SLP News Issue 10

Research

• Developmental/behavioral training innovation in a high-need, low-resource state: The child health and development promotion fellowship.
  December 12th, 2022
  Developmental and behavioral problems are prevalent in early childhood, whereas the workforce available to identify and address early problems is comparatively limited. Beyond workforce shortages, additional barriers to developing and training a highly skilled workforce in this area exist—particularly in rural, high-need, and underserved U.S. states. As the health care landscape emphasizes expertise in interdisciplinary care, training approaches that provide intensive learning opportunities for supporting a skilled early childhood developmental workforce necessitate novel training approaches.
• Going thirsty for the turtles: Plastic straw bans, people with swallowing disability, and Sustainable Development Goal 14, Life Below Water
  December 9th, 2022
  This paper relates to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Life Below Water (SDG 14) and the need to consider Better Health and Well-Being (SDG 3) in interventions designed to reduce plastic straw waste. The aim of this paper is to explore the competing demands of saving the world’s oceans and sea life from plastic straw waste, and simultaneously meeting the health and social needs of people with swallowing or physical disability who use plastic straws for drinking.
• Interdisciplinary considerations for diagnosing aphasia in the schizoaffective patient: A case report
  December 9th, 2022
  Patients with schizophrenia present with both cognitive impairment as well as language difficulties. There are similarities in the language output of patients with schizophrenia and patients with aphasia, thus a differential diagnosis of patients who present with a question of dual diagnoses can be a clinical challenge. This case report highlights the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to a patient with schizophrenia who benefitted from intervention from both psychiatry and speech–language pathology services due to the patient's unique verbal output.
• Developing social-ABI-lity: an online course to support safe use of social media for connection after acquired brain injury
  December 9th, 2022
  People who have an acquired brain injury (ABI) experience challenges using social media. Inversely, rehabilitation clinicians report feeling inadequately prepared to support them in its use. We aimed to develop a collaboratively designed, evidence-based online training resource to support people with an ABI to learn about using social media. Key recommendations for course design have previously been identified through a mixed methods approach, including (a) qualitative exploration of the experiences of people who use social media after ABI, (b) a scoping review to identify key features and effective teaching approaches from existing social media skills training programs.
• Day-to-Day Variability of Clinical Feeding and Swallowing Performance in School-Age Self-Feeding Children With Cerebral Palsy
  December 9th, 2022
  We aimed to examine the day-to-day variability of feeding and swallowing performance and mealtime duration in school-age self-feeding children with spastic cerebral palsy (SCP) across 15 days.
• Understanding and Supporting Students Who Stutter: A Guide for Special Educators
  December 8th, 2022
  Stuttering is a common disorder addressed by speech-language pathologists in elementary schools. Although students who stutter likely receive specialized services from speech-language pathologists, other school personnel, including special and general educators, play a key role in creating supportive and positive learning environments for these students. Most special education teachers, however, receive little or no information about stuttering. Yet, because special educators collaborate and consult regularly with general educators, they are well positioned to communicate essential information about supports that can be provided.
• A Framework for Integrating Speech-Language Pathology in an Interdisciplinary Awake Craniotomy Program for Brain Tumor Resection
  December 8th, 2022
  The aim of this work was to detail the interdisciplinary awake craniotomy program model at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center integrating speech-language pathology and neuropsychology in the pre-, intra-, and postoperative settings to monitor and maximize expressive and receptive language skills among patients undergoing brain tumor resection.
• Speech Intervention for Children With Cleft Palate Using Principles of Motor Learning
  December 7th, 2022
  This is a pilot study to apply an articulatory kinematic speech intervention that uses the principles of motor learning (PML) to improve speech and resonance outcomes for children with cleft palate. It is hypothesized that (a) treatment that applies select PML during practice will improve production of treated phonemes, representing both active and inconsistent passive errors, at word level in children with cleft palate; (b) effects of practice on phonemes with active or inconsistent passive errors will generalize to untreated exemplars of treated phonemes; and (c) learning will be retained for at least 1-month posttreatment.

