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Speech Therapist
A speech therapist is a specialist with training in the diagnosis and treatment
of a variety of speech, voice, and language disorders who works with people,
unable to make speech sounds or cannot make them clearly. They also work with
people who stutter, have fluency and rhythm problems, inappropriate pitch, or
harsh voice and speech quality problems. The most widespread and obvious speech
disorder is stuttering, often caused by anxiety. The speech therapist sets up a
program of speech exercises to reduce the disability, and if necessary, enlists
the aid of a psychologist or psychiatrist. Other disorders may result from
hearing loss, stroke, cerebral palsy, mental disability, or brain injury. Speech
therapists keep careful records on the evaluation and progress of patients,
often developing and implementing individualized treatment programs based on the
input of physicians, psychiatric social workers, and psychologists. In fact,
because speech disorders are usually related to neurological, psychological, and
physical conditions, speech therapists must be able to work as a member of a
team which may include other healthcare specialists such as a neurologist and
psychiatrist. An important part of a speech therapist's work is the counseling
and support of individuals and families on speech disorders and on how to cope
with the stress associated with these problems. Therapists also work with
families on treatment techniques to use at home and on how to modify behavior
that impedes communication. Although a speech therapist's job is not physically
demanding, it does require patience and compassion, as progress may be slow and
halting. Speech therapy is a painstaking process, but it can be as rewarding as
it is frustrating. Tremendous attention to detail and sharp focus are necessary
in the evaluation of the patient's progress. Overall, speech therapists must be
able to understand and empathize with the emotional strains and stresses that
such problems bring, both from the patient's and family member's point of view.
Speech therapists, like other health care professionals, must carefully diagnose
problems and if necessary call upon the advice of other health specialists. The
ability to distinguish the need for the professional input of specialists is
critical to the therapist's success. Therapists must also monitor the progress
of patients, eliminate certain programs, and introduce others that are more
effective. The ability to make informed decisions that may define the success
and failure of any individual program is a skill that can only come with years
of experience.
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