Monday, October 19, 2009

Opportunities in Speech & Hearing Science

Speech disorders can arise in various parts of the nervous system and muscles and other apparatus involved in speech. These may lead to inability to communicate effectively. Some of these disorders however are disturbances of language rather than of speech since they result from an impaired ability to understand or to form words in the language centres of the brain rather than from any defect in the apparatus of speech production. People with speech and language disorders can be helped by speech therapy. Hearing impairment (deafness) may be complete or partial inability to hear.

Total deafness is usually congenital. Mutism – refusal or inability to speak – is a symptom off profound congenital deafness. Rehabilitation professionals in this field help people with three inter-related problems of speaking, language, and hearing. There are three types of professionals – speech and language therapists, audiologists, and teachers for the hearing impaired. Speech therapists diagnose and evaluate the individuals, speech and language abilities and plan treatment programmes to restore or develop patient’s communication skill. Audiologists are concerned with the prevention of hearing impairment.

Speech and hearing science is the study of normal functioning and disorders of the auditory system, the speech mechanism, and language processing. It is a diverse field with connections to a number of other disciplines, including anatomy, physiology, psychology, linguistics, medicine, and education. Students pursuing a major in speech and hearing science are introduced both to basic and applied research and to clinical applications. Ultimate career paths can include speech science, hearing Science, speech-language pathology, or audiology.

Hearing, speech, and language scientists study such topics as sound localization, speech perception, and language learning in both normal and impaired persons. Their research may be basic in nature or may be more applied, as in studies of the effectiveness of clinical hearing aids or voice therapies.

Speech-language pathology and audiology are concerned with evaluation, treatment, and research in human communication and its disorders. Speech-language pathologists assess and treat persons of all ages with speech, language, voice, and fluency disorders. They also may work with people who have oral motor problems that cause eating and swallowing difficulties. For individuals with little or no speech, speech-language pathologists select alternative communication systems, including automated devices and sign language, and teach their use.

Audiologists specialize in prevention, identification, assessment, and rehabilitation of hearing disorders. When a hearing loss exists, they determine the nature and extent of the hearing loss and recommend appropriate treatment, including hearing aids or other assistive devices. Audiologists also test noise levels in workplaces and conduct hearing protection programs.

For more info visit http://www.employmentnews.gov.in/career_details-career-opportunity-in-speech-hearing-science-232.html

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