Massage Therapy Journal Fall 2024

Fall 2024 • 63

telecommunications device or they may use a speech-generating device. 67 When communicating with someone who has a speech impairment, it is best to: • Take your time and do not rush the conversation or second-guess what the person has to say. • Do not interrupt them or finish their sentences. • Clarify or confirm what you have heard by rephrasing it to the individual. • If you do not understand what the client is saying, repeat what you have understood and allow the person to respond. • Ask short closed questions that may be also answered by nodding their head for “yes” or shaking their head for “no.” • Keep your eyes on their face during the massage and stay tuned into their body language that may alert you if they feel uncomfortable. It is important to note that some people will experience selective mutism where their ability to speak comes and goes. This can be pronounced in times of stress, fatigue and pain.

Working With Clients With Health Impairments

People with severe speech impairments may use various

Other health impairments are a wide range of chronic or acute medical conditions that affect at least one major life activity, including learning. Health impairments, as its own category, dates back to the 1970s when the United States Congress passed a new law proposed by the Department of Education. This law helped meet the needs of children with disabilities (sometimes called

augmentative and alternative communication methods instead of talking.

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