Imagine a world in which even the simplest communication with those around you was a massive effort.

Imagine the frustration of knowing exactly what you want to say but not finding the words to express it or not being able to form the right sounds to make these words.

Imagine the impact this would have on your day-to-day life; a trip to the shops to pick up groceries, making a joke with your friends or telling your partner that that you love them.

Unfortunately, this is the reality for many Australian’s living with communication difficulties. Communication is something that we can easily take for granted, we assume it will always be there to help us through the many different types of interactions we take part in every day.

The ability to easily communicate can be taken away from those who have experienced a stoke or have neuro-degenerative illnesses that affect to the language centre in the brain or speech production. Communication difficulties can leave people feeling isolated and cut off from their community.

This year’s theme for Speech Pathology Week is Communicate with Confidence so let’s help those around us with communication difficulties to engage by showing patience, understanding, and respect. Getting support from a Speech Pathologist may also be useful. Everybody deserves the right communicate!

How will you help someone to communicate with confidence this week?

Katie Milton – Speech Pathologist