Pandemic or not, the growing trend of using apps has replaced window shopping with browsing shopping apps. We order daily necessities and groceries via dedicated apps that deliver the selected items to our doorstep. We even have exclusive apps to track our health and weight. So, why shouldn’t a speech therapy app replace traditional speech therapy?
What Challenges Do Speech Therapy Apps Address?
The standard practice so far is that speech therapy for kids or adults who stammer meant booking an appointment with a speech therapist or a speech language pathologist. Visiting them in person and dedicating a couple of hours per week in their clinic undergoing speech therapy exercises under guidance.
Rest of the time, the people who stammer are on their own to practice his or her daily speech therapy exercises. Over time, this causes a lack of motivation leading to a reduction in the daily practise routine. The reduced practice increases the chances of relapse after the person completes his or her speech therapy at the clinic.
The advent of smartphones is a boon in many ways; one of them is that they support a plethora of useful applications. Stamurai – the stammering app or the stuttering app is one of them. This speech impediment app has made treatment for stammering accessible and affordable to many who cannot travel every week or can’t afford the costly sessions with a speech language pathologist (SLP). Moreover, the speech therapists in remote areas may be situated far away, have too many appointments or are almost non-existent.
The creation of stammering therapy apps have bridged this gap by providing everyone in need, access to speech therapy tools irrespective of their geographic location. Tele Speech therapy does solve some of these issues, but it still requires a speech therapist to connect through the internet and guide the person.
While stuttering apps are incredibly useful, we need to address a critical question before lauding their functions – can these apps replace the traditional speech therapy sessions with the Speech and language therapists?
Why Does The World Need More Speech Therapy Apps?
Currently, speech therapy apps for android and iPhone have taken over the world that fosters a convergence of therapy apps. Most importantly, these apps ensure that people can have 24/7 access to their therapy tools on the go.
Imagine, you are waiting for a conference call to begin. During the wait, you can access the speech exercises to build confidence and make your speech more fluent for the virtual meeting.
As the world is adopting virtual work environments for most sectors, conference calls, video calls, and online presentations are becoming everyday affairs. Those who stutter often find phone and video calls intimidating. Using the app can promote general fluency and easy access to the stuttering exercises. Addressing the feared words the night before the online meeting can make phone calls less of a nightmare for the person.
How Can People Who Stutter Benefit From Using A Stuttering App?
It is an era of tech-savvy children who own iOS devices and android phones. Over 25% of children between the ages of 0 and 2 years and 36% of children between the ages of 3 and 5 years have an iPad. Since 2012, there has been a 170% increase in the number of children using tablets and computers. (Reference: www.teachwire.net)
Children have a keen sense of learning about new technology, and stuttering apps like Stamurai can capture their interest to provide reliable speech therapy. With the help of evolving tech, including machine learning and AI (Artificial intelligence), dedicated speech therapy apps for toddlers or children can precisely deliver what is required to build intrigue and increase interaction.
These days, working adults do not have much time to dedicate themselves towards speech therapy and attend individual or group sessions with a Speech and Language Pathologist. A stuttering app for adults can make treatment for stuttering less intimidating and more accessible for people from all social and financial backgrounds.
Speech therapy apps for android and iOS like Stamurai don’t just offer speech therapy for stammering for the affected children, but also adults with an advanced stuttering problem. Even adults who have struggled with fluency for decades can benefit from the speech therapy exercises, freestyle tools and records of progress that this application stores.
Apps that offer speech therapy for stammering have their advantages including –
- Customization and personalization options (Feared word lists, editable reminders and timers)
- Live chat with speech therapy experts
- 24/7 support and access
- Affordable yet certified speech therapy exercises
- Progress meters that keep track of the user’s journey
- Customized assessment options
Should You Rely On The App Solely Or Seek The Help Of A Professional?
However, are speech therapy apps enough to reduce stuttering? Can a person forego the option of attending sessions with an SLP as soon as he or she gains access to a similar app?
The answer depends on the individual’s situation –
- If the individual resides in an area that does not have easy access to a speech-language pathologist, then he or she may utilize the app until they can access the service of an expert.
- If an individual who stutters already attends therapy sessions under the guidance of an SLP, he or she can utilize the app to continue practising at home and during extended periods when the SLP is unavailable.
A comprehensive stuttering app is not just useful for someone who stutters, but also their speech therapist. The therapist can assist the clients by providing visual progress charts, practice sessions for home and personalizable goals on the speech therapy app.
How Can A Speech Therapy App Make The SLP’s Work Easier?
Mobile applications that offer speech therapy hold a world of promise for both the people who stutter and the therapist community. Apps can help professionals achieve their therapeutic goals faster than before. It can bridge the communication gap between the SLP and their client. The SLP can use speech therapy apps as interventional tools, but the typical speech therapy app will not wholly replace the professional.
Speech Therapy apps free to download like Stamurai can accelerate the progress of users with varying fluency goals. A smartphone app can make sessions more interactive, engaging, and the user can carry the tools of fluency their pocket wherever they goes.
