HealthInfo Aoraki South Canterbury
When to see a speech-language therapist
Te wā kia toro atu ki tētahi kaituku haumanu ā-reo
You may have concerns with sudden or gradual changes in your communication or swallowing. If so, it may be helpful to see a speech-language therapist.
For example:
- food or drink frequently goes down the wrong way
- food "sticks" in your throat after swallowing
- your voice sounds gurgly or wet after eating or drinking
- you need to swallow many times to clear each mouthful
- people ask you to repeat what you have said. This is either because your voice has not been loud enough or your speech is not clear
- you are having trouble putting your thoughts into speech (this may be as mild as forgetting the odd word)
- you are having difficulty making sense of books or magazines you previously enjoyed reading
- signing your name or writing things like cheques, shopping lists or emails is challenging now
- people say your voice sounds different
- you are having difficulty getting your words out (stuttering or stammering).
Also, consider seeking out a speech-language therapist if you are concerned about a whānau (family) member or friend.
For example:
- conversations are becoming more difficult, such as when talking to a whānau member with dementia
- you are concerned your tamaiti (child) is not using words or only has a few words compared to other tamariki (children) the same age
- people say they have difficulty understanding what your tamaiti is saying
- your pēpi (baby) takes a long time to feed and there are concerns about their weight
- your tamaiti regularly gags and chokes on foods that other tamariki the same age manage easily
If you are unsure if you or a whānau member could benefit from speech-language therapy, talk it through with your general practice team.
Written by HealthInfo clinical advisers. Last reviewed July 2023.
Review key: HISCD-79694
