How to become a Pediatric Speech Therapist
Pediatric speech therapists help children grow their expression (talking) and understanding skills using research backed techniques.
At a certain point, you may be referred to see a speech therapist for your child. As you prepare for the appointment you may be wondering, who is this person and what is their background?
There have been times that I have taken my children to a doctor and, I admit, I sometimes look them up in advance to see what their “deal” is. In the era of social networking and online bios, we sometimes bring our children to appointments secretly knowing where the doctor went to school and the name of that presentation they gave at a conference that one time.
Today’s post is to help give you some insight into the type of education your practitioner may have.
If you are considering entering the field of speech-language pathology yourself but don’t really know what it is, this post is also for you.
Are “speech therapist” and “speech language pathologist” the same thing?
Yes.
A speech therapist (officially known as a speech-language pathologist, or SLP) has the education and experience to diagnose and treat all kinds of speech and language issues. The field used to be called simply “speech therapy,” but was updated to include “pathologist” as SLPs are trained and qualified to treat and diagnose a variety of issues (hence the “pathology” part).
The term “language” was also added to help better describe that SLPs work not just with speech but language as well (click here to explore the difference between speech and language.) But in real life, in most facilities the SLP is simply called the “speech therapist,” especially in facilities that also employ allied professionals who use a similar name (physical therapists, occupational therapists, etc.)
What are the requirements for becoming a pediatric speech language pathologist?
With few exceptions, an SLP will have a master’s degree in speech-language pathology as well as a bachelor’s degree in speech-language pathology or another field. In the US, the master’s program has to be recognized and approved by The American Speech-Language-HearingAssociation (ASHA), which is the national organization that certifies and regulates speech-language pathologists and audiologists. (Side note: many of these graduate programs have a student clinic where people in the community can get affordable speech therapy from a supervised graduate student.)
After getting a 2-3 year master’s degree, SLPs have to complete a “clinical fellowship year” under the supervision of a qualified SLP in order to complete their licensure process and become certified by ASHA. After the clinical fellowship year an SLP will be able to receive their Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC) from ASHA and will maintain their ASHA membership through annual dues and ongoing continuing education. SLPs are licensed to practice by their state and maintain their license through ongoing continuing education. Failure to maintain their continuing education or bad behavior can make the SLP lose their license or ASHA certification.
While all speech therapists are trained to treat both adults and pediatrics in schools, pediatric speech language pathologists will often complete their fellowship year and continuing education in the area of pediatrics.
Where do speech therapists work?
In the US, with a state license and CCC from ASHA, an SLP is eligible to work in a large variety of settings and to treat people of any age. Many SLPs work through a public school district where they are assigned to one or more schools. They treat children who attend those schools who may need help with their language, speech, or social skills. The children they serve may attend general education and/or special education classes. Public schools are required by law to be able to provide speech therapy services to their students who qualify. SLPs at schools assess and diagnose speech-language disorders and participate in the legal process to get the child qualified for services (click here for more information on the qualification process) .
SLPs who work in hospitals typically provide services to adults (and sometimes children) who have experienced some kind of injury (like a stroke or traumatic brain injury) and help those patients recover skills like talking, thinking, remembering, and swallowing. Many times services are offered bedside and the SLP might work with a patient throughout their hospital stay. Patients also may come back to a hospital after they go home for outpatient therapy appointments with an SLP to continue to address their talking, thinking, remembering, and swallowing. At many hospitals and skilled nursing facilities, SLPs are critical in the process of diagnosing swallowing issues.
Children’s hospitals provide many similar services as adult hospitals. However, children’s hospitals differ in that in addition to providing rehabilitative care after an injury, they also provide developmental speech therapy services (like helping late talkers.) SLPs at children’s hospitals may also provide other specialized services that are unique from an adult hospital, such participating in the care for children with cleft palates, cochlear implants, or feeding issues. In many cities, there are no separate children’s hospitals and these services may all be integrated into a single hospital system with adult and pediatric care mixed together.
Private practices can see any kind of patient, but many therapists there will have specialties. Some privately practicing SLPs are employed by a clinic. Others may be independent contractors. Depending on the situation, sometimes private SLPs come to a person’s home and provide services there.
As you can see, an SLP can work in a large variety of settings and may have experience with very different populations and speech-language issues. Like in most professions, SLPs are usually specialized in a few different kinds of disorders and ages. If you are interested in helping an adult family member recover speech skills after a stroke, a therapist who has only worked in a school may not have the best experience to help. Similarly, a therapist who works mostly with adults with swallowing issues may not be prepared to offer advice to help a child with autism learn to communicate. If you are worried about a late-talking toddler, the good news is most SLPs at a private practice or children’s hospital will be well equipped to evaluate a late-talking toddler.
What is a Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA)?
In some settings (especially schools and private practices), you may encounter a speech-language pathology assistant (SLPA.) As their name implies, they are not an independently practicing therapist but rather operate under the direct guidance of a supervising SLP. SLPAs cannot give assessments or diagnoses and are limited in what kind of paperwork they are allowed to sign. Their role typically is to implement a therapy plan designed by the supervising SLP. SLPAs have an associate’s degree and many may also have a bachelor’s degree in another field. They are licensed and regulated by their state and may have additional accreditation through ASHA. Many SLPAs are very experienced, skillful, and provide excellent care. However, their intervention is only going to be as good as the goals and treatment plan designed by their supervisor. As their education and background are much more limited than an SLP, it is important to make sure that the supervising SLP is carefully monitoring progress and adjusting the treatment plan appropriately. Like all professionals who work with your child, you need to rely on your intuition about if their ability level and experience are a good fit for your situation.
How Do I find a Speech Therapist (SLP)?
If you go through your county’s early intervention program, they will typically assign you a therapist from a specific location/clinic/private practice to work with you. If you get a referral from your doctor, you will most likely be automatically sent to a children’s hospital or private practice that takes your insurance. If for any reason you are in charge of picking your own provider, you can always search for “speech therapist YOUR CITY.” In any case, it is a good idea to call the provider first to confirm that they take your insurance. It is also a good idea to ask them if they have any therapists on staff who see late talkers or whatever it is that you are concerned about. It’s okay to ask questions and make sure that they are a good fit for you. Sometimes, you will be evaluated by one therapist but then go see a different person for treatment (depending on scheduling and things like that.) Every therapist has a different style, and things go the best if the therapist you find has a style that matches you and your child.
Other FAQ
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There’s no one best age to see a speech therapist. It’s never too early or too late to start.
As a general rule of thumb a child should see a speech therapist as soon as a potential delay is noticed.
You can read more about the best age for speech therapy here. 🔗
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A SLP will identify which areas of communication require support and provide evidenced based interventions to support toddlers in developing speech, language, play, social, and cognitive skills.
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SLP is an acronym for Speech Language Pathologist.
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Written By:
Stephanie Burgener-Vader, MA CCC-SLP
© 2020-2023. Stephanie Keffer, MS CCC-SLP. All Rights Reserved.
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