What is speech pathology?

Speech pathology involves the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders that relate to speech, language, swallowing, fluency, voice, and communication. A speech pathologist helps people who struggle with speech disorders because of developmental delays, stroke, brain injuries, learning disabilities, mental retardation, cerebral palsy, hearing loss, and other problems that can affect speech. People who experience problems with stuttering, speaking clearly, swallowing, and other tasks that make speech challenging can receive the services of a speech pathologist in order to overcome such obstacles. By using standardized tests and assessment tools, the speech pathologist has the ability to diagnose specific problems of each patient. After diagnosing the problem, the speech pathologist devises a treatment plan that suits the needs of each specific patient that needs assistance. Speech pathology is a career field that can be practiced in a variety of settings. Some professionals in ...  more

Speech pathology, also termed speech-language pathology and speech & language therapy, is the study of disorders that affect a person's speech, language, and swallowing. Speech-language pathologists or speech & language therapists address an individual's speech production and language needs through speech therapy in a variety of different contexts including schools, hospitals, and through private practice. - Source: Wikipedia (http://www.wikipedia.

Speech pathology is a health profession that falls under the area of Human Communication Sciences. Speech pathology, previously called speech therapy, is the diagnosis, management and treatment of individuals who are unable to communicate effectively or who have difficulty with feeding and swallowing. A broad range of clients can receive speech pathology services. Clients may include children who fail to develop normal communication or people who acquire communication disabilities as a result of disease, injury or a stroke. Speech pathologists also assist a variety of clients with feeding or swallowing problems. University courses in speech pathology lead the successful graduate to become a qualified speech pathologist. What is a Speech Pathologist?