BEWARE of claims about interventions that have an untrustworthy basis.
Claims about the effects and impact of particular interventions may not be trustworthy. Often this is because the reason (the basis) for the claim is not trustworthy. You should be careful when you hear claims that:
• Sound 'Too good to be true' (like 'miracle cures')
• Follow faulty logic or are purely theoretical
• Are based on trust or experience alone
- BewareToo good to be true
“100% problem free!”
People often think about the benefits of speech & language therapy, but ignore possible problems. But all assessments and interventions can cause problems as well as benefits.
- BewareToo good to be true
“100% effective!”
Most claims that a treatment or intervention will ‘make’ a service user 100% better, 'cure' multiple conditions, or that it will 'work for everyone', turn out to be wrong.
- BewareToo good to be true
“100% certain!”
There is no way of being completely certain about the effects of therapy
fair comparisons of therapies provide the best basis for being confident about the effects of therapies. - BewareDanger of assumptions
“Treatment needed!”
Some people who have speech, language, communication or swallowing difficulties may get better spontaneously. Sometimes a treatment will not help and in some cases may have a negative effect.
- BewareDanger of assumptions
“It works like this!”
Therapy that works in theory may not work in practice.
- BewareDanger of assumptions
“Associated with!”
Just because a therapy is associated with people getting better or worse, that doesn’t mean that the treatment made them better or worse.
- BewareDanger of assumptions
“Lots of data!”
Quality not quantity is better for the evidence base.
- BewareDanger of assumptions
“No comparison needed!”
Unless a therapy is compared to something else, it is not possible to know what would happen without it.
- BewareDanger of assumptions
“A study shows!”
If a single intervention comparison study shows that people who got one kind of therapy did better or worse than people who got something else, it does not mean that is the final answer.
- BewareDanger of assumptions
“Old is better!”
Just because an approach has been used by speech and language therapists for a long time or by many people, it does not mean that it helps or that it is safe.
- BewareDanger of assumptions
“New is better!”
Just because a therapy is new, expensive, technologically impressive, or brand-named does not mean that it is better or safer than other treatments.
- BewareDanger of assumptions
“More is better!”
Delivering more therapy sessions than necessary can lead to problems without increasing how much it helps.
- BewareDanger of assumptions
“Early is better!”
Earlier detection of a speech, language, communication or swallowing difficulties is not necessarily better.
- BewareDanger of assumptions
“Personalised therapy!”
It is rarely possible to know in advance who will benefit, who will not, and who will have problems because of a specific therapy.
- BewareBe mindful and don’t take things at face value
“As advertised!”
Someone with an interest in getting people to use a therapy, such as making money, may overstate benefits and ignore possible problems.
- BewareBe mindful and don’t take things at face value
“It worked for me!”
If someone believes they helped a service user get better after delivering a certain therapy it does not necessarily mean that the therapy made them better.
- BewareBe mindful and don’t take things at face value
“Recommended by experts!”
Just because a therapy claim is made by an expert or authority, you cannot be sure that it is trustworthy.
- BewareBe mindful and don’t take things at face value
“Peer reviewed!”
“Peer-reviewed” and published studies may not be fair comparisons.
