yugi2429
Dec 23, 2016
Graduate / Understanding neurogenic disorders. SOP - Applying for Masters in Speech Language Pathology. [4]
"My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn't prevent you doing well, and don't regret the things it interferes with. Don't be disabled in spirit as well as physically." -Stephen Hawking
Always wondering and baffled while looking at people who stuttered, with just one thinking in mind, why can't they talk slowly which would make it easy for others to understand and for them to communicate effectively but never did I know that the main cause of stuttering could range from heredity to stress to even neurogenic disorders such as stroke. My grandmother was diagnosed with Dementia/Alzheimer's. I knew it was about the memory but always wondered why her speech got altered as she would never communicate. During this time, it was mere curiosity that was building up.
Coming to United States for Bachelors was itself a big leap, to encounter the different dialects/accents that were used to speak a single common language. The language that I spoke since years, seemed much different when communicating with colleagues. No sooner did I learn that there was a term called the "accent reduction", therapy carried out specially to reduce one's thick accent. This specifically grabbed my attention towards the speech, language and hearing field and made me start taking classes pertaining to the field like Introduction to speech and hearing sciences, Phonetics etc. After taking up this major, I was exposed to different aspects of communication such as disorders, connection between the ear, nose and throat, Functioning and working of the same, enhancing language etc. My first lecture, Phonetics, with Professor, Mary Lou Cancio provided the basic foundation of language and speech. In the most interesting and exciting way I learnt that Place, Manner and voicing were the basics of speech. Due to these fundamentals the correct pronunciation could be learnt. Using the knowledge learned in phonetics and putting it into use/experimenting with it was a daily notion which not only helped me reduce my thick accent but it was easier for me to communicate with my colleagues and built up confidence and interested me to learn further in detail.
I was able to understand the working, the connection and every other minute details of the functioning of the ears, nose and throat from Anatomy and physiology class taught by Prof Sabrina Ni. And the most interesting subject Neurology, taught by Dr. Roberts, was the one that exposed me to a whole different world where the different disorders, were spoken and very well explained. Another interesting Subject, Audiology with Dr. Cavazos, not only helped learn the medical aspects of hearing loss but it gave me the practical knowledge due to the observations and lab work.
Towards the last semester, I was able to acquire a job as a vocational job coach with Wayfinders-which is a non-profit organization affiliated/part of California State University, Fresno. My duty as a job coach made me gain, hands on experience with intellectual and developmental disability. I have learnt and grown with knowledge given by my mentor, Leslie Shirakawa, who has always been there to guide me with the methods/ways to tackle/handle situation and support the students in a way that would be easier for them to understand and follow. Her idea of letting me use my own way, helped me learn effective ways to communicate and device an algorithm for the students to help them solve situations, understand work ethic and most importantly being independent. This job made me ardor, working with adults with disabilities. It was more of a challenge to make them achieve their goals in a short stipulated semester time that they had at a particular job. I was able to understand the different disorders ranging from Williamsons disease, ASD, Phenylketonuria, Hurlers syndrome, Dyspraxia, Dysarthria, Dysphagia etc. due to these adults and could understand the details about the disorders by observing in person and learned through daily conversations and being around them.
After graduating with Bachelors in Speech language pathology, I was able to be a part of "A is for Apple", a company which provides service on the autism spectrum, as an ABA therapist. I was introduced to kiddos who were barely two years old which shook me as I had been amongst the adult group so far. Having my first session with a severely autistic Kiddo, in addition with Apraxia of the mouth was a challenge to me. Everyday I get to learn new things about/from him. It is always interesting to see his ORAL PLACEMENT THERAPY (OPT) everyday, which is done to stimulate his motor skills for speech. Not just this but being autistic, I get to see various behaviors everyday. And I have successfully learned the different ways that help to calm him down. His anxiousness, his jumping, his hyper behavior all are for a reason which he portrays as expressions that he wants to feel or convey. Working with him, has made me go deep with the ASD topic providing me knowledge about tactile approaches, sensory tools (different shaped straws used to drink water) that help to calm the behaviors and stimulate motor movements.
Being with varied age groups with different disorders has made me grow to a level where stressful situations could be dealt with and deadlines are always met. It is always challenging since you are not aware of what behavior could be encountered but have to be able to tactfully reason them out.
Being in this surrounding for about a year and a half to two years, with age groups ranging from two to twenty seven has helped me gain an overall idea and good experience when it comes to disorders, speech, Autism Spectrum etc. which has finally made me to understand that Speech language and hearing is something that I am really inclined towards and would want to expand my knowledge by learning more. By graduating with master in Speech language and hearing I am keen on working as a Medical speech therapist with specifications in topics like neonatal swallowing disorders, Apraxia, Stroke victims, cancer victims etc. I have loved working with the kiddo's since its more challenging and gets you to keep thinking into different techniques to work with them, but I would want to work with the older population since I also want to gain knowledge about the effects on throat due to substance abuse, for those who are cancer victims and stroke patients.
