Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are healthcare professionals who diagnose and treat a wide range of speech, language, cognitive, and swallowing disorders. They work with patients affected by neurological events such as brain damage, strokes, seizures, or cancer. SLPs evaluate and treat people who have communication disorders and create individualized treatment plans that focus on resolving communication barriers. They also provide training and education to families, caregivers, and other professionals.
SLPs work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, long-term therapy settings, and private practices. They may also specialize in areas such as children's language, fluency, or swallowing. As the large baby boomer population ages, there will be more cases of health problems that can cause speech or language problems. Nurse anaesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners coordinate patient care and can provide primary and specialized medical care. SLPs may choose to obtain specialized certifications in these areas.
To obtain the Certificate of Clinical Competency in Speech-Language Pathology (CCC-SLP) credential, candidates must graduate from an accredited program, pass an exam and complete a fellowship that lasts several months and is supervised by a certified speech-language pathologist. The American Speech, Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national professional, scientific and accrediting association with 223,000 members and affiliates who are audiologists, speech-language pathologists, speech-language pathologists, speech, language and hearing scientists; support staff in audiology and speech-language pathology; and students. Hospital SLPs are a consulting resource for medical staff who treat patients who have suffered strokes, traumatic injuries, or head injuries, or who have breathing or swallowing problems; therefore, SLPs must be able to assess needs and recommend treatments immediately. The SLP can focus more on behavioral intervention as a teaching technique, using psychological principles to shape patients' eating and chewing habits. Speech-language pathologists work with patients of all ages who have speech and language problems including related cognitive or social communication problems. By screening patients and creating individualized treatment plans that focus on resolving communication barriers they help their patients overcome their difficulties. SLPs are highly trained professionals who use their expertise to help people with communication disorders. They use a variety of techniques to assess the patient's needs and develop individualized treatment plans that focus on resolving communication barriers.
They also provide training and education to families, caregivers, and other professionals. SLPs work in a variety of settings including hospitals, long-term therapy settings, private practices, schools, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, home health agencies and other healthcare facilities. They may also specialize in areas such as children's language development or fluency. To become a certified SLP one must graduate from an accredited program, pass an exam and complete a fellowship that lasts several months under the supervision of a certified speech-language pathologist. The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is the national professional association for audiologists, speech-language pathologists and speech-language scientists. Speech-language pathologists play an important role in helping people with communication disorders overcome their difficulties.
With their expertise they can assess the patient's needs quickly and create individualized treatment plans that focus on resolving communication barriers.
