SPPA
What
is speech-language pathology and audiology?
Impairments of communication — speech,
language, and hearing disorders are among the most prevalent
of human disabilities and can leave myriad problems in their wake.
Speech-language pathology and audiology are areas of professional
specialization that focus on the prevention and treatment of communication
disorders.
What do speech-language pathologists and audiologists do?
Speech-language pathologists work with children and adults in a variety of settings including schools, hospitals and rehabilitation centers. They provide diagnostic treatment services for a vast array of communication disorders, including those related to:
stroke,
autism,
deafness,
cerebral palsy,
paralysis,
cleft palate, and
aging.
Audiologists also work with people of all ages in many settings including private audiology practices, hospitals, physician's offices, schools, and research centers. They provide services to diagnose, treat, and prevent hearing loss and balance disorders. Diagnostic testing ranges from conventional behavioral tests to detailed electrophysiological procedures. Treatment services include the selection and fitting of hearing aids, determining candidacy for, programming of, and rehabilitation with people who receive cochlear implants, and providing aural rehabilitation services for people with any degree of hearing loss. Prevention services include the development and evaluation of hearing conservation programs and the selection and evaluation of hearing protectors for those exposed to excessive noise.
Where do speech-language pathologists and audiologists work?
In Michigan, almost 60 percent of speech-language pathologists are employed in elementary and secondary schools. The remainder, as well as audiologists, are employed in:
clinics,
speech and hearing centers,
private practice, and federal, state, and local government or administration.
Employment is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the first decade of the new millenium.
Other information about careers is available by contacting the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 10801 Rockville Pike, Rockville, Maryland 20852.