I have understood that your university is respected for the neurogenic disorders and It would an excellent platform to gain knowledge specific to the interest.
I've met different disorders
"My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn't prevent you doing well, and don't regret the things it interferes with. Don't be disabled in spirit as well as physically." -Stephen Hawking
Always wondering and baffled while looking at people who stuttered, with just one thinking in mind, why can't they talk slowly which would make it easy for others to understand and for them to communicate effectively but never did I know that the main cause of stuttering could range from heredity to stress to even neurogenic disorders such as stroke. My grandmother was diagnosed with Dementia/Alzheimer's. I knew it was about the memory but always wondered why her speech got altered as she would never communicate. During this time, it was mere curiosity that was building up.
Coming to United States for Bachelors was itself a big leap, to encounter the different dialects/accents that were used to speak a single common language. The language that I spoke since years, seemed much different when communicating with colleagues. No sooner did I learn that there was a term called the "accent reduction", therapy carried out specially to reduce one's thick accent. This specifically grabbed my attention towards the speech, language and hearing field and made me start taking classes pertaining to the field like Introduction to speech and hearing sciences, Phonetics etc. After taking up this major, I was exposed to different aspects of communication such as disorders, connection between the ear, nose and throat, Functioning and working of the same, enhancing language etc. My first lecture, Phonetics, with Professor, Mary Lou Cancio provided the basic foundation of language and speech. In the most interesting and exciting way I learnt that Place, Manner and voicing were the basics of speech. Due to these fundamentals the correct pronunciation could be learnt. Using the knowledge learned in phonetics and putting it into use/experimenting with it was a daily notion which not only helped me reduce my thick accent but it was easier for me to communicate with my colleagues and built up confidence and interested me to learn further in detail.
I was able to understand the working, the connection and every other minute details of the functioning of the ears, nose and throat from Anatomy and physiology class taught by Prof Sabrina Ni. And the most interesting subject Neurology, taught by Dr. Roberts, was the one that exposed me to a whole different world where the different disorders, were spoken and very well explained. Another interesting Subject, Audiology with Dr. Cavazos, not only helped learn the medical aspects of hearing loss but it gave me the practical knowledge due to the observations and lab work.
Towards the last semester, I was able to acquire a job as a vocational job coach with Wayfinders-which is a non-profit organization affiliated/part of California State University, Fresno. My duty as a job coach made me gain, hands on experience with intellectual and developmental disability. I have learnt and grown with knowledge given by my mentor, Leslie Shirakawa, who has always been there to guide me with the methods/ways to tackle/handle situation and support the students in a way that would be easier for them to understand and follow. Her idea of letting me use my own way, helped me learn effective ways to communicate and device an algorithm for the students to help them solve situations, understand work ethic and most importantly being independent. This job made me ardor, working with adults with disabilities. It was more of a challenge to make them achieve their goals in a short stipulated semester time that they had at a particular job. I was able to understand the different disorders ranging from Williamsons disease, ASD, Phenylketonuria, Hurlers syndrome, Dyspraxia, Dysarthria, Dysphagia etc. due to these adults and could understand the details about the disorders by observing in person and learned through daily conversations and being around them.
After graduating with Bachelors in Speech language pathology, I was able to be a part of "A is for Apple", a company which provides service on the autism spectrum, as an ABA therapist. I was introduced to kiddos who were barely two years old which shook me as I had been amongst the adult group so far. Having my first session with a severely autistic Kiddo, in addition with Apraxia of the mouth was a challenge to me. Everyday I get to learn new things about/from him. It is always interesting to see his ORAL PLACEMENT THERAPY (OPT) everyday, which is done to stimulate his motor skills for speech. Not just this but being autistic, I get to see various behaviors everyday. And I have successfully learned the different ways that help to calm him down. His anxiousness, his jumping, his hyper behavior all are for a reason which he portrays as expressions that he wants to feel or convey. Working with him, has made me go deep with the ASD topic providing me knowledge about tactile approaches, sensory tools (different shaped straws used to drink water) that help to calm the behaviors and stimulate motor movements.
Being with varied age groups with different disorders has made me grow to a level where stressful situations could be dealt with and deadlines are always met. It is always challenging since you are not aware of what behavior could be encountered but have to be able to tactfully reason them out.
Being in this surrounding for about a year and a half to two years, with age groups ranging from two to twenty seven has helped me gain an overall idea and good experience when it comes to disorders, speech, Autism Spectrum etc. which has finally made me to understand that Speech language and hearing is something that I am really inclined towards and would want to expand my knowledge by learning more. By graduating with master in Speech language and hearing I am keen on working as a Medical speech therapist with specifications in topics like neonatal swallowing disorders, Apraxia, Stroke victims, cancer victims etc. I have loved working with the kiddo's since its more challenging and gets you to keep thinking into different techniques to work with them, but I would want to work with the older population since I also want to gain knowledge about the effects on throat due to substance abuse, for those who are cancer victims and stroke patients.
I have understood that your university is respected for the neurogenic disorders and It would an excellent platform to gain knowledge specific to the interest.