I'll try not to
be too exhaustive here, but it will help you understand why there is a
shortage of SLPs.
WHAT SLPs DO?
If
you have ever asked an SLP what their job
responsibilities are, and they have a couple of minutes to tell you,
...it might
take a while.
A common
misconception is that Speech Language Pathologists
only
teach children how to say sounds correctly.
While this is true, it is
only
one of the many things we do do.
What about
your do do?
Sorry, I couldn't resist.
The role of a Speech Language Pathologist is to:
- Evaluate
- Diagnose
- Treat
communication disorders for
children and
adults with:
|
|
|
- Auditory Processing disorders
|
|
|
|
|
- English language learners (or ELL)
|
|
|
|
|
And
that’s just the
beginning! We can also serve individuals with:
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (or ASD)
- Apraxia of Speech
- Cochlear Implants
- Learning Disorders/Learning Disabilities
- Pervasive Developmental Disorder (or PDD)
- Speech Muscle Weakness (also known as
Dysarthria)
- Sensory Integration Disorder
Furthermore… we
help
both young and old who have or have had:
- Voice Disorders
- A laryngectomy
- Feeding Disorders
- Accent Reduction/Modification needs
- Cleft Lip or Cleft Palate
- Swallowing Disorders (also known
as Dysphagia)
- Syndromes like Down, Asperger, and Craniofacial
- Neurological Disorders such as Cerebral Palsy
- Alternative and Augmentative Communication (or
AAC)
- Diseases like Alzheimer’s, Dementia,
Parkinson’s etc.
Whew!
I hope I didn't leave anything out.
Anyway, I mention all of
this
to show you the people and communication disorders
a Speech Language Pathologist
might work with.
If
any of this sounds interesting, you could consider
becoming
an SLP yourself.
You must earn a Master's Degree in Speech
Language Pathology to do so.
The
required
courses for a Bachelor's and Master's Degree are diverse and
demanding.
WHAT OTHER
PROFESSIONALS DO SLPs WORK WITH?
SLPs
work with many professionals and specialists from other disciplines
including
but not limited to:
- Occupational Therapists
- Physical Therapists
- Pediatricians
- Psychologists
- Audiologists
- Ear, Nose, and Throat Doctors
- Pediatric and Regular Dentists
- Orthodontists
- General and Special Education Teachers
- Behavior Specialists
- Lactation Specialists
- Nutritionists
- Social Workers
- Healthcare Administrators
Wow! You
would think I made bullets for a living.
An important aspect of being an SLP is working
well with others.
Since SLPs
work
in many different settings we strive to collaborate with
members of other disciplines.
One term that is used for this is
Interdisciplinary Care.
When people from different disciplines work together to
help a family who has a specific problem, everyone becomes a member of
that "team".
In an ideal situation the Parent or Caregiver should be
the head of the team and every specialist on the team should work
toward
meeting their goal(s).
Are you curious about
how
much money an SLP makes?
SUMMING IT
ALL UP
The
bottom line is that SLPs...
- are in high demand
- get to work with children and adults
- can get a job just about anywhere
- have a variety of places they can work
- have great flexibility due to high demand
The
Bureau of Labor Statistics
reported that the need for Speech
Language Pathologist's is supposed to
increase 19% by 2018.
If you
enjoy helping
people and would like the
flexibility to
choose where and how much you work this might be the right field for
you.
I hope this
page has given you some things to think about.
If you are looking for an SLP, you can
check
for them by city and state.
All Speech Pathologists on these lists will be certified and have their
Certificate of Clinical Competence.
Why
is this important?
Can You Guess
What This Is?
