Any Speech and Language Pathologists?

[AmyLouise]

I'm thinking of making a big decision and do a Masters degree in Speech and Language Pathology because I have a Bachelors degree in Child and Youth Studies w/ a specialization in Special Needs, as well as an Early Childhood Ed. diploma and I love to work with children with communicatin disorders... Any advice SLP's? Thanks!
Amy

[sherri]

I have a friend, former co-worker who just finished her masters in speech, if you want I can give you her email, if you don't get any replies from the BB.

[Tiger]

Amy- I'll tell you one thing, you won't have trouble finding a job! My son just got discharged from speech therapy services. He's almost 5yrs old and was a premiee. He has been thought so many therapists! There are so many jobs out there they just come and go.
I myself had speech therapy when I started kindergarden until 7th grade. But nowadays they do it earlier in hope to correct the problem. This has been true for my son.
Good Luck!

[Vanessa]

Usually one would get a Bachelors of Science a degrree in speech & hearing pathology. Opon complition you get to meet the competencies of your particular state and a provisional certificate. You have to complete a number of hours on certain areas in order to have your ASHA certificate or CCC. Going toward a masters you will then get the experience in the following areas:

Traumatic injuiries resulting in sppech or phonetic disorders
Audiology= hearing loss, dysfincyions, decises and techniques to overcome and correct (to ac certain extend) hearing loss.
Developmental disabilities= neurological disorders, aphasia etc
Cleft palate
Stuttering
Language disabilities=apraxia, neurological problems and implications in language disorders
Anatomy & physiology (you must get very good at this) and the anatomy and physiology of the voice and hearing areas
Phonatory disorders
Diagnosis & therapy in both sppech and hearing are sterred at the graduate level. Assessment=standaized assesment methods
Basically at graduate level your diagnostic will be reinforced. You need to be able to succesfully diagnose the problem to give the appropiate therapy and in graduate level you will receive more training in management since at this level people tend to open their own clinics etc.
Its an interesting field requiring lots of devotion and patience but it can be rewarding to those who love it.
Good luck