This is part of a series that I will be doing for the month of May, which is also known as Better Speech and Hearing Month!
So for those of you who have wondered what exactly the acronym SLP stands for , whether you have a child or parent who has worked with one or have just heard me or a friend of yours use the term, SLP stands for Speech Language Pathologist. SLPs are individuals trained in working with individuals with quite the array of communication disorders. We work with individuals who may have ….
-Been impacted by a stroke – Have disfluencies in their speech – Difficulties with the production of various speech sounds -Voice Disorders – Swallowing Disorders- Traumatic Brain Injury- Difficulties with cognition – Difficulties with literacy concepts- Difficulties related to hearing loss, and more!
A SLP spends a minimum of 5-6 years obtaining Bachelor and Masters degrees, and it is no walk in the park, but it is an extremely rewarding profession for those who stick with it! As a urrent school speech language pathologist I am qualified to evaluate and treat students who may need speech/ language services to assist them in their general education setting. We work with a team of school pyschologists, paraprofessionals, occupational therapists, physical therapists, resource teachers, general education teachers to help provide the best services for a student who qualifies for them!
Over the years we have been address by many names, most commonly “speech teacher” or “speech therapist,” when in reality speech-language pathologist, albeit a mouth full, fully reflects the scope of services we can provide.
We all have had different motivations as to why we entered the field. I, myself decided to pursue career in speech- language pathologist to give back to this profession, as so many great hearing professionals including SLPs and Audiologists, helped me get to where I am today! I would love to hear your stories about why you chose to become a speech pathologist or answer questions if you are interested in becoming one / if you are a parent who has been told your child may need to work with a SLP!
Happy Better Speech and Hearing Month!
-HoHSpeechie
HoH Speechie 