Quick answer
Speech and language therapy assesses and treats difficulties with speech, language, fluency and swallowing. In children this most often means delayed or unclear speech; in adults it is usually communication and swallowing problems after a stroke or neurological illness.
Speech therapy covers more than pronunciation. It deals with understanding language, producing it, being fluent, using voice, and swallowing safely.
Children
Common reasons for referral include speech that is late to develop, speech that is unclear to people outside the family, stammering, limited vocabulary for the child's age, and communication difficulties associated with autism or developmental delay.
Early assessment is worthwhile. Waiting to see whether a child grows out of it is sometimes right and sometimes costs years, and an assessment tells you which.
Adults
After a stroke or with a progressive neurological condition, therapy addresses difficulty finding words, slurred speech, voice problems, and swallowing difficulty. Swallowing in particular is a safety issue as well as a quality-of-life one, and it is assessed properly rather than assumed.
How sessions work
Sessions are structured and repetitive because that is what changes speech, and for children they are built into play. Practice between sessions carries most of the progress, so families leave with specific, short daily tasks.
Medically reviewed by Nasir Mughees, BPT, MPT, Orthopaedic Physiotherapy · Last reviewed September 2026