Choosing a Qualified Speech Language Pathologist

A Speech Language Pathologist is a well trained professional who is skilled in the assessment and treatment of adults and children with communication disorders. While licensing of an Speech Language Pathologist is the responsibility of each state, the association charged with the certification process is called American Speech and Hearing Association (ASHA). While all Speech Language Pathologists must be licensed, they do not have to be certified. A more stringent set of professional criteria must be met to achieve an ASHA certification. ASHA maintains an online registry of SLPs with ASHA certifications. A Pathologist with credentials of CCC-SLP indicate that they achieved their Certified Clinical Competency from ASHA.

Your doctor or your child's pediatrician should be able to provide a recommendation for a competent pathologist. In fact I recommend that a physician be consulted if you are concerned about any aspect of your child's development or your own functional communication. Your child's school can also guide you through the process of seeking services through the educational system.

During your first meeting, you should expect a thorough evaluation, both a formal assessment (standardized tests) and an informal assessment (observation in several communicative context), before a conclusion can be formed. A thorough evaluation may take a bit of time to cover all functional aspects of speech and language -- and a good one will.
During the following meetings with your therapist you can expect to learn and implement strategies that will support functional communication in and outside of therapy.

Your speech therapy should be covered by insurance if medically necessary and recommended by your physician or pediatrician. Because each insurance plan is different, you should contact your carrier. Your child may also receive services through governmental programs if he or she have met certain criteria after being evaluated. Each state administers their own programs and criteria and therapeutic services differ from state to state.

Also please consider language and cultural factors when seeking a professional. There are clinicians who are certified in bilingual professional practice. If you are bilingual you cannot overlook this factor in treatment. A second language will always have an impact in language development in children and in rehabilitation for adults.