A speech therapist job in Los Angeles, often called a speech-language pathologist (SLP), is a job that assesses, prevents, diagnoses, and treats language, speech, cognitive communication, social communication, and swallowing disorders in both children and adults. Their aim is to help people in improving their ability to swallow and communicate using different therapeutic approaches. Moreover, speech therapists also provide:
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Aural rehabilitation for people with difficulty in hearing or who are deaf.
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AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) systems for people with severe language comprehensive and expressive disorder. This includes progressive neurological disorders and autism spectrum disorders.
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SLPs also work with people without language, speech, or swallowing disorders but want to know how to communicate effectively. For example, modifying the accent or enhancing other types of communication.
Types of speech disorder
Usually, speech disorders occur when an individual has difficulty producing fluent and correct sounds in speech. For example, stuttering. The types of speech disorders are as follows:
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Cognitive communication
Cognitive communication usually happens after a traumatic brain injury, stroke, or dementia even though it can be inherited. This includes paying attention, panning, problem-organizing thoughts, remembering, and problem-solving.
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Social communication
This disorder usually occurs when a person has difficulty using social verbal and non-verbal communication. This includes problems in following rules, communicating for social purposes such as greeting or asking questions, and problems in listening. In short, people with autism spectrum have social communication disorder, and also found in people with traumatic brain injury.
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Language disorder
Language disorder occurs when an individual has difficulty sharing expressive language such as ideas or thoughts, and understanding receptive language. This disorder can be written or spoken and may involve syntax form, phonology form, morphology form, and semantics content. It also involves the use of pragmatic language in socially and functionally appropriate ways.
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Swallowing disorder
Swallowing or dysphagia disorder occurs when an individual has difficulty in feeding and swallowing. This disorder can lead to health issues such as illness, stroke, surgery, or injury.
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Phonological disorders
People affected by phonological disorders can form correct sounds with their muscles but, what comes out does not follow the sound a speech should sound.
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Resonance disorders
People affected by resonance disorders have difficulty producing the correct sound waves as they get disrupted while traveling through their air cavities. This includes the nose, throat, and mouth. For example, when a cleft palate splits the top of your mouth, the sound vibration gets changed. If this happens, people will think that you are speaking from your nose nasally.
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Voice disorder (dysphonia)
People affected by voice disorder have difficulty in producing sounds as this can affect their vocal cords. This includes vocal cord paralysis, vocal cord dysfunction, and vocal cord lesions.
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Articulation disorder
People affected by articulation disorder have difficulty in forming correct sounds with their muscles when they speak.
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Gender-affirming voice therapy
Gender-affirming voice therapy also called transgender voice therapy is a therapy that helps people train their voice. This is to make your voice align with your gender properly.
When to see a speech therapist
One might need a speech therapist when they have difficulty in:
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Understanding, speaking, and expressing yourself.
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Using your voice
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Swallowing drink or food
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Taking oral medications.
Careers of speech therapists
Speech therapists work with individuals of all ages i.e. children to adults. The following are the careers of speech therapists:
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SLPs can diagnose and evaluate language, speech, swallowing, and communication disorders.
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They can treat language, speech, swallowing, and communication disorders.
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They can give education and training to caregivers, family, and other related professionals.
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They can also work with professionals from several other disciplines collaboratively.
Moreover, SLPs:
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Can prepare future speech therapist professionals in universities or colleges.
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Can work as private practices (running their own clinics).
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Can supervise clinical programs or direct public schools.
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Can provide consultative and counseling services.
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Can supervise and train support personnel.
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Can engage in research. This will enhance knowledge about communication and develop new treatment methods and assessments that can lead to effective outcomes.
Places where speech therapists work
Speech therapists work in several centers. This includes:
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Schools
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Corporate settings
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Assisted living facilities
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Military bases
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Private practice or clinics
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Rehabilitation centers and
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Long-term or skilled nursing care facilities
Employment settings
Speech therapists work in several research centers, education centers, and healthcare centers with varying roles and responsibilities, and client populations. Since speech therapist’s jobs are in high demand, opportunities for full-time, part-time, and PRN may be available depending on several factors. Factors such as employment flexibility, desired facility, or location. Moreover, SLPs also work as part of interdisciplinary, collaborative teams such as audiologists, teachers, psychologists, physicians, social workers, and more.
Education requirements
Applicants for the CCC-SLP (Certified of Clinical Competence in Speech-Language Pathology) must obtain a graduate degree and complete clinical experiences successfully. They also need to pass a national-level examination. In some fields, research, private practice, a PhD, and college teaching are desirable.
So, to obtain the CCC-SLP, you need to complete a clinical practicum at a university or college and graduate coursework graduate. However, this program should be accredited by the CAA (Council on Academic Accreditation) and Speech-Language Pathology.
Salary information
As per the ASHA Health Care Survey 2015, the annual salary of a speech therapist ranges between $60,000 to $72,000. And, the medium wage was $53.76 hourly and the medium wage for contract employees was $55.00 hourly. The salary of speech therapists depends on several factors such as experience, educational background, geographical location, and educational background.
Market trends in SLP
Due to the rapid increase in the aging population, speech therapist services are in high demand in the industry. Because aging people or parents of children with speech disorders start looking for services that help them or their children improve speech.
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