Speech pathologist vs Speech therapist

Question

Zippia Team · Accepted Answer

Speech pathologists study and research various diseases and disabilities that affect the neurological and physical production of language, while speech therapists take action with their knowledge through sessions to help overcome obstacles within speech and other situations.

A speech pathologist knows why a child's speech is underdeveloped, and a speech therapist knows how to correct the speech impediment.

The word pathologist comes from the action of studying, researching, and knowing a disease and disability that affects speech and the ins and outs of speech production. The term therapist, on the other hand, is the action of treating speech pathology via various techniques intended to relieve or alleviate the issue.

In many cases, the two terms are used interchangeably to indicate more or less the same thing. A speech therapist has extensively studied speech pathology and its root causes, and a speech pathologist understands how to treat a patient to help correct their speech impediment. Whether or not someone uses the title speech therapist or speech pathologist comes down to their location and work environment.

The job of a speech pathologist and a speech therapist are one and the same, and that is to find the cause or origin of a certain communication problem and work with their patient to improve and strengthen language and communication skills.

Understanding the cause of speech, language, literacy, feeding difficulties, or other oral motor difficulties enables the speech-language pathologist to identify and appreciate each person's unique strengths and recognize areas where help and support are needed.