Different Kinds of Health Care Workers
There are many different kinds of health care workers. They can be nurses, psychologists, therapists and others. It is important to know who you see and why you see them.
A physical therapist (PT) helps improve movement of your legs, arms, and other body parts. They also help people manage pain.
An occupational therapist (OT) helps people to do their daily living activities in the best way possible. They support people in doing things like eating, bathing, dressing, or walking.
A speech therapist (also called a speech language pathologist or SLP) helps people to speak more clearly or to communicate better, such as with a communication device or iPad to communicate.
A mental health specialist helps manage your feelings, such as if you are sad, anxious, or angry.
A psychiatrist is a doctor who treats mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They can also prescribe medication to make people feel better when they are sad, frustrated, or mad.
A psychologist treats mental health issues too but does not prescribe medication.
It is important to know what specialists you have been seeing. They may see you as an adult too.
You may have to find new specialists when you are an adult.
If you do have to find new specialists, you can change one at a time.
