Speech Pathologist Career

A speech pathologist career requires a person to have a masters degree specialization in speech language pathology. Most of these career opportunities are in schools and pre-schools as a language disorder is much easier to correct in childhood. Many work in hospitals as it is a hospital job as well, health care clinics, offices and out-patient care centers. Speech language pathologists mainly deal with patients with speech disorders including inability to produce certain sounds, voice disorders and fluency disorders. People suffering from stuttering, swallowing difficulties, irregular voice pitch and strong accent problems also sort the help of speech pathologist.

Career in Speech Pathology

Career as speech language pathologist has good prospects as there has been an increase in demand for them. In future, a speech language pathologist with fluency in two languages would be highly sort after. People pursuing a career as speech language pathologist have to pay attention to details and need intense concentration towards their work. Speech-language pathologists working as full time have to work a minimum of 40 hours per week. These jobs are not physically demanding, but they are stressful, as speech pathologists have to deal with the emotional baggage of the patients and their families.

Types of Speech Pathologists Career

• Pediatric Speech Pathologist: A Pediatric speech pathologist treats children with speech problems through speech therapy and diagnostic services. These children suffer from speech problems arising out of birth disorders such as cleft palettes and cerebral palsy. They also treat children with illness caused due to developmental delays like mental retardation and autism.
• Geriatric Speech Pathologists: A Geriatric speech pathologists provides medical care to those suffering from dementia, strokes and speech illnesses arising out of old age. It is a completely medical job wherein they help patients to overcome speech related problems and medical conditions prevalent among old people.
• Teaching English as a Second Language: Speech therapists works as teachers helping in learning English as a second language. Speech therapists help peoples like students, professionals, who need to neutralize their accents, by increasing their vocabulary and conversational skills.
• Research Speech Pathologists: Research speech pathologists work without patients as they mostly conduct research on works related to the origin and development of languages and communication mediums.
• Speech Pathologist Consultants: Speech pathologist consultants are mostly involved with the commercial aspect of languages. They are employed by companies dealing with manufacturing and retailing of medical equipments used for treating speech impaired diseases. Many of them works for companies involved in making computerized speech devices, flash cards and other implements that help speech impaired people.

Duties of a Speech Language Pathologist

The main duties of a speech pathologist are as follows:

• To help patients who are unable to produce sounds, both voice or speech, clearly.
• To help patients with speech and swallowing problem developed as a result of brain injury, stroke, cerebral palsy and also those developed through mental retardation, cleft palate and hearing loss.
• To use special tools and methods to analyze and diagnose the patients with hearing impairment and provide different types of hearing aids accordingly.
• To diagnose and help those suffering from speech and language disorders.
• To plan strategies for patients as individuals according to their separate needs.
• To teach patients sign languages for better communication.
• To enable and teach patients about using automated speech devices.
• To maintain documentation of different cases and progress reports of the patients.
• To help educate families of patients on better communication enhancing techniques.
• To work and co-ordinate with other health care professionals such as Psychologists, Social Workers and Physicians and help in developing new treatments.

Speech pathologist career is a very fulfilling job to those who love helping people. They open a new window of beautiful words and sounds for the patients.