What Does a Speech Language Pathologist Do?
A speech language pathologist is someone who diagnoses and treats language and speech disorders. They often work in hospitals and schools, but may also work in private practice as a consultant. In schools, their main focus is usually on providing help and support to children who require extra speech help outside of normal classes, while in hospitals, they help people who have medical conditions that cause communication impairment. A speech language pathologist working as a private consultant may work with adults and children who have speech impairment for a wider variety of reasons, including psychological as well as physical factors.
Speech language pathologists usually work one-on-one with their clients, rather than in groups of two or more people. The first visit or two with a new patient is usually spent assessing the type of language or speech disorder they are affected by. Next, the speech therapist will spend some time devising a treatment plan that will most effectively help their client improve their speech or language skills. Treatment might entail not only working on conventional speech and language skills, but also development of alternate communication methods, as some clients may have impaired speech or language to the point where they cannot communicate verbally.
The type and range of speech and language disorders that a speech language pathologist may encounter are highly variable. For example, they may diagnose and treat cognitive communication disorders such as voice disorders, aphasia, or delayed language, which may occur after a stroke or other brain injury, a neurological disorder such as Parkinson's or Huntington's Disease, or may be the result of a congenital abnormality. Speech language therapists working in schools often help children with learning difficulties, hearing impairment, or speech disorders such as stammering.
All states in the United States require that a speech language pathologist hold a Master’s or other graduate degree, but requirements may vary in other countries. In the United Kingdom, for example, candidates must complete a three to four year degree course, but don’t have to have a Master’s degree. In both countries, and in several others, the speech therapist must also be licensed or registered with a national or state organization.
A successful career in speech therapy requires both practical and personal skills, including excellent verbal and written communication skills, and a well-developed ability to work with people one-on-one. Patience, tact, and compassion are important personal skills for these types of health care jobs. As with many other health care careers, it’s also important for a speech language pathologist to be able to work with and teach people from different cultures and different social or economic backgrounds.
Written by Emma Lloyd
