How to Become an Infant Feeding and Swallowing Training Speech Language Pathologist

An Infant Feeding and Swallowing Speech Language Pathologist works with parents and medical professionals to resolve eating issues for a baby. Feeding issues for an infant can range from selectivity to refusal to eat. The pathologist works to improve the nutrition, swallowing, feeding and growth challenges of an infant. A speech language pathologist may evaluate the infant for a special diet, appropriate feeding device or a tailored method to eat. With this career, a speech language pathologist can specialize in make eating fun and enjoyable for infants of all abilities.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Master's degree in speech language pathology
• State license in speech pathology

1. Obtain a master's degree in speech language pathology. Courses involve anatomy, physiology and human development. A bachelor's in speech language pathology prepares you for a master's program.

2. Gain clinical experience and practice infant feeding and swallowing by job shadowing another speech language pathologist in this specialty. Most universities have a program with local hospitals to connect you with speech therapists who will assist you in gaining clinical work. You can also contact a hospital and ask to speak with the speech language pathologists on staff. Many speech therapists are willing to let you observe their work.

3. Obtain certification from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, ASHA, in the area of infant feeding and swallowing. Go to asha.org (see Resources below) to get full details on certification. You will then need a state license in the area you want to practice. Your university or ASHA both have the contact information you need to take a state license exam.

4. Gain experience through a hospital or other care facility in writing up treatment programs for infants. When you job shadow with a speech language pathologist, ask them to let you practice writing up treatments under their review. Review treatment plans from several speech therapists to asses what method you will use.

5. Find employment through local hospitals, nurse care facilities, schools or physicians. You can also browse job openings from ASHA on its website, or contact your university's career center.

Tips & Warnings

• Be able to explain care and therapy to parents in terms they'll understand--avoid jargon.
• If you have an aversion to seeing infants spit up during treatment, this is not the specialty for you. You need to enjoy working with infants and their parents. This may also require working with a mother in nursing her infant, a situation you must be comfortable with.

Resources

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association

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