1. Paperless
When the science of speech therapy first started, many therapists and students had to contend with mountains of papers not just for the students to use but also for paperwork that needed to be filed. Advances in technology have made the use of paper almost obsolete. Besides official documents, virtually anything can be shared through digital means. The fact that personal mobile gadgets like smartphones and tablets have become ubiquitous only made file-sharing that much easier. Guidelines for parents to follow with therapy can be sent through email. Patients also have the option of answering feedback papers via digital means.
2. Traveling therapists
Nowadays, it’s very much possible for a lot of people to be working regardless of their location. The same thing also applies to speech-language pathologists or SLPs. Because of technological innovations like the internet and slim computers, it’s possible to be working with patients all over the country, or all over the world. So long as they have the internet, those in need of their services are not limited to their geographic location and can seek out the best of the best no matter where they are in the world.
3. Preparation is more efficient
Speech therapists are like teachers. They also spend a good portion of their time preparing for each of their sessions. In the past, this prep time is spent in libraries quietly researching the various topics and skills they need to learn for each of their clients. But now, the advent of the internet and other devices make research and prep work a lot easier. No need to flip to countless pages of different books when people can type it into the search bar and quickly get the answer they’re looking for. Therapists now also have access to the latest research and studies concerning speech therapy which they can use to guide them in their sessions.
4. Access to other resources
We can’t deny that our digital age has opened the possibilities of different learning channels that students can use. Take YouTube for example. The site has countless videos that help users learn new skills or understand a particularly difficult topic in school. These kinds of online speech therapy materials can be used by speech therapists to help clients in their therapy sessions. They can send links to new articles to help clients better understand the process of therapy. They can also refer them to video content to aid in their therapy.
5. Connect with other SLPs
One of the most obvious advantages of using technology for speech therapy is in connecting the different therapists to pool their knowledge and skills to help one another. Gone are the days that therapists are limited by geography when it comes to information sharing. SLPs in Brazil can communicate with those in Belgium to share the different methods they apply to their sessions. This information sharing is only going to make speech therapy even more effective since mistakes and lessons learned is accessible for other therapists to avoid the mistakes and apply the lessons learned by others.
