Calling All SLPs: Thinking About Switching to Pediatrics?

Is a Pediatric Speech Therapy Job for You?

Pediatric speech therapy focuses on helping children develop the skills they need to grow into functional, independent adults. Physical impairment, injuries and a host of other issues can hamper a child’s ability to perform common tasks or progress normally through the stages of social or cognitive development. The longer a child goes without learning these skills, the more the problem compounds as the child ages—which makes the skills of a pediatric therapist critical to their patients.

Benefits of Switching from Adult Therapy to Pediatric Therapy Jobs

It is never too late for a career change, especially if that career change resides in the same industry as your current job. In fact, several of the speech therapists at Little Lukes started their career in nursing homes and hospitals.

Adult therapy offers a fulfilling career, but pediatrics offers benefits you are not able to get in any other setting. We interviewed one of our pediatric speech therapists who had formerly worked with adults, about why they switched and why they love working in pediatrics. According to Heather M., Little Lukes Speech Language Pathologist, here are the main benefits of choosing or switching to an SLP career in pediatric therapy.

 

 

Heather M., Little Lukes Speech Language Pathologist

Q: What settings have you worked in?

Heather: I worked in Nursing Home settings for the first 2 years of my career, Early Intervention/Itinerant for 2.5 years, and now I have been working in preschool at Little Lukes DeWitt for the past 2 years.

Q: What do you like most about working in the pediatric or preschool setting?

Heather: I enjoy working in pediatrics because it's fun, challenging, and unpredictable! I enjoy helping kids communicate for the first time and I love seeing joy on the caregiver's face when the child is able to communicate with them.

Q: What made you want to switch settings and work with kids versus adults?

Heather: I switched from working with adults to children because I enjoy working with children and their families to improve their lives at home, at school and in the community. It's very rewarding to see growth and progress in the children as well as the caregivers and family units. I found Nursing Homes to be rewarding in other ways, but I have always been interested in working with young children and families.

Q: How has working with kids changed your perspective?  (life/goals/work/therapy)

Heather: Working with kids has changed my perspective by reminding me that simple things can be fun and even the tiniest improvements can be monumental when it comes to communication.

Q: Why would you encourage new grad therapists to work for a pediatric therapy preschool like Little Lukes?

Heather: I would highly recommend working with children birth-5 years if you enjoy seeing any amount of growth and progress and if you enjoy working closely with family members and providing education to help communication at home.

Best Preschool and Schools for Speech Language Pathologist Jobs

Little Lukes is a leading Syracuse and Oswego County education provider with five inclusion preschool locations. The early education program includes credentialed and caring staff that specializes in comprehensive infant, toddler and pre-kindergarten development. Additional services include pediatric speech therapy, pediatric physical therapy and pediatric occupational therapy. Preschool locations include Dewitt (East Syracuse), Baldwinsville (Radisson), Oswego, Fulton, and Pulaski.

For information about Little Lukes, please contact us at https://www.littlelukes.com/contact.html