As a pediatric hospital speech language pathologist (SLP), you provide speech language therapy to patients aged anywhere from infants only a few months old, up to teenagers in high school.
What does an SLP do in rehab?
As a pediatric hospital speech language pathologist (SLP), you provide speech language therapy to patients aged anywhere from infants only a few months old, up to teenagers in high school. For very young patients, your duties are to provide preventive and early intervention care, assessing and addressing speech difficulties or impediments before they are allowed to form.
What is a pediatric SLP?
SLPs working in rehabilitation, long-term care settings, or outpatient clinics conduct follow-up treatment with patients to help them regain their speech, language, and swallowing abilities. Teaching Patients How to Swallow Safely
What is it like to be an SLP?
May 04, 2021 · The Speech Therapy Department at Stamford Health’s Tully Health Center provides outpatient rehabilitation services for a variety of communication and swallowing needs across the lifespan. Combining evidence-based treatment approaches with clinical expertise and patient beliefs and values, the speech-language pathologists create comprehensive plans of …
What is speech rehabilitation and long-term care?
Mar 08, 2022 · Speech therapy, also known as speech pathology, is the study and treatment of speech and language problems. Speech pathologists are experts who treat issues including receptive and expressive language, articulation of speech sounds, phonological delays, stuttering, pragmatics, reading, literacy, feeding, swallowing and more.
What is the role of a speech therapist in rehabilitation?
Speech and Language therapists optimise individuals' ability to communicate and swallow, thereby improving quality of life through development and implementation of treatment to address the presenting symptoms or concerns of a communication or swallowing problem or related functional issue.
What is the primary role of an SLP in the hospital setting?
Speech-language pathologists in this setting provide evaluation and treatment of swallowing disorders and speech and language problems resulting from strokes, head injury, respiratory issues, and other medical complications.
What is the role of an SLP in the NICU?
In the NICU, the SLP works in the preparation to initiate the nutritive sucking process and describes maturation levels for nutritive sucking with bottle and breastfeeding The SLP establishes an intervention plan for the development of safe feeding and swallowing skills as well as for the training of parents and ...
Can SLPs work in the NICU?
The addition of SLPs to NICU care teams is relatively recent. Their role in the NICU is still developing, but they may be among the first specialists to see a medically-stable neonate.
Are SLPs happy?
As it turns out, speech language pathologists rate their career happiness 2.7 out of 5 stars which puts them in the bottom 14% of careers.
What is another name for speech therapist?
Speech-language pathologists, also called SLPs, are experts in communication. SLPs work with people of all ages, from babies to adults. SLPs treat many types of communication and swallowing problems.
What specialized knowledge and skills does a speech language pathologist need to work effectively with persons with swallowing disorders and their families?
The SLP with appropriate training is in a position to play a key role on the school swallowing and feeding team because of his or her unique combination of knowledge and skills, including • knowledge of the relevant anatomy and physiology related to swallowing and feeding function; • knowledge of normal and abnormal ...
What is the NICU?
NICU stands for newborn intensive care unit. This is a nursery in a hospital that provides around-the-clock care to sick or premature babies. It has health care providers who have special training and equipment to give your baby the best possible care.
How do I get experience in the NICU?
Understand the specialized role of a neonatal nurse. ... Earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree. ... Pass the NCLEX-RN exam and become a Registered Nurse (RN) ... Build clinical experience working in a neonatal facility. ... Take and pass a national neonatal certification exam. ... Begin your career as a certified neonatal nurse!
What Does an Acute Care SLP Do?
For acute care speech-language pathologists, practices are markedly different than for those who practice therapeutic care in other settings. Hospi...
What Is a Medical SLP?
Medical speech-language pathologists diagnose and treat a variety of speech-related issues related to: • Feeding and swallowing • Fluency • Languag...
How To Become a Medical SLP?
If you’re wondering how to become a medical SLP, understanding the education requirements is a great place to start. To pursue a career as a medica...
Role of Speech Language Pathologist in Hospital?
Medical SLPs working in hospitals must be familiar with medical terminology and patient care procedures to function effectively in that environment...
