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.

What is a Speech-Language Pathologist?

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It is no easy task to become a bubble blowing, Play Doh snake rolling Speech-Language Pathologist! The requirements that must be met to earn a license to practice Speech Language Pathology in the State of New York are stringent and challenging. Additionally, to receive ASHA certification there are another set of criteria which must be met! This is all on top of an extremely rigorous and thorough graduate school curriculum that requires many hours of difficult course work and clinical training.

The professional responsibility of a Speech Language Pathologist is to improve the quality of life of an individual by optimizing their ability to communicate and swallow. According to The American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, a Speech-Language Pathologist's role includes addressing "typical and atypical communication and swallowing." Areas addressed include speech sound production, resonance, voice, fluency, language (comprehension and expression), cognition, and feeding and swallowing. Causes for atypical functioning could be many, from genetic disorders and neurological impairments to neonatal problems and developmental disabilities such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and Specific Language Impairment.

Speech-Language Pathologists work with people of all ages, from Early Intervention (0 - 3 years old) to older folk. While many SLP's choose to specialize in a particular age group, they all receive clinical and academic training in the treatment of adult, adolescent and childhood communication and swallowing impairments. Like choosing any other health care professional, make sure you are comfortable with the SLP you choose. Please consider cultural and language factors, as well as other issues that are important to you. The American Speech-Language and Hearing Association has a database of practicing SLP's who have received their Certification of Clinical Competency. This is a handy resource that will help you find an SLP in your area.