A Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP), also known as a Speech Pathologist or colloquially as a Speech Therapist, is a healthcare professional who specializes in the assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of communication and swallowing disorders. SLPs work with individuals of all ages, from infants to older adults, who may experience difficulties in various aspects of communication.

Speech therapy, also known as speech-language therapy or speech-language pathology, is a professional service provided by a Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) to diagnose and treat individuals with communication and swallowing disorders. Speech therapy aims to improve a person's ability to understand and use language effectively, articulate speech sounds, and address issues related to voice, fluency, and swallowing.

1. Articulation Disorders: This refers to difficulties in producing speech sounds correctly. It can involve substituting, omitting, distorting, or adding sounds, making the child's speech difficult to understand.

2. Phonological Disorders: Similar to articulation disorders, phonological disorders involve patterns of sound errors. The child may have difficulty understanding and using the rules of sound patterns in their language.

3. Stuttering: Stuttering is a speech disorder characterized by interruptions in the flow of speech, such as repetitions of sounds, syllables, or words; prolongations of sounds; or blocks where the child is unable to produce any sound.

4. Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS): CAS is a motor speech disorder in which the child has difficulty planning and coordinating the movements required for speech production. It can result in inconsistent errors, difficulty with speech sequencing, and limited speech intelligibility.

5. Language Disorders: These disorders affect the child's ability to understand and use language effectively. They can impact both spoken and written language skills, including vocabulary, grammar, comprehension, and expression.

6. Voice Disorders: Voice disorders involve problems with vocal quality, pitch, loudness, or resonance. Common voice disorders in children include vocal nodules, vocal cord paralysis, and vocal misuse or abuse.

7. Fluency Disorders: Apart from stuttering, other fluency disorders include cluttering, which involves rapid and disorganized speech, and selective mutism, where a child consistently refuses to speak in certain situations.

8. Pragmatic Language Disorders: Pragmatic language disorders affect a child's social communication skills. They may struggle with turn-taking, understanding nonverbal cues, and following conversational rules.

9. Hearing Loss: Although not a speech disorder, hearing loss can significantly impact a child's speech and language development. Children with hearing loss may have difficulty producing and perceiving speech sounds accurately.