The Importance Of Speech Pathology

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It is necessary for speech pathology programs to include an audiology course because the two fields are very closely related. Many speech language pathologists will most likely work with individuals who have multiple impairments, including hearing loss (Welling & Ukstins 2019). The auditory mechanism is also very important to the development of speech sounds and language. Having good hearing is crucial to a child’s success with speaking and participating in social situations as well. If a child has issues with proper social interaction, they will most likely go to a speech language pathologist for services. Speech language pathologists will also need to work in collaboration with audiologists to create the best treatment plan for their patients …show more content…

It is necessary for an SLP to have a deep understanding of how to perform a hearing screening as well as understand and interpret audiometric data in order to have a better understanding of a treatment plan for their patient. They also need to be familiar with the different types of equipment used to complete a hearing screening. SLPs also play a role in prevention and early detection of hearing loss, which is an important component in providing speech and language services. Speech language pathologist’s not only need to assess and treat an individual with an impairment, but they also need to examine and think of other factors that may affect the treatment plan, and how they can overall improve the patient’s quality of …show more content…

I personally think it is very beneficial for SLPs to know and understand certain aspects of audiology so they can better understand what is happening to their patients who are deaf and hard of hearing, treat them more appropriately and successfully, and look for warning signs in other clients they may have. As a student in a speech pathology program, I think learning this information will help me to become more knowledgeable and more successful as a speech pathologist. Because SLPs and audiologists collaborate often, it is necessary for the SLP to understand what the audiologist tells them so the patient can have the best therapy and treatment plan available. All of these aspects of audiology within speech pathology fall under a speech pathologist’s scope of practice and can be applied to the everyday