What do you think of when you hear “speech therapy”? If you’re like many people, you might picture young children learning to pronounce words. However, speech therapy is much more expansive than that.

The truth is that adult speech therapy is an essential service that can change lives. At Preferred Physical Therapy, our speech-language pathologist (SLP) works with stroke survivors and people living with various neurological conditions to address not only speech difficulties but also challenges with swallowing and communication.

Today, we want to tackle some common myths and misconceptions about adult speech therapy to help you understand its many benefits.

Myth: “Speech therapy is just for kids.”

Reality: Speech therapy is highly effective for adults, especially those recovering from serious health events. Our SLP can help adults improve communication skills, cognitive function, and swallowing abilities through targeted, focused techniques, including language retraining, vocal exercises, and swallowing therapy.

Speech therapy is particularly effective for the following conditions:

Stroke

• Rebuilding speech, language comprehension, and swallowing control

Parkinson’s Disease

• Improving voice projection, clarity, and safe swallowing

Traumatic Brain Injuries

• Strengthening memory, problem-solving, and thinking skills

Adult speech therapy also doesn’t look like pediatric speech therapy, which emphasizes play-based techniques. Instead, our speech therapy might employ the following:

• Cognitive-communication therapy to improve memory, attention, and executive function
  
• Augmentative communication strategies like communication boards or apps for those with severe speech loss
  
• Breathing exercises to support stronger voice control

Myth: “If you can talk, you don’t need speech therapy.”

Reality: Speech therapy goes far beyond talking. Many adults who can speak still struggle with other communication or cognitive skills, like organizing their thoughts, finding the right words, or remembering important details. Speech therapy is an effective way to address the following:

• Memory and attention problems after a stroke or injury
  
• Word-finding difficulties that make conversations frustrating
  
• Voice changes that cause the voice to sound hoarse, weak, or too quiet

Myth: “Speech therapy can’t help once a condition becomes ‘chronic.'”

Reality: Even if a condition has been present for months or years, speech therapy can still make a big difference. Many adults with long-term neurological conditions like Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis benefit from consistent therapy to:

• Maintain current abilities as long as possible
  
• Build new strategies for communication and safety
  
• Improve confidence during conversations and social activities

For example, Parkinson’s disease often affects vocal quality, leading to softer, slurred speech. Speech therapy can help Parkinson’s patients regain stronger, clearer voices. 

Or say one of your loved ones recently suffered a stroke that affects their cognitive ability. Our SLP can show them compensatory strategies to help them work around their specific memory or communication challenges.

Myth: “Speech therapy is only about talking louder.”

Reality: While speaking volume can be part of therapy, adult speech therapy addresses much more. Many adults deal with slurred speech, voice fatigue, or difficulty coordinating their mouth muscles. Speech therapy can help them:

• Strengthen oral muscles for better articulation and clearer speech
  
• Learn pacing strategies to improve speech clarity
  
• Practice safe swallowing techniques to avoid choking or coughing during meals
  
• Practice functional communication tasks like making phone calls or ordering food
  
• Enhance word pronunciation and fluency

Myth: “Speech therapy results are slow and barely noticeable.”

Reality: Many adults make significant improvements with the right therapy plan and consistent effort. And remember, even small changes in speech clarity, memory, or swallowing can greatly improve independence and quality of life.

Part of our SLP’s approach involves setting specific goals based on each patient’s unique needs, ensuring therapy focuses on what matters most to each patient. For example, one patient might want to improve articulation to feel more confident in social conversations. Another might want to address swallowing difficulties so they can safely enjoy meals. What matters is focusing on what you want to accomplish with speech therapy.