A speech language pathologist (SLP) works with a wide range of diverse children. As an SLP in a school, inpatient, or outpatient setting, you work with children with communication disorders and their entire families.  A disorder or disability can impact the entire family, both positively and negatively. It is the SLP’s job to address the patient’s needs, but also to provide information, resources, and counseling to the family members of their patients. When first getting a diagnosis of a disorder/disability, families encounter many emotions: fear, sadness, anger, uncertainty, grief, etc. According to Mary Friehe, “When a child is diagnosed with a communication disorder, family members often are confused and in shock. They are not prepared for the challenges associated with a long-term communication disorder, and family-focused resources are not readily accessible. The sense of loss related to the diagnosis may provoke a grief reaction, which, if not resolved, could lead to depression and other problems for the family and the child”.

Speech language pathologists are committed to working with families to best meet their patients’ needs. Parents and families play integral roles in their children’s therapy and development, are often the children’s strongest advocates, and can provide SLP’s with critical information about their child’s development, culture, etc. “As part of the team of specialists who work with a family throughout the phases of diagnosis and intervention, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) need to understand the impact on the family of a sense of loss that may accompany a communication disorder diagnosis and how best to assist with coping strategies” (Stone, 1992). The SLP functions as a counselor and educator whose role is to help the family adapt (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association [ASHA], 1999).

SLP’s play an important role in helping children communicate effectively, but in order to provide the most effective interventions and therapies, a collaborative relationship must be established with the young patients’ families. Not only is it important to understand the role that families play in overcoming communication disorders, it is also important to understand that there are numerous communication disorders, all with their own implications, affecting children and families in different ways and requiring individualized therapies and interventions. With each patient, an SLP must create a plan of care that is tailored to the patient and his/her family. As I explore communication disorders more, my goal is to discuss one disorder at a time, how that disorder can affect children and their families, and what specific interventions and resources are available to them.