Why is it important for a pediatric speech pathologist to take an interdisciplinary approach to the care of pediatric patients
Because children with chronic or complex conditions have multiple medical and treatment needs , it is important for the pediatric speech-language pathologist to take an interdisciplinary approach to the care of pediatric patients.
What is reimbursement for speech pathology?
Reimbursement for services in pediatric speech-language pathology can come from a variety of sources. These include various third party payers, such as Medicaid, private insurance and state funding programs. In some cases, patients are self-pay.
What are the common disorders in pediatrics?
Common disorders found in the pediatric population, particularly in a medical setting, include apraxia and other articulation or phonology disorders, autism, language disorders, central auditory processing disorders, and stuttering. Dysphagia is very common in a pediatric medical setting. The evaluation and treatment of children with dysphagia ...
What age group is speech pathology?
Pediatric speech-language pathology includes the evaluation and treatment of patients from birth to 18 years old. As such, it can require specialized skills in several differing age groups, including infants, toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children and adolescents.
What is a referral for a patient?
Referral Process. Patients are usually referred for a communication or swallowing evaluation by a physician, and the majority of the referrals tend to be from the primary care physician, such as a pediatrician or family practitioner.
What is the purpose of clinical documentation?
However, clinical documentation also serves as a means of recording and communicating for billing and reimbursement, providing proof of compliance and quality improvement, recording data for research purposes, and serving as a basis of legal evidence.
Is dysphagia common in pediatrics?
Dysphagia is very common in a pediatric medical setting. The evaluation and treatment of children with dysphagia requires a special knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of babies and children and the usual causes of dysphagia in the pediatric population. Children referred for communication or swallowing problems often have one or more ...
What are the strategies used in pediatric SLP?
Other common strategies employed in pediatric SLP treatment are: Pacing strategies, which involve alternating the intake of food and drink. Oral/motor treatment to stimulate jaw and pharyngeal muscles.
What is SLP practice in hospital?
Practice in an acute care hospital is markedly different for SLPs compared to the therapeutic nature of their work in other settings. Hospital patients come in with complex and often life-threatening medical issues that require decisive intervention on the part of a combined critical care team that includes a licensed SLP. Other members of that team will include surgeons, internists, nurses, and other specialists
What is the role of SLP in healthcare?
Once patients are out of immediate danger, the role of the SLP in the healthcare environment shifts into more traditional long-term treatment. SLPs working in rehabilitation, long-term care settings, or outpatient clinics conduct follow-up treatment with patients to help them regain their speech, language, and swallowing abilities.
How does SLP help swallowing disorders?
The SLP may focus more on behavioral intervention as a teaching technique, using psychological principles to mold patient eating and chewing habits.
What is a speech pathologist?
Speech language pathologists are, in fact, medical professionals who are often employed in medical settings. The healthcare system is a demanding and fast-paced environment for SLPs and is not for the faint of heart. An SLP working in acute care can expect to see a wide range of patients and problems over their course of their career.
What is the approach to patient care in a hospital?
The approach to patient care in a hospital requires some adaptation for SLPs who are schooled in providing longer-term interventional therapies. SLPs working in hospitals have to be familiar with medical terminology and patient care procedures to function effectively in that environment.
How long does a SLP stay in hospital?
On average, patients are only under the care of acute care medical staff for 11 days.
Why do adults need speech therapy?
There are several reasons why an adult may need help from a speech therapist. In most cases, major life events like traumatic brain injury, cancer, and stroke can alter the way adults produce and understand language.
What is Speech Therapy at Stamford Health?
The Speech Therapy Department at Stamford Health’s Tully Health Center provides outpatient rehabilitation services for a variety of communication and swallowing needs across the lifespan. Combining evidence-based treatment approaches with clinical expertise and patient beliefs and values, the speech-language pathologists create comprehensive plans of care tailored to everyone’s needs and skill levels.
What is the misconception about speech therapy?
One of the misconceptions about speech-language pathology, or speech therapy, is that it only serves patients who have trouble speaking. Did you know that speech therapy is much more than that? (Hint: voice therapy, picky eating and swallowing skills, too!) The speech-language pathologists at Stamford Hospital discuss what speech therapy is, ...
Why do people change their voices?
Voice Therapy. Across the lifespan, voices can change as a result of illness, disease, or even misuse, like talking too much or too loudly. This can make communication difficult. Stamford Health's outpatient rehab speech-language pathologists work with patients to improve the quality, loudness and pitch of their voices.
