Communication Sciences & Disorders - Longwood University

Communication Sciences & Disorders from Longwood University is a Campus Bachelor Communication Disorders degree that prepares you for a Healthcare career. Speech-Language Pathologists are in high demand! Speech-Language Pathology is a rapidly growing field. The increased recognition of communication problems in preschool and school-aged children, medical advances in saving the lives of those individuals with congential and acquired disabilities, and the increasing population of older citizens has created a growing need for speech-language pathologists and audiologists. What is the job of a Speech-Language Pathologist? Speech-language pathologists help individuals of all ages to develop communication skills by treating disorders of speech, language, voice, and swallowing. Speech-language pathologists provide services that include prevention, identification, assessment, and treatment of disorders, such as: Language Disorders - difficulty comprehending and/or expressing language, which may be developmental or may result from a stroke or other brain injury Stuttering - difficulty producing speech smoothly; affects individuals of all ages Articulation Disorders - difficulty producing speech sounds correctly Voice Disorders - difficulty with vocal quality, which can result from illness, injury or vocal behaviors such as yelling Swallowing Disorders - difficulty swallowing, which can result from stroke, brain injury, illness, or surgery Additional Services Provided by Speech-Language Pathologists Teaching individuals who cannot speak to use augmentative communication systems Providing accent reduction therapy to professionals in a variety of corporate and entertainment occupations Developing new treatment strategies Engaging in research to expand the knowledge base in the discipline Preparing future professionals Speech-Language Pathologists Work in a Variety of Settings Public Schools: The greatest number of speech-language pathologists work in public schools. A significant shortage of speech-language pathologists has existed in Virginia public schools for a number of years, with rural school divisions facing the greatest difficulty in securing licensed professionals to fill these positions. School speech-language pathologists collaborate with teachers and parents to provide services to toddlers, children, and adolescents. Speech-language pathologists play a critical role in facilitating children's communication and literacy skills. Health Care facilities: Health care facilities include the following: general medical hospitals, rehabilitation hospitals, pediatric hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and home-health agencies. Speech-language pathologists provide in-patient acute care and out-patient rehabilitation services to a wide range of patients, such as individuals who have suffered a stroke or traumatic brain injury, individuals with swallowing difficulties, and many others. Clinics and Private Practice: Once a speech-language pathologist has earned the ASHA Certificate of Clinical Competence (CCC), he or she may open a private practice to provide services to individuals with all types of communication and/or swallowing disorders or can specialize in a particular population or type of disorder. Clinics offering these services often hire new graduates and provide the necessary supervision to get started in the profession. View more details on Longwood University . Ask your questions and apply online for this program or find other related Communication Disorders courses.