SpeechPathology.com Phone: 800-242-5183


eLuma Online Therapy - Own Boss - August 2024

What is the Difference Between a Speech Therapist and a Speech Pathologist?

Donald Fuller Speech-Language Pathologist

April 17, 2006

Share:

Question

What is the difference between a speech therapist and a speech pathologist?

Answer

In a word: none. The terms "speech therapist" and "speech pathologist" have been used for years as titles for persons who work with persons having communication impairments. In the past, the term "speech pathologist" was used by professionals to describe themselves, but the term most commonly used today is "speech-language pathologist" or "SLP." Lay people have more often referred to us as "speech therapists," "speech correctionists," or even "speech teachers."

These are all terms that describe the same profession, but "speech-language pathologist" is the preferred term because it captures the essence of our work (speech and language) and also signifies that we are qualified by our training and clinical experience to identify, assess, and provide remediation for pathological conditions of communication. The term "speech" is used to denote the components of vocal activity such as phonation (the production of a vocal tone via the larynx or "voice box"), articulation (the movement of the structures in the mouth to create speech sounds to produce words), resonance (the overall quality of the voice as well as the process that transforms the vocal tone into what we recognize as a person's "voice") and fluency (the timing and synchronization of these components of the complex speech act). "Language" refers to the comprehension and production of language, including the mode in which it is comprehended or produced (oral, gesturing, writing, or reading).

Even the term "speech-language pathologist" doesn't quite capture the totality of our scope of practice. For example, speech-language pathologists also address the needs of persons who exhibit difficulties with cognitive functions (attention, memory, problem-solving), literacy, social interaction, and swallowing. Considering such a wide scope of practice, perhaps in the future a new term will be coined to describe who we are and what we do.

Dr. Donald R. Fuller has been a speech-language pathologist for 16 years. He is Chair of the Department of Communication Disorders at Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA. His doctorate degree was earned from Purdue University in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC).


Donald Fuller Speech-Language Pathologist


Related Courses

Facilitating First Verbs through Shared Book Reading
Presented by Susan Hendler Lederer, PhD, CCC-SLP
Video

Presenter

Susan Hendler Lederer, PhD, CCC-SLP
Course: #9735Level: Introductory1 Hour
  'loved all the research!'   Read Reviews
This course discusses early verb acquisition, choosing first verb targets, and a variety of strategies to facilitate verb learning using children’s picture books as a therapy context.

Recognizing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD) to Improve Outcomes
Presented by Dan Dubovsky, MSW, FASD Specialist
Video

Presenter

Dan Dubovsky, MSW, FASD Specialist
Course: #8724Level: Intermediate1 Hour
  'Forty years ago my husband and I adopted a family set of 3 brothers that have FASD'   Read Reviews
This course will provide information on the importance of identifying individuals who may have a fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. It will examine how the brain damage from prenatal alcohol exposure affects one's behavior, and best approaches for working with individuals with FASD and their families.

The Role of Relationships in Early Development: The Connection Between Experiences and Language Capacity
Presented by Alison D. Peak, LCSW, IMH-E
Video

Presenter

Alison D. Peak, LCSW, IMH-E
Course: #8727Level: Introductory1 Hour
  'Very interesting perspective from someone who is not a speech pathologist'   Read Reviews
This course will provide information on the connection between early experiences and early formation of language. Through this framework, the course will look at the impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and serve-and-return interactions on the language gap that exists for many communities across the US.

Feeding Development: What is Typical?
Presented by Rhonda Mattingly Williams, Ed.D, CCC-SLP
Video

Presenter

Rhonda Mattingly Williams, Ed.D, CCC-SLP
Course: #10520Level: Introductory1 Hour
  'I enjoyed the review of swallowing and anatomy'   Read Reviews
An introduction to multiple factors - including relationships - associated with feeding development, as well as a review of typical milestones, are provided in this course. An overview of conditions that can disrupt the normal developmental process is also presented.

Overview of Prematurity and Associated Conditions
Presented by Rhonda Mattingly, Ed.D, CCC-SLP
Video

Presenter

Rhonda Mattingly, Ed.D, CCC-SLP
Course: #10535Level: Introductory1 Hour
  'It was easy to follow, yet still comprehensive'   Read Reviews
An introduction to prematurity and its co-occurring problems and diagnoses is provided in this course. The impact of early experiences on outcomes, and short-term and long-term complications of prematurity, are described in relation to feeding and development.

Our site uses cookies to improve your experience. By using our site, you agree to our Privacy Policy.