Speech Therapy Courses in India

Speech Therapy Courses in India are not as popular as other of its medical counterparts, possibly because other courses in India have already established themselves as superior ones. Speech Therapy is medical field which deals with the treatment of individuals with speech and/or language disorders. Specifically speaking, a Speech Disorder refers to a problem with the actual production of sounds, whereas a Language Disorder refers to a difficulty understanding or putting words together to communicate ideas. There are various kinds of speech impairments like slurring of speech, vocal dysphonia etc. People who are born deaf are usually also mute as they cannot hear and nor can they speak. Treating these defects in human beings needs some specialization. Professionals who specialise in this field are known as Speech Therapists or Speech Language Pathologists. They work with people who have speech disorders like inability to produce sounds, speech rhythm and fluency problems and also people who have swallowing disorders due to problems like cleft palate or other medical conditions which may be congenital, developmental or acquired.

Some of its specialized fields are -

• Evidence, Analysis and Interpretation.
• Speech Pathology Practice.
• Professional Issues, Education and Development.
• Cognitive Neuroscience of communication, Voice and Swallowing.
• Applied Linguistics.
• Speech Processing.
• Translation and Interpreting.

Content

The study of this field includes all or few of these –

1. Basic Human Anatomy and Physiology.
2. Psychology related to Speech and Hearing.
3. Voice and Laryngectomy.
4. Clinical Practicum in Speech-Language Pathology.

Objectives of Speech Therapy in India

• To help the cause of the society by bringing words into the worlds of mute people.
• To do something for humanity in a far reaching manner through innovations and ideas.
• To provide essential services to people of all ages and backgrounds in developing the vital human skill - communication.

Basic Requirements

Educational Qualification - Several courses on Speech Therapy are available for interested students. The basic courses are B.S.C (speech & hearing) and M.S.C (speech and hearing).

The qualifications required for pursuing a course in speech therapy are:

1. For pursuing a diploma course a candidate must pass the 10+2 examination.
2. An undergraduate course for three years requires a candidate to have passed the XIIth standard with English, Physics, Chemistry and Biology preferably with 50%-60% of marks. The cut off marks varies with institutes.
3. The post graduation course which is for three years requires the candidate to have completed graduation in the respective subject. The Speech Therapy Courses in India are offered in selected institutions where they train individuals to be speech therapists and audiologists.

Personal Attributes

A candidate pursuing a careers in Speech Therapy need to be emotionally strong as this field is emotionally demanding. A person should have lots of patience and have a knack for approaching problems objectively. Good listening skills and compassion are some other attributes one should have as a patient’s progress may be slow and erratic. They must have exceptional skills in observation, concentration, and record keeping. They should be able to effectively communicate diagnostic test results, interpretation, and proposed treatment in a manner easily understood by their patients, relatives and other staff.

Courses common to Speech Therapy and Audiology:

1. B.A.S.L.P - Bachelor in Audiology & Speech Language Pathology.
2. B.Sc. ASR - B.Sc Audiology & Speech Rehabilitation.
3. B.Sc - Speech & Hearing.
4. D.H.L.S - Diploma in Hearing, Language & Speech.
5. M.A.S.L.P - Master in Audiology & Speech Language Pathology.
6. M.Sc - Speech & Hearing.

Speech Therapy Colleges in India

1. All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysore University.
2. Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Sector 12, Chandigarh.
3. All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi.
4. J.M Institute of Speech & Hearing, Inderpuri, Keshrinagar, Patna.

Job Perspectives

A large part of the human population suffers from speech and hearing impairments. Such population needs specialists who can cure them or improve their abilities. It is here that the employment opportunities lie for the Speech Therapists. With growing awareness among the Indian people about the physically challenged people the job opportunities for speech therapist are on the rise. People now do not ignore speech defects; rather they want to correct them. Therefore speech therapists are in great demand in India. They can be appointed as practitioners in hospitals, teachers in institutions, they can be hired by social welfare departments of governmental as well as non-governmental organizations. The West has always been more liberal and has had a more liberal approach towards people with physical handicap. Along with speech therapists, speech language pathologists also find jobs in the west. In addition to defective speech, they also deal with the problems of cognition of speech, swallowing and other such related problems.

Remuneration

The starting salary for speech pathologist and audiologist is around Rs 5000/- per month initially and may go up to Rs 8000/-. The gross emoluments may sum up to Rs 10,000 - Rs 11,000 per month. Those in the teaching field may earn between Rs 7,000 - Rs.13,000 per month. For lecturers the pay scale lies between Rs 8,000 - 13,500 and the gross emoluments may go up to Rs 20,000 per month.

Some Job Types

• Audiologist.
• Program Director.
• Rehabilitation Counsellor.
• Sign Language Interpreter.
• Language Specialist.
• Linguist.
• Speech Pathologist.
• Assistant Practitioner.
• Teacher.
• Speech Therapy Researcher.
• Private Practitioner.

Some Employment Areas

• Hospitals.
• Rehabilitation Centres.
• Nursing Care Facilities.
• Home Health Agencies.
• Long-term Care Facilities.
• Research Labs.
• Centres for Persons with Developmental Disabilities.
• Public or Private Schools.
• Private Practice.
• Community Clinics.
• College/University.
• Health Department.
• Speech Therapy Equipment Manufacturers.
• Adult Day Care Facilities and Business.