Speech Pathologists
What does a Speech Pathologist do?
Speech pathologists provide specialist services to people with communication and swallowing difficulties (dysphagia). Communication disorders may affect speech, fluency, hearing, reading and writing, and language skills. Swallowing disorders may affect a person's ability to chew, drink or eat certain foods and/or to swallow safely.
Services
Speech pathologists work with people suffering chronic conditions such as:
- Dementia
- Acquired brain injury (e.g. stroke)
- Neurological disease
- Cerebral palsy
- Head and neck cancer
- Stuttering
- Frequent loss of voice
- Language, literacy or learning problems
- Autism Spectrum Disorder
Trigger points for referral to a speech pathologist may include:
- A person with swallowing difficulties
- Babies and children with feeding problems
- A child who is not developing sounds and words appropriate for their age
- An adult with deteriorating speech or difficulties understanding others
- A person with voice problems
Medicare Eligibility
To be eligible to provide services under Medicare's chronic disease management items, speech pathologists in all States other than Queensland must be a 'practising member’ of Speech Pathology Australia, the peak professional body for speech pathologists. In Queensland, speech pathologists must be registered with the Speech Pathologists Board of Queensland. Rebates for speech pathology services are also available under private health insurance funds.