Consultation is not to be seen as a single area, but as a building block in therapy. Consultation always takes place when treatments are started, but also after a (new) diagnosis and following each therapy session. It can also serve to prevent communication disorders, e.g. in the case of parents whose children hardly speak at the age of 24 months (late talkers).
The basis of the consultation is expert knowledge of human speech, language, voice, hearing and swallowing functions. Speech and language therapists know about how these functions change over the course of life, what disorders occur, and how these can affect patients’ ability to communicate in everyday life (Rausch et al., 2014). They talk to affected individuals and their families about any issues that arise. They clarify with their expertise and support those involved in developing individual solutions. For this purpose, other experts from the areas of daycare, school and medicine are also included in the consultation if necessary.