Capital Region | Capital Health | Late Spring 2018

Jennifer “Nikki” Gaylord, MA, CCC-SLP Meghan Buschjost, MS, CCC-SLP Communication plays a big part in our interactions with family, friends and even strangers. And sometimes an injury or a condition can make it difficult for us to communicate—to speak, share our feelings or understand others, for instance. When that happens, there are medical professionals who can help with communication challenges. They are called speech-language pathologists. Highly trained and skilled Most speech-language pathologists have master’s degrees. Graduate programs often include courses in speech and language development, age- specific speech disorders, alternative communication methods, and swallowing disorders. Typically these programs also include supervised clinical experience. Most states require speech-language pathologists to be licensed. They can also be certified—this requires graduation from a program accredited by the Council on Academic Accreditation, which is part of the American Speech-Language- Hearing Association. What is speech therapy? Speech therapy can help a variety of people with a wide range of problems. For example, you might see a speech- language pathologist after having a stroke or a traumatic brain injury. He or she could help you with any lingering difficulties in speaking or comprehending others. You might also see a speech-language pathologist about problems swallowing. Children who are deaf or people who are hard of hearing might benefit from the services of a speech-language pathologist—who might teach them how to recognize or make sounds in order to communicate. A speech-language pathologist also can help children who have autism spectrum disorder communicate, through either speech or alternative communication systems. A speech-language pathologist can provide training and education to family members and caregivers as well. What is a speech-language pathologist? 6 Capital Region Medical Center Our SLP team Capital Region Medical Center has an outstanding team of speech-language pathologists, helping patients of all ages advance their communication skills and improve other functions, such as swallowing. The team works with patients at the Sam B. Cook Healthplex. Sources: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association; U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Adrienne Wilde, MS, CCC-SLP Megan Goforth, MS, CF-SLP Jessi Koestner, MS, CCC-SLP To learn more about our SLP team, visit sbchealthplex.crmc.org . Kristel Kronk, MS, CCC-SLP