LOCAL speech pathologist Amy Ward fully backs a Speech Pathology Australia call for greater action to ensure communication accessibility for the 1.1 million Australians estimated to have a communication disability.
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“Like mobility or wheelchair access, communication access is enabling people with communication disorders to get their message across by removing barriers to effective communication or providing extra support and strategies,” Amy said.
“Communication access is vital to enable everyone to participate fully in the social, educational, economic and sporting aspects of community life in Wagga.”
That’s why during Speech Pathology Week, from August 20 to 26, speech pathologists are highlighting the week’s theme: Communication Access – Everyone gets the message.
“Communication is a basic human right and Australia needs to do more to achieve communication access for those with a communication disability,” Amy said.
“Communication accessibility can be as easy as rephrasing your question in simple language, using pictures, writing, gestures or symbols to help get across your message.
“For businesses, it might mean including plain English signage with symbols and pictures as well as words; or training staff so they are able communicate successfully with a person with a communication difficulty.”
Speech Pathology Australia estimates 1.1 million Australians have a communication disability – and that one in seven Australians will experience a communication difficulty.
For example, every 10 minutes, an Australian suffers a stroke – that’s more than 60,000 strokes each year. At least 30 per cent of people post-stroke suffer loss of language or experience communication difficulties.
Up to 25 per cent of children starting kindergarten have a language disorder, which impacts their ability to process and understand information, share their needs, wants and ideas effectively, and learn to read and write.
The speech pathologists at Wagga Community Health Centre are dedicated to preventing communication disorders in children, and supporting children with communication difficulties, along with their families and school.