Coughing during meals

• Feeding difficulties in babies or children

  
  

Who Needs a Speech and Lanuage Therapist (SALT?)

SALT supports:

• Babies with feeding difficulties

• Children with speech delays

• People with learning disabilities

• Adults recovering from stroke

• Individuals with neurological conditions

• Anyone struggling to communicate effectively.

For example, adults after a stroke may experience aphasia (language loss), and children with developmental delays may need support building vocabulary and understanding.

Where Do Speech and Language Therapists Work?

They work in:

• Schools

• Hospitals

• Clinics

• Nurseries

• Care homes

• Private practice

• Community settings

SALT in Simple Terms:

Speech and Language Therapy helps people find their voice, understand others, and eat safely.