Let’s take a step through time to examine the beginnings of speech therapy throughout the world.

Historically, we are aware of speech deficits occurring globally due to “therapies” being written about in the text. In Greece, around 384-322 BCE, a stuttering technique was to place pebbles in the mouth while talking to prevent the speaker from stuttering. In the Roman Empire, they attempted surgery to repair voice disorders and other maladies concerning speech. In the 19th century in France, sensory stimulation was used to teach language to those with special needs. Today, we can see how absurd or strange these methods are- but it is good knowledge to place speech deficits on a global scale.

Now, more modern speech therapy techniques did not begin to form until the 19th century.

With each era, the profession worked to meet the needs of the time. For example, in England, in the 18th century, speech therapy initially was intended to focus on elocution (speech perfection). Books were published to aid children in pronunciation, speaking speed, and tone of voice. As time continued, the profession also took a different shape in the United States. In America, speech therapists focused on diagnosing and treating communication disorders- though speech production was the center of the field. After World War II, speech therapists saw a rise in adults who needed aid with communication after head trauma. During this time the profession began to shift to a focus on brain processing and language ability. In the 1960-the 80s the field expanded to diagnose developmental delays in children. This leads us to modern-day speech-language pathology. In this field, today therapists can work in hospitals and aid victims of stroke, brain injuries, swallowing disorders, and premature children. They can work in schools to treat and diagnose children with stuttering, or other language/speech disorders. Therapists can work in clinics to aid adults and children with Autism or other disorders that affect their speech, hearing, or cognition. Overall therapists can work in many different sites, and they work to make positive changes in the lives of their clients.

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Currently, the number of people with speech defects are seeming to increase.

Seeming like a disease, this disorder can affect anyone in our society. The affected population for speech defects is mostly children, and we all know that with more support, and quick aid, the effects of the disorder will be made less earlier on. Raising a typical child is a demanding task for parents. Raising and supporting the special needs of a child that requires more support, for some parents, can be impossible. We all know that it is necessary to work with these children. They require therapy and activities to enrich their worlds. They need more time spent with professionals and with their parents- but with modern demands placed on parents, this is almost a fantasy. New solutions are needed, and technology is the answer.

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The Linghos is an app where AI will do the difficult work- diagnose kids and create tools for independent practice.

Parents can then relax, or watch an episode of their favourite TV series. They can feel content and satisfied that they have been able to provide access and therapy for their child. Additionally, parents do not need to worry about tracking their child’s progress- the app sends reports after each session! Also, if a parent wants to check the child's progress, he or she can always consult a speech therapist directly through the app.

New times call for new solutions; open, accessible, and available communication at the touch of a button makes The Linghos app the new solution in speech therapy.

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