Exploring Speech Disorders: Cultural Contexts, Therapeutic Practices, and Holistic Approaches
Tanvi Raghuram, Divyanka Swarna, Shriya Parekh, Diya Jaishankar, Bhuvanesh Kumar Raju, Vikramsingh Gujar* and Narendra Chirmule*
ABSTRACT
Purpose: Therapeutic interventions for speech pathologies have evolved with underlying neuroanatomical basis and types of interventions.
Methods: Our research involved interviews of experts and therapists in examining influences on speech pathologies and therapeutic potential of music based interventions.
Results: Our findings highlight the role of linguistic, neuroanatomical, and psychosocial factors in speech fluency and recovery, including language used during treatment, patient’s native language, and multilingualism. Bilingualism resulted in greater fluency in a second language due to reduced emotional pressure or exposure to different phonemes and phonetic structures. The distinction between neurogenic and developmental stuttering emphasizes the need for tailored therapy, with neurogenic cases benefiting from neuroplasticity-driven interventions. Psychosocial factors, including anxiety and bullying, commonly exacerbate speech difficulties, reinforcing values of cognitive-behavioral approaches. The efficacy of traditional clinical interventions was ameliorated by holistic approaches. Thus, music therapy emerged as a promising intervention, particularly for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and neurogenic speech disorders. Techniques such as rhythmic queueing and melodic intonation therapy were reported to improve speech fluency by
strategic brain region engagement, enhancing speech-motor coordination.
Conclusion: Our findings suggest that holistic approaches can optimize treatment outcomes. Future research should explore the long-term efficacy of these methods and their optimized application
