| By :
Adrianna Noton
Speech therapy jobs entail working with those individuals who have difficulty with speaking. Difficulty with speaking can include stuttering, problems producing language and also swallowing difficulties. Speech therapists work with people who may suffer from a brain injury, hearing loss and/or learning disabilities. Therapists use special instruments and tests to analyze and then diagnose the exact problem the patient is suffering from. Based on the results of the tests the therapist will develop a specialized plan for each individual patient. These plans can include learning how to make sounds, increasing language proficiency and strengthening muscles used for swallowing. To work as a language therapist one must have a master's degree and in some cases a doctor's degree. Programs are offered at over 240 colleges and universities. Some of the courses one would study include anatomy, communication and principles of acoustics. Language therapists are regulated in 47 states and often must have a license to be employed. One must complete over 350 hours in a clinical practice setting and over 9 months of undergraduate clinical practice. A therapist can also receive voluntary certification in Speech-Language Pathology. The certification is granted from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. The certificate is voluntary but in some states it is required. There are certain skills a language therapist must possess in order to perform their jobs effectively. A therapist should be effective at communication, patient, compassionate and have an excellent ability to listen. The ability to speak a second language, especially Spanish is also important. Individuals who are employed as language therapists can work in a variety of settings. These settings can include hospitals, doctor's offices, nursing care facilities, home-health care and schools. Individuals can work for facilities or offer there services on a freelance basis. Language therapists usually perform their work at tables, desks in an office. They can also offer therapy in a hospital or nursing home at the bedside of a patient. The work performed is not very physical but it requires attention to detail and great concentration. Most therapists work 40 hour weeks but some work part time. Therapists also keep records about their clients. These records keep an account of the patient's first evaluation, the progress being made with the therapy and the patient's condition at the time of discharge. The therapist also counsels the family about the client's language disorder and offers ways to cope and help the client. Salary for language therapists vary according to the type of setting an individual is employed in. The average salaries range from $41,00 to $100,000. The job outlook for therapists are expected to grow as the population continues to grow. The average salary for nursing homes is $79,000 home-health care is $77,000 and about $58,000 in schools. There are several professional associations that a therapist can become a member of to help keep abreast of continuing education and advancements within their career. In the United States the professional association is the American Speech-Language Hearing Association. The professional association in the United Kingdom is The Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.
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