Sara Howard (speech therapist)

A speech therapist, also known as a speech-language pathologist (SLP), assesses, diagnoses, treats, and helps to prevent communication and swallowing disorders in children and adults. These disorders can include problems with speech (articulation, fluency, voice), language (understanding and using language), social communication, cognitive communication, and swallowing. Speech therapists work with individuals who have a variety of conditions, such as autism spectrum disorder, stroke, traumatic brain injury, cleft palate, hearing loss, and developmental delays. They develop individualized treatment plans to address specific communication and swallowing needs, often working in collaboration with other healthcare professionals and educators. Their primary goal is to improve communication skills, allowing individuals to participate more fully in daily life and achieve their personal, academic, and professional goals.