Careers in Health Care for a Speech Pathologist
Speech therapists, more formally known as speech-language pathologists, help people with speech problems and swallowing disorders improve their communication skills. Human beings need to communicate to be healthy and happy, and speech therapists consult with other medical professionals to diagnose and treat people who have difficulty communicating. Problems with speech can result from congenital issues such as cleft plate or deafness or come about as the effect of cerebral palsy, a stroke or head trauma. Speech-language pathologists determine which kind of speech therapy is likely to be the most useful given the specific circumstances.
Education and Licensing
Nearly all speech therapists have a master's degree in speech-language pathology. Master's programs typically include classes in the etiology and types of speech disorders, alternative communication methods and swallowing disorders. Students undertake a clinical internship for the final six to 12 months of a speech-language pathology program, where they learn the profession working under the supervision of an experienced speech therapist. Almost all states require licensing for speech pathologists. Licensing typically requires graduation from an accredited master's program and completing a clinical internship.
Pediatric Speech Pathologists
Pediatric speech pathologists specialize in working with children. They work with developmentally delayed children or those who suffer from cognitive or linguistic problems due to seizures or brain trauma. Many cases are complex and require many years of therapy and/or a speech-generating device or other augmentative communication system. Some kids, however, just have difficulty pronouncing certain sounds, and often a few months of work with a speech therapist will resolve the issue. Nearly half of audiologists are employed by preschools, schools or colleges and universities.
Geriatric Speech Pathologists
Geriatric speech pathologists typically work with older patients. They have learned how to diagnose and treat the language and swallowing problems commonly found in older populations. Swallowing problems are more common in this population, as strokes and other conditions can interfere with the muscular coordination required for swallowing. While the communication skills of patients suffering from degenerative brain diseases such as Alzheimer's and other arteriosclerotic senile conditions almost inevitably get worse, geriatric speech pathologists can help these patients create a structured environment to facilitate communication and maximize functioning modes of communication.
Other Specialist Speech Pathologists
Some speech pathologists choose to specialize in treating one type of patient. A speech pathologist might choose to mainly treat patients who were born with a cleft palate or those who have suffered a stroke. A number of speech pathologists specialize in treating language or swallowing problems related to seizures. Specialist speech pathologists are more likely to be in private practice or employed at a major medical school or teaching hospital. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, speech pathologists earned a median salary of $66,920 in 2010.