Where is modified barium swallow done?
Our team may use a method called modified barium swallow studies, done in the radiology department at Stamford Hospital, to assess swallow function in some individuals. Modified barium swallow studies use real-time x-rays to observe how someone swallows.
Does swallowing affect quality of life?
Difficulty swallowing can have a significant impact on health, safety and quality of life. The speech therapists at Stamford Health can clinically assess a patient’s swallow safety and function.
What is SLP in radiation?
For individuals embarking on radiation therapy for oral, head, and neck cancer (s), SLP services can help to manage common changes in swallowing that occur early on in radiation therapy and/or later on into survivorship.
What is speech therapy for children?
Pediatric speech therapy works with children 0-18 to improve overall language skills and help patients engage and attend to tasks to increase understanding and expression of their wants and needs to familiar and unfamiliar listeners. Pediatric therapy also focuses on safe and sufficient swallow to reduce any signs or symptoms of choking or distress when engaged in meals.
Why is speech therapy important?
Speech-language therapy can be helpful for individuals who experience new or longstanding difficulties with communication, cognition, voice, speech, and swallowing as a result of changes in the brain, such as brain cancer, brain injury, stroke , and/or degenerative conditions (Parkinson Disease, Dementia, ALS, Primary Progressive Aphasia).
What are the benefits of speech and language therapy?
The benefits of speech and language therapy vary for each patient depending on their individualized goals. We help patients speak more clearly and fluently, understand/use language more efficiently, improve vocal quality, increase swallow safety and enhance their cognitive skills for a better quality of life.
What is cognitive therapy?
Cognitive therapy consists of various activities and strategies to improve a patient’s attention, executive functioning, organization, memory, orientation and visuospatial skills. This type of therapy improves a patient’s ability to manage activities of daily living (i.e. making financial decisions, medication management).
What is speech therapy?
Speech therapy, also known as speech pathology, is the study and treatment of speech and language problems. Speech pathologists are experts who treat issues including receptive and expressive language, articulation of speech sounds, phonological delays, stuttering, pragmatics, reading, literacy, feeding, swallowing and more.
What is the first appointment for speech pathology?
The very first appointment with the Speech Language Pathologist is the initial evaluation. The evaluation involves an interview, testing and clinical observation. At the beginning, the therapist asks various questions about the patient’s medical history, their complaints and their ultimate goals for therapy.
What is the role of speech pathologists?
So the role of the speech pathologist is to look at the oral motor skills and how that’s impacting their nutrition. Speech pathologists will also look at the sensory component and the behavioral component because eating is not just one thing, it’s a lot of different factors.
What personality trait is needed for speech pathologists?
Kyrsten: The personality trait in general of speech pathologists or someone in healthcare needs to be empathetic and listening to the family. And you just need to realize that you may have goals for the kid and the family may not be at those goals yet.
How long did Kyrsten work with infants?
Kyrsten: We worked with infants to eighteen years. It’s a really strong team…we work with the pediatric ICU attending physicians and then the social worker was the coordinator of the teams. So she made sure we were able to follow up with our patients and then coordinate care plans together.
Do you need to have parents buy in to therapy?
As an outpatient you need to have parent buy in, because I can see a child every day of the week for therapy but I’m not home with them and executing it in their home environment so its really important to have parents buy into what you’re doing and working with them in what is achievable at that time.
Who is Kyrsten Theodotou?
Kyrsten Theodotou (MA, CCC-SLP) works as a pediatric Speech-Language Therapist at the University of Minnesota Pediatric Rehabilitation Clinic. Prior to this, she served on the Pediatric Brain Injury Team and the Growth and Nutrition Team at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis. Kyrsten talked to us about what inspired her to become an SLP and how she’s thrived in a number of diverse roles in the field in the years since.
Can a 12 month old do language therapy?
Kyrsten: Yeah, it depends on the child’s needs…So for like a 12-13 month old child when I’m working on feeding therapy I probably won’t do language therapy unless it’s glaring that they need it or they are hearing impaired or need more language stimulation.
What is the best way to help a child with disability?
