Want To Help Kids With Speech Problems? Become A Speech-Language Pathologist

Speech disorders affect a person's ability to communicate and they are very common in children. Many kids who struggle with speech defects can grow to become extremely self-conscious, especially if they are teased and bullied by other children.  

Whether you've had a speech impediment before or you have a child who's experiencing such, you should know that it can be a really rough journey for them. However, one awesome way to help kids with speech problems is to become a speech-language pathologist.

How many children, on average, suffer from a speech disorder in America? 

According to the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, 5% of children in the U.S. between ages 3 to 17 have had a speech disorder that lasted for a week or longer in the past 12 months. Boys are also more likely to have speech-language disorders than girls of the same age. For these reasons organizations like the CA Scottish Rite Foundation have set up speech-language programs at 17 language centers across California, to try and address this growing need to support children who face such challenges, at no cost to the families.  

Most common speech disorders in children include articulation disorder and stuttering. An articulation disorder causes children to mispronounce certain sounds such as S or R. While stuttering may cause involuntary pauses and repetition of some syllables or words.

Common types of speech and communication disorders.  

According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), a speech disorder is an impairment of the articulation of speech sounds, fluency, and voice. Below are three common types of speech and communication disorders.

●     Articulation disorders 

These are problems that affect a person's ability to produce speech sounds. It can involve the omission, addition, substitution, or distortion of some sounds. e.g. using "w" in place of "r", pronouncing "cool" for "school" or saying "pruppy" instead of "puppy".

●     Fluency disorders 

These speech problems tend to interrupt the flow of a person's speech. It could be an unusual rate or rhythm or a repetition of sounds, syllables, words, or phrases. e.g. repeating the first part of a word (ba-ba-ba-by) or prolonging sounds (caaaaaage).

●     Resonance or voice disorders 

This is an abnormal production or irregularity in pitch, volume, resonance, or vocal quality. For example, someone may experience a hoarse, strained, or quivering voice. Voice disorders affect communication by distracting listeners from what's being said.

How does a speech problem affect kids and teens? 

Speech problems can affect children at school, at home, and in other environments. They may have difficulty learning how to read or follow oral/written instructions. It has also been established that verbal communication abilities are very crucial when developing literacy skills (such as reading, writing, and spelling). 

Children with speech-language disorders may not be able to express themselves properly. For example, a child with a stutter knows what he or she wants to say but often struggles to speak well. While another child may be unable to produce the right speech sounds or put thoughts into words.  

Social interaction is very important during a child's formative years. They get to learn how to play, identify emotions, exchange ideas, forgive others, and discover interests. Speech problems in children and teens should be treated immediately to facilitate growth and development.

What does a speech-language pathologist (SLP) do? 

Speech-language pathologists, also known as speech therapists, are communication specialists who help kids and adults overcome speech and language disorders. They start by assessing the person before identifying the problem and choosing the best therapy for them.  

During speech-language therapy, SLPs can treat children one-on-one or in a small group. They'll teach the correct way to make a sound, how to tell when a sound is correct or wrong, and provide speech therapy exercises to help them practice. SLPs help to overcome speech disorders and improve communication.

What education is required to become a speech-language pathologist?  

If you want to help children with speech disorders, you should consider a career as a speech-language pathologist. Ideally, you are required to start with a degree in communication sciences and disorders. But if you have a bachelor's in another discipline, there's another way to go about it. 

A Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Communication Sciences and Disorders is necessary for those who have a non-CSD degree but are interested in pursuing a Master's degree in speech-language pathology or communication disorders.  

According to ASHA, speech-language pathologists need to have a Certificate in Communication Sciences and Disorders, a Master's in speech pathology, state certification (if they wish to work in a school), and a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology.

Where can you work as an SLP? 

A Communication Sciences and Disorders certificate program can help you pursue a career as a speech-language pathologist. You can work in educational settings such as early intervention, preschool, K-12 schools, or colleges and universities.

SLPs are also employed in healthcare settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, speech and hearing clinics, public health departments, etc. They can also choose to set up a private practice where they can work alone or employ other SLPs.