What is a Speech Pathologist?
If you have ever had a speech impairment of some kind, or know somebody who has, then they have been to a speech pathologist in order to learn how to overcome this impediment. This work is done by a speech pathologist. To be a pathologist means to study the history and background of, and in this case, the subject is speech.
Job Duties
Speech pathologists work with patients who have difficulty with speaking, whether it is from a developmental delay, cerebral palsy, mental retardation, brain injuries, or a learning disability. This difficulty speaking ranges from not being able to pronounce certain sounds, to changing a native accent, to having difficulty swallowing. Also, patients who have stuttering or public speaking problems can come to a pathologist and learn to overcome their disabilities.
Diagnosis
These pathologists assist their patients by first diagnosing what the patient has, and then coming up with a treatment plan to help them with their impairment. This includes having the patient attend therapy sessions and performing certain exercises that the pathologist designs for the specific impediment.
Treatment
Treatment plans are customized per each patient, and may involve anything from teaching sign language to teaching them how to make sounds. They also teach patients how to strengthen their throat muscles and increase their oral or written communication skills.
Work Environment
They work in various settings, such as: schools, hospitals, universities, rehabilitation centers, private practices, and many other places. Depending on the patient, they may even travel to the home for the treatment plan. They often work in team settings with other professionals in order to give their patients the best care and the best diagnosis. To properly diagnose a patient, the group of professionals will give him certain tests and then analyze the tests.