Know the Key Differences Between Speech Therapists & Audiologists

You have heard about speech therapists and audiologists and must have thought, “Wait! What do they exactly do?” Are they the same or different? It’s a common question. It might look like their jobs were similar, but they have entirely varying ways of helping people. A speech therapist helps people who have difficulties in speaking, understanding words, or swallowing. In contrast, an audiologist specializes in attempting to aid persons with various hearing problems, that is, hearing tests and hearing aids. The distinction between the two roles is outlined in this blog.

Let’s get started!

Who is a Speech Therapist?

An SLT (a speech therapist, also known as a speech-language pathologist) is a person who helps others who have difficulty with talking or understanding words, or in extreme cases, swallowing. Thus, a speech therapist solves the following problems:

Speech dysfunctions Assisting people faced with the problems of stuttering or being unable to articulate specific sounds.
Language problems: Assist the people who find it difficult to create sentences or cannot understand what others say.
Voice disorders: Serve the people who have trouble with the quality of their voice or who feel pain when they are talking.
Swallowing disorders: Coach the people who find it impossible to swallow accurately liquid or solid food items.

Example: Suppose a child encounters language disorders. It implies they will have difficulty uttering certain words properly. They are also able to substitute “wice” for “rice”, for example. The speech therapist is the one who will accompany and instruct the child through an array of games where he/she can practice his/her speech production thus achieving improved pronunciation. But in the case of someone whose speaking ability has been weakened because of a stroke and his/her speech is neither fluent nor clear, a speech therapist can assist him/her in reaching those words again.

What Does an Audiologist Do?

An Audiologist is an expert in hearing and balance-related problems and has a professional license to treat the same. They are very well trained provide patient-centred care and give tailor-made interventions. Here are which skills audiologists perform:

Hearing tests: Determining how well someone can hear.
Hearing aids: Guiding people in picking the right hearing aids and showing them the right way to use them.
Ear problems: Working with clients experiencing imbalance, movement, and dizziness issues from ear pathological conditions.
Preserving hearing: Rearing people with the knowledge of how to keep their ears in good condition.

Just think, your child has a problem with hearing when you talk to him. So, by asking an audiologist, your son can be examined, and in case necessary, a hearing aid can be placed, depending on the severity of the condition. If any unusual sound is coming from the ears, that can be handled by an audiologist as well.

Speech Therapist vs. Audiologist

Let’s look at how speech therapists and audiologists are different:

Speech Therapist	Audiologist
Helps with talking, understanding, and swallowing.	Focuses on hearing and ear health.
Works with people who stutter or can’t say words clearly.	Helps people who can’t hear well or have ear ringing.
Works in schools, hospitals, or clinics	Often works in clinics or hospitals.
Focuses on the brain’s language part.	Focuses on the ears and hearing.

See how they’re like a tag team? Both are super important, but they help in different ways.

When Is a Speech Therapist Needed?

Given below are the causes why someone may require the services of a professional speech therapist:

A child who has not yet started talking.
Someone who stutters.
Someone who has had a stroke and is learning to speak again.
Kids with autism need help in communication.
Anyone who has trouble swallowing food or drinks.

Speech therapists usually work with children, though they also assist adults. For an instance, someone with Parkinson’s disease may need assistance in speaking. Or, a child who cannot drink or swallow anything properly may need therapy. In case you are someone in need of this therapy or you know someone who does, take a look at Continua Kids. It has expert speech therapists who can help them step by step.

When Do You Need an Audiologist?

If you’re experiencing the following, perhaps you should see an audiologist:

You are recommended to get hearing aids or to take action to preserve your hearing function. Audiologists deal with all age groups too. For instance, a teenager playing music too loudly who suspects hearing loss will benefit from seeing an audiologist. Moreover, a newborn baby that did not pass a hearing test at birth would need close attention. Audiologists handle ear-related cases.

When Speech Therapists and Audiologists Collaborate?

Speech therapists collaborate with audiologists to help these people overcome hearing and speech problems. Yet another frequent example often occurs when hearing-impaired children face trouble learning to talk. The speech therapist and audiologist can then collaborate to solve the issue.

Here comes yet another example. Suppose there is a person who cannot hear clearly due to hearing loss and consequently finds it difficult to understand the speech. The audiologist might give him the benefit of a hearing aid, and a speech therapist might help him through the process of verbal speaking. They complement each other as a cohesive unit.

How to Choose Who to See

This is a simple way to choose:

If it is talking (speaking), understanding, or swallowing issues, a speech therapist is suitable for you.

However, if it is just about hearing or ear problems, it’s better to visit an audiologist.

Even when you are not sure, explain the symptoms to a doctor. The doctors typically work in a team with the specialists mentioned above, which means that they will be able to help you find the right one.

At Continua Kids, we have such talented speech therapists, who can make the process of communication easy and fun. We employ different activities and games, enabling them to become more confident while also enhancing their skills. For instance, Our goal is always to make people happy and boost their self-esteem.

Quick Recap

Speech therapists are there for your children if they need any assistance in speaking, understanding, and swallowing. Their hearing and ear-related problems are treated by audiologists. Both of them are important and they help people in different ways. At this point, you know the distinction between a speech therapist and an audiologist. It is great knowing all the things they do, isn’t it?

Sometimes, these experts even work together to give people the best care possible. Whether it’s fitting a hearing aid or helping someone speak clearly, they each play a vital role in improving lives. Always consult a doctor or specialist to guide you in choosing the right help for your needs.