speech pathologists??
- Thread starter Mrs.S
- Start date
O
OTE
Guest
In terms of qualification there is no difference between a licensed speech/ language pathologist/ therapist who works for the Sd and one who doesn't. There's one national license exam. Each state can have different license requirements... eg # of hours of practical experience. But the masters program and the exam are the same.
The real difference in this profession is the specialty. Those who have spent many, many years in a school have limited their practice to children and to the tests that the SD wishes to do. As compared to the person who works for a hospital and does a lot of testing of adult stroke victims for swallowing and sound production. The particular professional who saved my child from more years of torturous speech therapy was a speech pathologist whose specialty was evaluating for oral motor function.
I've had a lot of experience with speech people re my Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) son and my ADHD son. In all honesty, if there is a real concern about a "communication disorder" eg aphasia or apraxia, I'd take my child to another setting. There are actually much more extensive tests that can be done in a hospital setting... if that's necessary.
In answer to the question, yes, if the school person is licensed.... and I've never seen one working for a school that isn't... they can diagnosis any specch/ language problem. But whether or not they have the experience to do so is another question. Should you have a pediatrician operate on your child? After all, a doctor is a doctor.
This website has a lot of good articles. Also, cd.com off the home page has a lot of links and articles too.
http://www.asha.org/public/
The real difference in this profession is the specialty. Those who have spent many, many years in a school have limited their practice to children and to the tests that the SD wishes to do. As compared to the person who works for a hospital and does a lot of testing of adult stroke victims for swallowing and sound production. The particular professional who saved my child from more years of torturous speech therapy was a speech pathologist whose specialty was evaluating for oral motor function.
I've had a lot of experience with speech people re my Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD) son and my ADHD son. In all honesty, if there is a real concern about a "communication disorder" eg aphasia or apraxia, I'd take my child to another setting. There are actually much more extensive tests that can be done in a hospital setting... if that's necessary.
In answer to the question, yes, if the school person is licensed.... and I've never seen one working for a school that isn't... they can diagnosis any specch/ language problem. But whether or not they have the experience to do so is another question. Should you have a pediatrician operate on your child? After all, a doctor is a doctor.
This website has a lot of good articles. Also, cd.com off the home page has a lot of links and articles too.
http://www.asha.org/public/
I guess what I mean is aren't there many different types of communication disorders and don't some require tests by doctors?
I feel like the speech pathologist is just going to say well he doesn't stutter, he speaks clearly and hears well and there is no problem.
but there is a problem I just don't know what it is.
I feel like the speech pathologist is just going to say well he doesn't stutter, he speaks clearly and hears well and there is no problem.
but there is a problem I just don't know what it is.
Sheila
Moderator
Communication problem is a very broad term, so my answer is it would depend on what type of problem(s) exist.
A licensed Speech Language Pathologist can evaluate for annunciation type problems (Speech) and some language-based problems (understanding spoken language, written output, reading, vocabulary, etc).
It's not uncommon in our area for SLPs and OTs (Occupational Therapists) to office together. OTs can work on motor problems that impair speech as well as other Occupational Therapist (OT)-related items that perhaps impact sequencing and thereby undermines the ability for a child to understand language.
Auditory processing disorder requires an Audiologist for evaluation purposes. However, the Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) provides the treatment.
A Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) is a good place to start, but sometimes getting to the root problems requires various language-type professionals.
Receptive and expressive language problems can be very complicated.
To add to what Sheila said,
If you are talking about a very complicated central auditory processing disorder, a neurologist specializing in language disorders may be necessary. Those who focus on this type of problem usually work with particular audiologists and S/L pathologists bec. a central problem is a lot different than the garden variety problems seen in early grade children that are NOT central (involving the brain directly).
Martie
If you are talking about a very complicated central auditory processing disorder, a neurologist specializing in language disorders may be necessary. Those who focus on this type of problem usually work with particular audiologists and S/L pathologists bec. a central problem is a lot different than the garden variety problems seen in early grade children that are NOT central (involving the brain directly).
Martie
SRL
Active Member
Martie--just checking on this--it was a certified audiologist who diagnosed my son with auditory and language processing problems. Are they not technically qualified to do so?
The individual who first evaluated my difficult child was certified in both audiology and speech/language pathology. I know it's a rare combination because of the amount of schooling required but it really provided a very thorough grasp on the whole works.
The individual who first evaluated my difficult child was certified in both audiology and speech/language pathology. I know it's a rare combination because of the amount of schooling required but it really provided a very thorough grasp on the whole works.
