Speech and Language Therapist

Job overview
Speech and language therapists aim to help babies, children and adults with communication disorders, to overcome or reduce those handicaps.

What do people do in this job?
Speech-language therapy entails the assessment and remedial treatment of people of all ages with specific speech disorders, including articulation problems, stuttering, cleft lip and palate and disorders such as delayed language development, as well as the language problems that may be present after a stroke.

The diagnosis and remedial procedures cover all forms and degrees of communication disorders - from the person with a mild speech defect due to abnormal dentition, to the person with severe brain injury who has no speech and is thus dependent on sign language or even a computer.

Parent counselling and training is also part of speech-language therapists?' ?duties.

Audiology entails testing hearing problems in people of all ages and includes selecting and fitting hearing aids as well as therapy for the hearing-impaired.

This therapy is aimed at improving language, speech and lip-reading abilities.

Treating people with cochlear implants is one of the therapeutic measures audiologists apply.

Audiologists can also provide therapy to overcome listening problems that can lead to learning disabilities.

Although speech-language therapists and audiologists are primarily concerned with diagnosis, therapy and prevention, they also have other roles.

The most important of these are empathy towards the communication-impaired person, consultation with other professionals, education regarding communication disorders and research into the science of communication disorders.

What kinds of people are suitable for this career?
Speech-language therapists and audiologists should be warm and caring with sensitivity and concern for the problems of other people and the wish to help others realise their potential.

In addition they should have the ability to accept new ideas and the willingness to do research and contribute new information.

What qualifications are needed?
Good school-leaving results, particularly in English or other languages, together with biology, preferably strengthened by tertiary studies in speech therapy and audiology.