Speech Language Pathologists
Additional Information
Duties
The following are typical tasks performed by a speech-language pathologist:
- Evaluate speech, language, or swallowing difficulties.
- Determine the most appropriate course of action.
- Develop and implement a treatment strategy tailored to the patient's unique functional requirements.
- Maintain fluency by teaching toddlers and adults how to produce sounds.
- Aid in the development of a person's ability to communicate effectively through the use of vocabulary and sentence structure.
- Strengthen the swallowing muscles in both toddlers and adults.
- Instruct families and individuals with communication and swallowing issues on how to manage.
They help children and adults who have difficulties with speech and language as well as related cognitive or social communication issues, such as autism. The person may not be able to talk at all, or they may have issues with their speech, such as stuttering. It is possible for speech-language pathologists to help persons who have difficulty understanding language, or who have vocal abnormalities, such as an incorrect pitch or a harsh voice.
Administrative responsibilities for speech-language pathologists include maintaining proper records and recording billing data. Treatment progress is documented, as well as any adjustments to a patient's condition or treatment plan that occur.
Working with youngsters or the elderly is a specialty of certain speech-language pathologists. Those with unique communication or swallowing issues, such as those caused by stroke, trauma, or a cleft palate, are the focus of other types of treatment.
Speech-language pathologists collaborate with a wide range of healthcare professionals, including doctors, surgeons, social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. These professionals collaborate with teachers, other school employees, and parents to diagnose and treat kids who have speech and language difficulties, as well as to plan and implement individual and group programs, offer counseling, and supplement classroom activities. See the teacher profiles for preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and high school teachers, as well as special education instructors, for more information.
Education
Speech-language pathologists normally require a master's degree or above in order to practice their profession. There are no specific requirements for admission to a master's degree in healthcare or other related subjects. Applicants are required, however, to have taken some healthcare-related courses. Each program has its own set of rules.
Speech and language development, age-specific speech abnormalities, alternative communication strategies, and swallowing issues are all common topics in graduate programs. These programs also offer clinical experience that is overseen by a physician.
Speech-language pathology education programs are accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation (CAA) of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). Certification and, in many cases, state licensure necessitate completion of a recognized curriculum.
Registration, Certification, and Licenses.
Speech-language pathologists are regulated in every state. In most states, speech-language pathologists must be licensed or registered; in others, they are required to be registered. An approved master's degree, at least one year of supervised clinical practice and passing an exam are normally required for licensure. Consult your state's medical or health licensing board for specifics.
There is an American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) certification for speech language pathologists called the Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech Language Pathology (CCC-SLP). Some businesses may insist on certification as proof of completion of a course in order to hire you. CCC-SLP applicants must finish a degree program, an exam, and a fellowship under the guidance of a certified speech-language pathologist in order to become certified. Speech-language pathologists must complete 30 hours of continuing education every three years in order to keep their CCC-SLP certificate.
A particular teaching credential may be required for speech-language pathologists who practice in educational settings. Contact your state's department of education or the private college you are interested in for particular requirements.
Specialization in areas such as child language, fluency, or swallowing is an option for SLPs. It is possible for candidates who have the CCC-SLP and fulfill the experience and exam criteria to use the term Board Certified Specialist. The American Board of Child Language and Language Disorders, the American Board of Fluency and Fluency Disorders, and the American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders all provide certificates in their respective fields of expertise.
Training
A fellowship is a type of clinical work that allows students to obtain hands-on experience in the field. Speech-language pathologists’ study and practice their abilities under the guidance of a certified speech-language pathologist during this training. Candidates for the CCC-SLP certification must complete a 36-week fellowship.
Qualities that are critical to success
Analytical capabilities. In order to arrive at an accurate diagnosis and create an effective treatment plan, speech-language pathologists must use the best diagnostic tools and analyze the data.
The ability to communicate. SLPs need to convey test results, diagnoses, and treatment plans in a way that patients and their families can comprehend.
Compassion. Speech-language pathologists deal with clients who are frequently upset by their limitations.... Individuals and their families who seek the services of a speech-language pathologist often have special emotional needs.
The ability to use critical thinking. Speech-language pathologists must be flexible in their approach to therapy and always be on the lookout for new approaches.
Dedicated to accuracy. Speech-language pathologists are required to keep meticulous records of their patients' progress and their treatment regimens' outcomes.
Learning how to listen. In order to choose the best course of treatment, speech-language pathologists must pay attention to the patient's symptoms and concerns.
Pay
In May 2020, speech-language pathologists earned an average annual salary of $80,480. It is the salary at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount, and half earned less. Between the bottom 10% and the top 10%, there was a wide disparity in income.
Job Projections
Between the years of 2020 and 2030, employment of speech-language pathologists is expected to expand by 29 percent, substantially faster than the average for all occupations.