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What is a Speech Language Pathologist?
Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) work to prevent, assess, diagnose, and treat speech, language, social communication, cognitive-communication, and swallowing disorders in children and adults.
Duties and Tasks of SLPs:
- Evaluate and diagnose speech, language, communication, and swallowing disorders.
- Treat speech, language, communication, and swallowing disorders.
- Provide training and education to family/caregivers and other professionals.
- Work collaboratively with professionals from many other disciplines.
So, What are Speech and Language Disorders?
Speech Disorders
Occur when a person has difficulty producing speech sounds correctly or fluently or has problems with his or her voice or resonance. Speech disorders can affect a person's self-esteem and their overall quality of life.
Language Disorders
A language disorder can cause issues with the comprehension and/or use of spoken, written, and other forms of language. People with a language disorder may struggle with the form, content, or function of language.
Three common types of language disorders:
- Expressive
- Receptive
- Mixed Expressive and Receptive
Developmental vs Acquired Speech and Language Disorders
Developmental disorders can begin anytime during the developmental period and usually last throughout a person's lifetime. Most developmental disabilities begin before a baby is born.
Acquired disorders begins at some point during one's lifetime, as opposed to disorders that were already present at birth, which is congenital disease.
A Day in the Life of a Speech Language Pathologist
Digital Speech Therapy Resources for Children
'A big black bug bit a big black dog on his big black nose.'
'Fuzzy wuzzy was a bear. Fuzzy wuzzy had no hair. Fuzzy wuzzy wasn't very fuzzy, was he?'
'If two witches were watching two watches, which witch would watch which watch?'
What are the different career opportunities for a Speech Language Pathologist?
- Teach at colleges and universities
- Own or manage clinics or private practices
- Work for local, state, and national agencies
- Supervise and direct public school or clinical programs
- Research communication processes to develop new assessment and treatment options
- Provide counseling or consultative services
- Train and supervise support personnel
The career possibilities are limitless!
So, What does it take to become an SLP?
Is this career for you?
Take the quiz below to find out:
Credits:
Created with images by Unknown - "Isolated speech bubble graphic icon | Free vector - 457513" • Jasmine Coro - "Congrats!" • Vasily Koloda - "untitled image"