What is a speech-language pathologist?  What is their training?
A speech-language pathologist is a professional who works with people experiencing communication difficulties.  He/she is qualified to diagnose speech, language, and voice disorders and to provide treatment. 

Educational background generally involves completion of an undergraduate degree in a related field (i.e. psychology, biology, child study) followed by a Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology.  Successful completion of a comprehensive exam is also required for certification by the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists.

Who are our clients? 
We work with preschool-aged children and adults who experience communication disorders for numerous reasons.

We work with children who experience communication difficulties as a result of developmental delays, hearing impairment, cerebral palsy, cleft palate, Down syndrome, autism, or learning impairments, to name just a few.  Problems such as vocabulary development, stuttering, articulation, and auditory comprehension are often targeted.  Another common goal is providing training for parents on how to promote language development in their children.

We work with adults who experience a sudden change in communicative abilities resulting from a stroke, head injury, laryngectomy, or even a paralysed vocal fold.  Individuals may also be seen for communication problems such as stuttering, vocal changes, or those that may accompany neurodegenerative diseases (e.g. MS, ALS, Parkinson's Disease).

Where do speech-language pathologists work?
The clinicians of Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech Centres (NSHSC) work in hospitals and clinics across the province.  In these locations, we frequently work with physicians, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, nurses, early interventionists, day care workers, and other professionals. 

Don't the terms "speech" and "language"  mean the same thing?
Actually  these two terms are quite different - 
Speech is language that is spoken aloud.  Generally, it refers to the way we pronounce or articulate sounds when talking.

Language is a means of expressing or understanding thoughts, ideas, or feelings.  We can use language without speaking a word aloud.  Language is composed of words (vocabulary or semantics), rules for combining and organizing words into meaningful messages (syntax grammar) and social rules that guide how we use language in a communicative context (pragmatics).

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