Podcasts

• Building a Sellable Private Practice with Craig Goldslager
  December 12th, 2022
  Did you know that private practices are sellable assets? That means that when you’re ready, you don’t have to close your doors and give away everything you’ve worked for, you can sell your private practice and enjoy a payday!
• 2022 Spotlight on Disability-Focused Businesses and Online Accessibility
  December 11th, 2022
  For our Xceptional Leaders 2022 finale episode, Mai Ling and James share some thoughts and observations on the new National Disability Institute report, Small Business Ownership by People with Disabilities: Challenges and Opportunities. They also share some highlights from past podcast guests that pertain to some of the points addressed in the NDI report. We think you’ll enjoy this part retrospective, part state-of-the-industry discussion as we cap off the year and look forward to 2023.
• 259 – Safety, Growth, and Nourishment: The Truth About Baby-Led Weaning with Jill Rabin
  December 9th, 2022
  In this episode of SYP, I have a conversation with Jill Rabin M.S. CCC-SLP/L IBCLC, the creator of the Adapted Baby Led Weaning Approach and co-author of the book, Your Baby Can Self-Feed, Too: Adapted Baby-Led Weaning for Children with Developmental Delays or Other Feeding Challenges. Jill is passionate about helping children with PFD not only overcome their immediate challenges but also preventing additional challenges down the line for these tiny clients.
• Marge Blanc & Alexandria Zachos (Part 2): Supporting Gestalt Language Processing With AAC
  December 8th, 2022
  This week, we present Part 2 of Chris and Rachel's interview with Marge Blanc and Alexandria Zachos, two SLPs who have written and presented about the Natural Language Acquisition framework (NLA) and Gestalt Language Processing. The NLA framework looks at the different ways that people, especially people with autism, develop language. One important aspect of this is “gestalts”which are strings of language that can be long or short, and are often tied to an emotional, meaningful, or dramatic experience. This portion of the interview focuses on Stage 2, 3, and 4 of the NLA framework and how these stages can inform our practices with AAC. To learn more about Stage 1, listen to Part 1 of this episode here.
• How to Use Picture Scenes for Mixed Groups in Speech Therapy
  December 6th, 2022
  Today, I'll be discussing how to use picture scenes for mixed groups in speech therapy. I think it’s important to acknowledge that mixed groups are really tough, and I hope today’s episode gives you some new ideas and encouragement. Go here to access the show notes: https://bit.ly/TSSEP102
• Building a Practice With Time for Advocacy and Self-Care with Samantha Taylor
  December 5th, 2022
  In this episode of Private Practice Success Stories, I sat down with Samantha Taylor to talk about how she started her private practice as a way to get more balance in her life to have more time to focus on her son and create advocacy for other children like him.
• 258-Advocacy, Flexibility, and Mental Health: Supporting Today’s SLP Grad Students with Sam Walker MS CCC-SLP, TSSLD
  December 2nd, 2022
  When you think back on your grad school experience, does it stir up happiness and joy or anxiety and stress? Most SLPs will lean towards the latter, and that’s just the way grad school is… It’s highly competitive to get into grad school and the competition and quest for perfection doesn’t end with an acceptance letter. The pressure felt by grad students is intense and often anxiety-inducing. (Anyone else still have dreams about forgetting to turn in an assignment?) That’s just the way it is. It’s been this way for generations of SLPs… but does it have to be?In this episode of SYP, I have a conversation with Sam Walker, MS, CCC-SLP, TSSLD about her experience in working with grad students through her programs, SLP Test Prep, SLP Grad Club, and SLP Grad Guide.

Blogs

• How to Encourage Early Literacy at Home
  December 14th, 2022
  It's never too soon to begin encouraging your child to read! Literacy skills are incredibly powerful in shaping language and communication skills in early years, and these skills can deliver benefits for a lifetime! Read on to discover how to promote early literacy growth at home, in ways both large and small.
• 14 Ways to Keep Reading FUN with a 2 Year Old
  December 12th, 2022
  Do you keep reading fun when reading to your children at home? Reading with your child is so important but sometimes it can feel daunting, depending on the child’s age.
• A short guide to cultural responsiveness in speech-language therapy
  December 6th, 2022
  Culturally responsive practice is the awareness of one’s own culture and how it impacts your perception of the world. It is also the willingness to actively learn and adapt your therapy practice to others’ cultures, perspectives, and experiences. Cultural responsiveness is a journey, not a destination, that requires continued learning and growth. Culture includes one’s language/dialect, socioeconomic status, religious affiliation, sexuality and gender, age, ethnicity, and more.

Legislation

• Now Available: ASHA’s Analysis of 2023 Medicare Fee Schedule for Audiologists and Speech-Language Pathologists
  December 8th, 2022
  ASHA's 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) resources for audiologists and speech-language pathologists (SLPs) are now available on the Medicare outpatient payment webpage. The MPFS establishes Medicare Part B policies and payment rates for outpatient audiology and speech-language pathology services.
• Congress Sends Newborn Hearing Screening Bill to President’s Desk
  December 6th, 2022
  The House and Senate have passed the Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Act (S. 4052) and sent the bill to President Biden to sign into law. Over the past two years, ASHA has advocated for legislation that reauthorizes support for state-based hearing screening efforts under the EHDI program (which was set to expire at the end of 2022), and addresses disparities in pediatric hearing health care. ASHA is pleased that Congress was able to pass this critical legislation before year’s end and commends the leadership of Representatives Brett Guthrie (R-KY) and Doris Matsui (D-CA), and Senators Rob Portman (R-OH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA).