The end of an affair: Discharging clients from speech-language pathology

Abstract

This paper expands on the lead article by Hersh (2010) regarding a number of challenges that face speech-language pathologists (SLPs) when ending therapy, in this case focusing on children's speech and language impairment. Children's speech and language impairments are often long-term with impacts on other aspects of their functioning; there is little clarity about the notion of resolution and there is little research about optimum points of discharge or ending therapy. In the lead article, Hersh (2010) reports the personal concerns experienced by SLPs working with people with aphasia. Similar findings are highlighted here from the child speech and language impairment context; in particular that SLPs' thresholds of concern vary. The paper notes the resource pressures that lead to prioritization decisions related to the point of discharge and argues that clarity in goal planning and the explicit discussion of goals and the purpose of intervention, in partnership with clients and their families goes some way to reducing pressure faced by SLPs.

Keywords:

• Discharge from therapy
• evidence-base
• prioritisation
• partnership
• children's speech and language impairment