Autism and speech therapy | Autism Speaks [Video]

May is Better Hearing & Speech Month, and speech-language pathologists Gail Richard and Donna Murray would like to take this opportunity to highlight the important services that a speech-language pathologist can provide for someone who has autism.

What is a speech-language pathologist?

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) have masters or doctoral training in speech-language pathology. They’ve completed a clinical fellowship and participated in continuing education. They are licensed by the state where they practice or hold teacher certification. Most also hold a certificate of clinical competence from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

You may have heard speech-language pathologists referred to as “speech therapists.” We prefer the term speech-language pathologist because it better describes our training and the broad range of services we can provide. Many SLPs specialize in particular areas. So it’s important to find one with training and experience helping children and/or adults with autism.

The speech-language pathologist’s most-familiar role involves helping someone produce speech – making sounds, speaking words, …