May is Better Hearing and Speech Month! This is a time when Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists celebrate who we are and what we do, and work to raise awareness of communication disorders that affect people of all ages.
So, what is a Speech-Language Pathologist (or SLP, for short)? An SLP is someone who helps others develop or regain communication abilities, which can include using words, signs, picture communication systems, and electronic augmentative communication devices that can “speak for” a person. SLPs treat speech, language, feeding/swallowing, and voice disorders across the whole lifespan, from infants to the elderly.
Often, the standard definition of an SLP is a “speech teacher” who works in a school, and many of us do, but there are so many other work settings. I am an itinerant therapist, meaning that I work primarily on-the-road, in families’ homes, daycares, preschools, and other community-based settings. Other SLPs work in specialized preschools, private schools, public schools, private clinics, or multidisciplinary gyms where physical, occupational, and other therapists are also present. There are also several work settings that serve adults, including private clinics, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, rehabilitation hospitals, and supportive settings for adults with developmental disabilities. We evaluate, identify, and treat communication and swallowing concerns that stem from birth trauma, hearing loss, developmental delays, autism spectrum disorders, cleft lip/palate or other structural abnormalities, traumatic brain injuries, strokes, and degenerative conditions. Still others work in academic and other research facilities discovering new techniques and learning more about the genesis of communication, or training future therapists.
We are the go-to people for any and all questions communication- or feeding-related. Your child isn’t talking as much, as clearly, or as socially-appropriately as his peers? Your father had a stroke and now has slurred speech and difficulty using language? Your sister has a tongue thrust problem that’s affecting speech as well as her need for orthodonture? Your cousin is an Army veteran who was injured in the line of duty and now has trouble with communication and cognitive job skills? Your child is an extremely picky eater who gags when she’s eating or doesn’t chew her food very well? You guessed it – we can help all of those people, and many more. SLPs typically pick a general area of expertise and specialize in it, but our schooling and training enable us to work with any of the populations mentioned above.
All Speech-Language Pathologists must have completed a master’s or doctoral degree program in Speech-Language Pathology. Most SLPs are also certified by the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA). There are also speech-language therapists who typically do not have the master’s degree level training and are not ASHA-certified, but provide infinitely valuable treatment of communication disorders. ASHA can help you find a speech-language pathologist in your area, at www.asha.org.
From the ASHA website, you can also find links to developmental communication milestones, including “How Does Your Child Hear and Talk?” and “Communication Development: Kindergarten through Fifth Grade.” If, after consulting these resources, you continue to have concerns about your child’s speech and language skills, please contact a speech-language pathologist for a consultation, screening, or evaluation. We are here to help!
Meaghan Capellini is a NYS-licensed, ASHA-certified, and PROMPT-trained Speech-Language Pathologist and Teacher of Students with Speech and Language Disabilities, as well as a mother of two young children. She can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 914-471-3126.
