No two ways about it, Speech and Language Pathologists (SLPs) are miracle workers. Their professional expertise restores the human connection for those with aphasia—a language disorder affecting approximately 1 million American stroke victims—stuttering, hearing loss, and other communication disorders.
This Spring, like any other and many to come, we add our voices to an appreciative public by recognizing allied health professionals in speech therapy jobs; it’s the 75th Better Hearing and Speech Month (BHSM) in the United States.
We’d like to take a moment, review more current statistics on communication disorders and define some of the challenges the modern speech therapist faces—and how their skills benefit patients during BHSM and all year round.
According to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders, the number of Americans suffering from speech, voice, language or hearing impairment hovers around 43 million—in that sobering statistic, there are at least 28 million confirmed cases of hearing loss—and the figure that resonates? 10% of these communication disorders are owned by our children; reason enough for SLPs to get up each day and excel at doing what they do—teaching strategies that help patients cope and overcome.
Because a child with a communication disorder is 4 or 5 times more likely than his peers to suffer from significant reading problems, speech and language pathologists are relied upon by the general public to anticipate those hurdles, and, if possible, lift them out of the way; of course, SLPs are there for anyone in need, at any age, unwilling to let communication disorders hamper social lives, careers or G.P.A.
That being said, have you taken stock of your own health lately? How’s your hearing? It may surprise you to know that of those 28 million people we mentioned earlier—the ones with hearing deficits—only a quarter of them seek diagnosis and hearing aids; since this is a “silent treatment” we can’t afford to perpetuate, here’s a shortlist of symptoms we’d like you to consider.
Is Speech and Hearing Month when you decide you need a hearing aid? The answer may be yes, if you identify with any of the following:
- Have pain or ringing in your ears
- Frequently ask people to repeat themselves
- Keep the volume up on audio equipment, others say is too loud
- Understand people better looking directly at their faces, or by wearing your glasses
- Lose your place in group conversations
- Often turn your ear toward a sound to hear it better
If you don’t get around to thinking about these issues this month, but nonetheless like a historical excuse to take charge of your hearing and communicative health, let June inspire you too.
On June 27, 2010, Helen Keller celebrates her 130th birthday. While not a board certified, and rigorously trained speech therapist, her teacher and mentor, Anne Sullivan, who employed SLP skills helping Hellen, made a huge difference in the quality of Helen’s life; to come so far a century ago, is so telling of what speech therapists are capable of now. This May we ask you to celebrate Better Hearing and Speech Month and to keep working your miracles all year long.
About American Traveler Allied Speech Therapy Jobs
Speech Pathologist Jobs at American Traveler Allied take your career to the next level. We staff more university teaching hospitals and top-ranked rehabilitation hospitals than other therapist job agency. We have high-paying speech therapy jobs in Washington D.C., Boston, Baltimore, Atlanta, San Francisco and other fast-growing healthcare markets.
Get started now on the path to financial freedom. Not only can you earn up to 20 percent more with therapy jobs at American Traveler Allied our free benefits, bonuses, company-matched 401(k), reimbursement for approved travel and utilities, licensure reimbursement and Tax Advantage Plan mean thousands more in your paycheck every month. Call to speak to an expert today at 800-617-0608 or Apply Online.
