Speech and Language Therapy

It is the field that deals with the treatment of problems arising from speech, voice and swallowing functions and language disorders. Every patient is treated, regardless of age.

Working Areas of Maltepe University Faculty of Medicine Hospitals Language and Speech Therapy Department

Stuttering:

We can list the factors that cause stuttering as sound, syllable, word and expression repetitions, deterioration of fluency in speech and vocal prolongation. Along with these factors, negative reactions, physical tensions and avoidance of sounds, words or speech situations can negatively affect the work, social and school life of the person.

Fast and Distorted Speech Status:

In this speech disorder, the patient speaks faster than the normal speaking rate, but while speaking fast, he also uses incomplete, distorted and mispronounced words. Patients with rapid and distorted speech problems often have problems such as hyperactivity, stuttering and learning problems.

Phonological Disorders:

The rules related to the combination of speech sounds are examined under the name of phonology. As long as children acquire the speech characteristics of adults by acquiring phonotactic rules, it is called phonological development.

Conditions such as mixing of word phrases, lowering of sounds, incorrect use of phrases, and displacement of sounds indicate phonological disorders. It is very difficult to understand the speech of children with this disorder, which causes the late completion of phonological development.

Articulation Disorder:

In articulation disorder, which is a functional speech disorder, the individual produces sounds incorrectly or has difficulty in motor production of speech sounds. This condition, which greatly affects the intelligibility of a person's speech, is called articulation disorder.

Dysarthria

Dysarthria, a motor speech disorder; It is a condition that occurs as a result of damage to the central or peripheral nervous system. Damage to both nervous systems can occur. Due to this damage, one or more of the patient's coordination disorder, articulation, phonation, respiration, abnormal muscle control in speech mechanism, paralysis, and prosodic features are affected.

Apraxia

Acquired Apraxia of Speech

It is a type of aprixia known as verbal apraxia. It is the state of not being able to plan or program in the sensorimotor commands that enable the movements that enable the individual to speak normally. It is a neurological speech disorder.

Childhood Apraxia of Speech

Although there is no neurological problem, this apraxia is a condition in which the sequential movements required for speech are disrupted as a result of disruptions in motor planning and programming.

Aphasia:

It is a condition in which the cortical and subcortical parts of the brain are damaged due to health problems such as stroke and trauma. As a result of these damages, deterioration may occur in 4 main areas.

• Reading
• Writing
• Recipient Language
• Expressive Language

Early intervention in aphasia is very important in order to increase the quality of life of the individual. The treatment process is planned individually.

Voice Disorders:

Voice disorders can have many causes such as medical, neurological and smoking-alcohol consumption. The differences in pitch, quality, resonance and intensity of the voice constitute the sound disorder. Factors such as similar age, cultural background, and gender are taken into account when examining whether an individual has a voice disorder.

After the cause of the voice disorder is found by the ENT physicians, the necessary treatment method is determined.