Speech therapists help a wide range of people who have a voice disorder, it may be as a result of an accident, an illness or something a person was born with. Speech disorders, such as a stutter, are extremely common and the recent Hollywood blockbuster, The King's Speech, highlighted how a trained speech therapist can assist people to overcome their issues.
As well as stutters, speech therapists can also assist people who have trouble producing sounds as a result of memory disorders or short attention spans. Their knowledge of how the throat and voice box work can also assist people with swallowing disorders. Such disorders are common amongst cerebral palsy sufferers, people with learning difficulties and people with brain injuries.
Skills
Being a speech therapist is a caring profession so you should be someone who enjoys working with people. You also need to be compassionate and patient as progress can be slow, there is no quick fix in this industry and you must be determined to overcome the challenges presented to you. You also need to be able to relax your patients so they become comfortable with you, having a sense of humour helps too.
Study
In order to work as a qualified speech therapist you will have to study at university, as with most good jobs, you need to be dedicated if you want to succeed. You should apply for a three or a four year degree that is certified by the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists. The degrees often go by a slightly different name, such as speech pathology or language therapy. If you have already studied a related field at undergraduate level you may be eligible to complete a diploma or Masters to become qualified.
The future is good for speech therapists as there is currently a shortage of qualified people. There are also numerous opportunities to work abroad as many countries around the world welcome qualified practitioners.
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