Tamara Crowson's duties are varied, but she knows exactly what's expected
of her. "My responsibilities are to plan therapy sessions based on the goals
specified in the evaluation, keep treatment notes and make sure the client's
files are up to date," she says.
"I am expected to bring any questions and concerns regarding the client...or
treatment to the supervisor as they come up. Communication is key to the success
of the client, as well as the therapist."
Crowson is a speech pathologist assistant (SPA) in Naples, Florida. She
loves her job.
Crowson decided to major in communicative disorders after she heard about
the field from a friend. It was a perfect fit for her, because she knew she
wanted to work with children. "I have worked with kids ever since I have been
of responsible age," says Crowson.
"I knew my career would most likely involve children. I get excited on
a daily basis when the kids make progress, whether large or small. For me,
working with the special needs children is extremely rewarding, and therapy
sessions are full of surprises and challenges."
It isn't all fun and games, however. "If I had to pick the hardest part
of the job, it would be having to stay one step ahead of the kids in therapy,
keeping sessions motivating and fun yet productive, and staying current on
issues that are affecting our field."
One thing about this occupation -- there's something new just about every
day. It is never boring. "It is not a job that is the same all the time,"
says Crowson.
"Caseloads change, and there are many things that a speech pathologist
does other than evaluation and treatment. I feel like I take something positive
from my job home with me every night. And as I mentioned before, there are
many career options within the field itself."
For Crowson, the best part of the job is when her efforts pay off in a
very positive way. "The most exciting story I have to tell is about the first
time a non-verbal client of mine had a breakthrough, and is now using language
to get his needs met," says Crowson.
"There are still days that he struggles. However, he is a happier child
overall. The most frightening thing about the job is when the families come
to us after finding out that their child has a disability. They are depending
on us because language and communication is a crucial part of life."
Jeff Lear knows all about an SPA's job. He's a speech-language pathologist
(SLP) with a private practice. Lear works with people who have suffered traumatic
brain injuries.
"In my practice, the SLP will complete an assessment and prepare a treatment
plan," says Lear. "The SPA will execute the plan with the client and report
on progress in sessions so that the SLP can modify the plan. The SPA will
work with individuals one-to-one or facilitate a group organized by the SLP
with specific goals."
That's just a small part of an SPA's day. Daily duties can vary greatly,
depending on where you work and for whom you're working. Lear says that in
his practice, an SPA must be prepared to perform a wide variety of functions.
"A typical day would be meeting with the SLP to review the schedule of
clients, and review specific issues of treatment, what has worked previously,
how they can be challenged more, what steps must be taken to facilitate the
client's performance," he says.
SPAs collect data and observe clients' performances in each session. Their
job is to assist the SLP in modifying the program. They might speak with family
members to get feedback or provide instruction in how the family can help
the client.
There's another good reason why you might consider this career. According
to Lear, new SPAs won't have to look too long for employment.
"The job market is growing," says Lear. "More and more of the population
is getting older, and often strokes and neurological changes affect the 60-plus
years. There will be increasing demand for well-qualified and personable individuals
to help in the rehabilitation of this segment. Baby boomers will not tolerate
inadequate service for their health needs, and will put high priority on their
rehabilitation."
Another career very similar to an SPA is a CDA, or communicative disorders
assistant. The difference is that a CDA is also trained to work with audiologists.
Sara Bingham is a CDA. She has now been working in the field for more than
a decade.
Bingham performs a wide variety of duties in her work. She knows what her
limitations are. "As a CDA, I am involved in direct therapy, therapy planning
and material development," says Bingham.
This is a career with many rewards. Bingham recalls one of her recent success
stories.
"The other day, I was working at a group home with an individual who had
lived in institutions for the greater part of his life," she says. "Joe is
severely cognitively disabled. The SLP I work with assessed his abilities
and recommended that we use object symbols with him.
"We take plastic food items and glue them to pieces of cardboard. These
symbols, because they are very concrete, are easier to understand than photographs
or line drawings."
Bingham was showing the group home staff how to encourage Joe to make requests
using the symbols. Then she offered Joe a small juice. "When he reached for
the juice I held, I encouraged him instead to pick up a small plastic cup
that I had glued to a small piece of cardboard," says Bingham.
"I wanted him to think of this object symbol as a ticket to get his juice.
We worked on this for about 10 small drinks of juice."
Soon, Bingham and the staff saw the results of this effort. "Joe, after
looking for the symbol on the card for a few seconds, seemed to give up and
walk out of the living room," says Bingham.
"He walked into the kitchen and found the box of object symbols
that I had brought in, found a second object symbol for juice, walked out
of the kitchen and started walking toward me in the living room with the object
symbol in his outstretched hand. Joe wanted more juice! I got it for him immediately.
All three of us laughed and clapped after that."
Erika Courlander is the program director of an SLPA training program at
Southwestern Community College in Sylva, North Carolina. She teaches courses
and manages clinical fieldwork assignments. She believes the future is bright
for speech pathologist assistants.
"As a speech pathologist, I strongly feel that the wave of the future is
in assistants. With assistants, we will be able to expand services and increase
the amount of therapy and supervision available to patients, which will in
turn increase the effectiveness and overall performance of our profession."