Speech pathologists evaluate, treat, and diagnose communion and speech disorders. They manage and prevent oral problems, cognitive-linguistic problems, swallowing, speech and all language disorders.
If you have problems with oral, cognitive, linguistic or language motor skills that have been affected by neurological events or diseases, have had head or neck cancer, and injuries or problems related to underlying diseases, you will need the professional services of a speech pathologist.
Additional speech and communication problems that speech pathologists treat include pronunciation and speech fluency problems, voice value problems, and impaired communicative reasoning. Cognitive communication problems include memory, abstract reasoning problems, or defective problem solving. These problems are related to strokes, brain injuries, and other medical disease processes.
If you have oropharyngeal weakness, which is a problem that causes aspiration of food and fluids entering your airways, and respiratory complications, you will definitely need the services of a pathologist.
Responsibilities of a speech pathologist
To effectively treat and help people with speech and communion problems, a speech pathologist develops a personalized program for the patient. A plan of care may also include alternative nutrition based on aspiration risks, dietary level modifications to assist with swallowing, and communion systems that assist with speech.
These pathologists help families learn to cope with communication problems and participate in treatment. Caregivers receive education on impairments, disease processes, and strategies to provide support and training for patients with speech problems. A pathologist will develop home programs that are unique and help maintain swallowing, cognitive linguistics, speech and language skills.
There are also pathologists who are involved in research programs to develop alternative ways of treating speech problems. Biological factoring is considered, and drug therapies are researched and scheduled. Some research specialists are also adapting to the development of computer programs to facilitate speech implants and different types of devices and techniques to increase speech in those with speech disorders.
Job prospects
Many pathologist positions are found in schools, including elementary and preschool schools, in addition to high schools, as well as select universities and colleges. There are other openings in speech and language laboratories, those who are trained as audiologists and who work in hearing and language clinics, research laboratories, and home health agencies. In 2000, more than 88,000 speech jobs were registered. The health landscape for those interested in pathology is expected to grow as the population ages. Those in older age groups tend to be prone to medical conditions that can result in speech and communication problems. These include strokes, heart problems, dementia, and Alzheimer’s complications. Medical advances are also improving the survival rate of infants, as well as victims of trauma and revival who can have brain and cognitive injuries and disorders.
Aspiring pathologists enter the field to help those with communication problems. If you are a licensed speech therapist or pathologist, you can expect to make a median income of $ 54,750. Those pathologists with more experience or those working in laboratory advertisement research conditions have an earning potential of up to $ 85,000 and above.