Audiologist and Speech Pathologist

Overview

Audiologists and Speech Pathologists provide diagnostic assessment, treatment, rehabilitative services and management of human hearing defects, and communication and swallowing impairments.

Day-to-day

• administering and interpreting a wide range of audiometric tests to determine hearing efficiency and locate sites of detected hearing problems
• interpreting audiometric test results alongside other medical, social and behavioural diagnostic data
• evaluating total response pattern and acoustic tests to distinguish between organic and non-organic hearing loss
• planning, directing and participating in counselling, speech reading and other rehabilitation programs
• prescribing appropriate hearing aids and instructing patients in use
• administering tests and observing patients to determine nature and extent of disorders
• planning and conducting programs of remedial exercise to correct disorders such as stuttering and abnormal articulation
• administering individual and group therapy for rehabilitation of patients with communication problems caused by defective hearing, cerebral palsy, surgery and injury
• advising on treatment for children with difficulties in learning to speak
• counselling and guiding language-handicapped individuals, their families, teachers and employers.