European Day of Speech Therapy

The Standing Committee of Speech Therapists of the European Union created the European Speech Therapy Day in 2004, whose main purpose is to raise awareness among the European population about existing language and communication disorders, as well as the effects on health, applied treatments and the rights of patients.

Also, the commemoration of this day aims to publicize the importance and relevance of the speech therapy profession throughout Europe, which is dedicated to the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of problems related to communication, language, voice, swallowing, and hearing. Recognition is due to speech therapists for such a commendable work. Likewise, by disseminating information, the aim is to reach and raise awareness among other sectors of society, such as communities, local authorities, and political leaders, about language and communication disorders and their impact on children and adults with communication problems, who constitute a minority who cannot adequately channel or express their requirements and needs. Another important purpose of celebrating this day is to promote the exchange of knowledge and experiences about Speech Therapy as a discipline in Europe. We recommend reading:

Slogans of the European Day of Speech Therapy

Each year a motto or theme is established for the European Day of Speech Therapy. The slogans of the European Day of Speech Therapy for the period 2022-2026, established by the European Speech and Language Therapy Association (ESLA), are as follows:

• 2026: Modeling the future of speech therapy with artificial intelligence ("Shaping the Future of Speech and Language Therapy with Artificial Intelligence"). The focus is on the transformative potential and ethical challenges of AI in the assessment and treatment of disorders.
• 2025: Enriching the environment to enrich communication ("Enrich the environment to enrich communication"). It focused on how the physical and social environment influences language development, especially in childhood.
• 2024: Collaboration with other professionals and caregivers/families. This motto highlighted the importance of multidisciplinary work and the support of the close environment in the success of the therapy.
• 2023: The role of speech therapists in intensive care and emergency medicine. A motto dedicated to making visible speech therapy intervention in critical hospital settings, such as in cases of dysphagia or after a stroke.
• 2022: Speech therapy throughout the life cycle ("Speech and language therapy across the age span"). It emphasized that speech therapy is essential at all stages, from birth to old age.
• 2021: Telepractice and Digital Technologies.

What is Speech Therapy?

The Speech Therapy is the discipline oriented to the scientific and technical study of Human Communication in the following areas:

• Communication (intra, interpersonal and professional communication).
• Language (oral and written / comprehension and expression).
• Speech (articulation, fluency and rhythm).
• Voice.
• Hearing.
• Non-verbal oral functions (breathing, sucking, salivation, chewing and swallowing).

Disorders Treated by the Speech Therapist

The speech therapist is the specialist dedicated to the detection, diagnosis, education, treatment, rehabilitation and advice in the areas of human communication. They are specialists in language, speech, voice, communication and swallowing disorders. The disorders treated in consultation are as follows:

• Speech, articulation, pronunciation disorders: dyslalias, dysarthrias, dysglossias.
• Verbal fluency disorders: Dysphemia or stuttering, dysprosody, bradilalia, tachylalia. Speech delays.
• Oral language disorders: language development delays, Specific Language Impairment, aphasias, strokes or cerebrovascular accidents.
• Language disorders associated with other conditions such as Down Syndrome, autism, cerebral palsy, intellectual disability.
• Written language disorders: dyslexia, dysgraphia, dysorthography, reading and/or writing delay.
• Voice disorders: aphonia, dysphonia (nodules, polyps, Reinke's edema in children and adults); laryngectomized.
• Hearing disorders: cochlear implants, hearing loss, deafness.
• Communication disorders: Augmentative/Alternative Communication Systems.
• Myofunctional disorders: Hypotonia or hypertonia of the facial muscles, tongue protrusion, velopharyngeal incompetence, mouth breathing, atypical swallowing, dysphagia.

Furthermore, speech therapists maintain continuous contact with the patient's family and caregivers, as well as teachers, staff working in nursing homes and hospitals, performing a relevant educational and preventive function on Speech Therapy as a discipline.

You can learn more about this interesting topic through the Associations and Foundations dedicated to Speech Therapy in Europe. For example, in Spain, the Spanish Association of Speech Therapy, Phoniatrics and Audiology and Ibero-American of Speech Therapy stands out, among other non-profit associations and organizations.

Share on social media about this day, thus contributing to disseminate information about language disorders and human communication problems.