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More about Speech and language therapists courses - 13-Feb-2014
Speech and language therapists (SLT) assess and treat speech, language and communication problems in people of all ages to help them better communicate. They also work with people who have eating and swallowing problems.
Using specialist skills, they work directly with clients and provide them and their carers with support. To add on they also work closely with teachers and other health professionals, such as doctors, nurses and psychologists.
Speech and Language Therapists learn about the normal aspects and disorders of speech, language and hearing. The students are trained in evaluation, diagnosis, treatment and management of communication disorders. The training includes theoretical and practical aspects, with focus on clinical teaching-learning. The students get hands-on experience in dealing with clients under the supervision of qualified staff.
SLTs assist children and adults who have the following types of problems:
Difficulty producing and using speech
Difficulty understanding language
Difficulty using language
Difficulty with feeding, chewing or swallowing
Persons with stammer
People affected with voice problem.
These problems may have been caused by diseases or disabilities like stroke, learning disability, neurological disorders e.g. Parkinson's disease,
cancer of the mouth and throat, head injury, hearing loss and deafness, cleft palate and dementia.
In India though courses related this is offered at many hospital based institutions, the centre offers variety of courses from Certificate to Post Doctoral Fellowship through All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, an institute functioning under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India.
List of courses offered through this institute are:
Certificate course on communication disorders
Diploma in Hearing Aid & Earmould Technology (HA & ET)
Diploma in Training Young (Deaf and Hearing) (DTY-DHH)
Diploma in Hearing, Language and Speech (DHLS)
B.Sc. (Speech and Hearing)
Bachelor of Special Education B. S. Ed (HI)
PG Diploma in Clinical Linguistics for SLP (PGDCLP
PG Diploma in Forensic Speech Sciences & Technology (PGDFSST)
M.Sc (Audiology)
M.Sc (Speech - Language Pathology)
Master in Special Education M. S. Ed (HI)
Ph. D (Audiology)
Ph. D (Speech-Language Pathology)
Ph. D (External Candidates)
Post Doctoral Fellowship
Skills Required:
Personal awareness, maturity and professionalism
It is job that ensures to work closely with patients, often on a one-to-one basis. It is must to have friendly and professional attitude towards them. Tact and maturity are vital. Important to take personal responsibility for all actions, hence must be able to justify decisions.
Good people skills and excellent communication skills
People skills and communication are crucial to being an AHP. It is vital to be a good at listening as well as talking and have to be constantly alert to changes in patients' conditions and the implications in terms of care. Inter personal skills is another set of skillls that is essential to communicate with other team members, patients and their families.
Committed to working as part of a team
Be able to 'teach'
Essential to educate and train other healthcare staff to develop their skills in the rehabilitation of patients and service users.
Have empathy
Empathy is an important trait when dealing with clients and service users, especially when you are working with patients with long-term conditions.
Eligibility for UG course:
Those willing to join B.Sc. (Sp. & Hg.)should have passed the 2-year Pre-University examination conducted by the Pre-University Board of the State of Karnataka or any other examination (10+2) considered as equivalent thereto by the University of Mysore.
Candidates who have obtained a minimum of 50% (45% in the case of SC/ST candidates) in the PCMB group or combinations thereof, in their II PUC or qualifying examination are eligible for admission.
Only those candidates who have studied at least three subjects from among Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics are eligible for admission.
Institutions offering speech therapy courses in India
1) Ali Yavar Jung National Institute for the Hearing Handicapped, Bandra, Mumbai.
2) All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, located on the campus of Mysore University.
3) Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Sector 12, Chandigarh 160012
4) All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi
5) J.M Institute of Speech & Hearing, Inderpuri, Keshrinagar, Patna Institute of Speech & Hearing , Hannur Road, Bangalore
Certainly, though different institutes have various eligibility criteria.
To know more about eligibility criteria for various courses at All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore, log on to http://aiishmysore.in/en/academic_course8.html