Physical therapy. Our physical therapists can help your child move and function better after illness, injury or disability. They also recommend mobility and adaptive devices, if needed. Our physical therapists work with children to: Improve coordination, strength, endurance and range of motion. Lessen pain.
What is a therapist in Oregon?
Therapists who specialize in treating children from birth through high school. Rehabilitation care for a wide range of illnesses, injuries and disabilities. Many specialty clinics and programs. Some are unique in Oregon. Therapists and providers who work as a team to give your child complete care.
Why are children afraid of exercise?
Heart conditions can make children afraid to exercise, contributing to high rates of obesity. How it works: Children have a stress test to determine their maximum safe heart rate.
Will Van Dyke be a teen?
Will Van Dyke, a teen born with a heart condition, takes part in our Doernbecher Children’s Hospital cardiac rehab program. Here he works with physical therapist Sarah Staropoli (left) and physician assistant Alissa Lyman. Our therapists will work with your family to promote your child’s independence and quality of life.
8:00 a.m. Mini-Rounds
My day begins with a meeting with the therapy team for a quick run-down of any notable changes in the 20 neurologically-impaired patients on the rehab unit. We share tips about what’s working in our individual therapy sessions and how to integrate these techniques throughout the day.
8:30 a.m. Preparations
The SLP from the acute stroke unit called yesterday to let me know one of her patients, Mr. Jones, was headed to rehab. To prepare to assess this new patient, I pop into the nursing station to do a quick chart review. The reports from doctors, nurses, and other therapists, along with the radiology reports, give me a good idea of what I’ll see.
9:00 a.m. Aphasia Assessment
For my first session with Mr. Jones, I have a few goals: build trust and rapport, get some baseline data, and figure out where to start therapy. To do this, I minimize the use of tests and instead start with a diagnostic interview and therapy. Mr.
10:00 a.m. Cognitive-Communication Therapy
I get back to my office to find my next patient, Ms. Chen, waiting in the hallway. This is huge! Ms. Chen has never arrived on time to therapy since a car accident left her with a traumatic brain injury, resulting in trouble with attention and memory. I have been teaching Ms.
11:00 a.m. Dysarthria Treatment
Mr. Sandhu comes to me directly from the gym where he’s been practicing climbing stairs with the physical therapist. He had a stroke about a month ago that left him weak on the left side of his body and face, which has also affected the clarity of his speech.
12:00 p.m. Mealtime Observation
All the patients are in the dining room eating lunch, and I’m there to see if Mrs. Pirelli is ready for an upgrade from the minced texture diet she was prescribed by the SLP in acute care. While over half of survivors have swallowing problems after a stroke, most dysphagia resolves in the first 1-2 weeks. I give Mrs.
12:35 p.m. Lunch Break
Now it’s my turn to eat, and also to check email, return phone calls, fax reports, finish up some progress notes…
Reimbursement Mechanism
- Reimbursement for services in pediatric speech-language pathology can come from a variety of sources. These include various third party payers, such as Medicaid, private insurance and state funding programs. In some cases, patients are self-pay.
Referral Process
- Patients are usually referred for a communication or swallowing evaluation by a physician, and the majority of the referrals tend to be from the primary care physician, such as a pediatrician or family practitioner. Referrals are also commonly received from other medical and dental professionals, including neonatologists, neurologists, neurosurgeons, physiatrists, gastroenterol…
Collaboration with Other Disciplines
- Because children with chronic or complex conditions have multiple medical and treatment needs, it is important for the pediatric speech-language pathologist to take an interdisciplinary approach to the care of pediatric patients. Depending on the patient's diagnosis, functional skills, current needs, and age level, the pediatric speech-language pathologist may collaborate with any of the …
Documentation Requirements
- The primary purpose of clinical documentation is to provide a means of communication between professionals regarding patient care. However, clinical documentation also serves as a means of recording and communicating for billing and reimbursement, providing proof of compliance and quality improvement, recording data for research purposes, and serving as a basis of legal evide…
Resources
- Go to the SLP Health Carearea of the ASHA Web site to access: 1. ASHA Speech-Language Pathology Health Care Survey 2. Health care frequently asked questions (FAQs) 3. ASHA member forums Go to ASHA Practice Policyto access documents on preferred practice patterns, etc.