Speech and language therapy is the management of disorders of speech, language, voice, communication and swallowing in children and adults. Speech & Language Therapists work closely with parents, carers, and other healthcare professionals to provide holistic care and management of patients. They also liaise with other agencies to further manage the needs of their patients, for example, liaising with the school teacher or the Speech and Language Therapist from Ministry of Education to overcome the patient's difficulties in the school setting.

A Speech and Language Therapist is able to adapt and tailor therapeutic approaches to suit the individual needs of the patients with the opportunity to share knowledge and experience by developing programmes and providing training to early childhood education providers, schools and community agencies.

What skills and knowledge does a Speech and Language Therapist possess

• Knowledge of normal and delayed speech and language development
• Skill in managing speech and language needs in a variety of settings
• Knowledge of physiology, neurology and anatomy of the human body
• Understanding of how speech-language needs affect how children learn
• Knowledge of psychology and education theory and child development
• Knowledge of community and family support services
• Excellent communication, teaching, research, planning and administration skills

• Babies with feeding and swallowing difficulties,
• Children with speech and language difficulties, learning difficulties, neuro-developmental disorders, voice disorders and hearing impairment,
• Adults with communication and swallowing disorders following a stroke or neurological impariment,
• Elderly patients with compromised nutrition as a result of feeding and swallowing disorders.

A. Hospital Based:

• Raja Isteri Pengiran Anak Saleha Hospital which is the country's tertiary teaching hospital
• Suri Seri Begawan Hospital which is a district hospital

B. Community Based:

• Kiarong Child Development Centre is a one-stop referral centre for paediatric cases with multiple disorders, some of the areas of specialty are:
• Hearing impairment in children
• Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders
• Cleft lip and/or palate and other cranio-facial anomalies
• Swallowing disorders secondary to a variety of aetiologies
• Voice disorders

Minimum Entry Requirements
Prospective students can pursue this career by completing a Bachelor's Degree in Speech and Language Therapy (3 or 4 years full time depending on the country of institution). Courses are offered in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, United States of America and Canada.

The entry requirements vary for each university in different countries, but most will typically require:

• 5 GCE 'O' Level passes at grade C or better including Mathematics and English
• 3 GCE 'A' Level passes with a minimum grade B or better including Mathematics, English and Science.

Upon graduation, registration to an official speech therapy association (such as Americal Speech-Language-Hearing Association), or Speech Pathology Australia, or the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists) is an advantage.

Futher enquiries
For more information, please contact:

Head of Speech & Language Therapy Unit

Specialist Building

RIPAS Hospital