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Credit(s): PDHs: 3.5, ASHA CEUs*: 0.35
Summary: This SIG 5 activity includes three articles from a forum aimed at sharing research conducted in clinical settings around the world. Two research articles analyzed surgical and parent-led therapy approaches for improved speech and resonance outcomes. A third tutorial described characteristics needed in an evaluation to analyze clinically obtained data for research purposes. The first research article is based in Brazil. It demonstrates positive long-term outcomes in children with hypernasality/velopharyngeal dysfunction using the Sommerlad procedure of palatal re-repair to treat residual velopharyngeal insufficiency. The reported scores were in the categories of: “hypernasality, global impression of velopharyngeal function, and/or active speech symptoms.” Overall, this study shows significant improvement in a large percentage of children, with less effect on older individuals ages 17–22 years. The second research article includes parents from a previously published twocenter study in Ireland and the United Kingdom. The aim was to analyze parents’ experiences with parent-led articulation therapy (PLAT) following in-depth training. After a detailed outline is provided regarding inclusion and teaching of the participants, four main themes are identified. These include growth of parents, undertaking PLAT, changes in children, and the future. Ultimately, the majority of parents are in favor of a parent-led therapy approach with the caveat that in-depth training and direct supervision from a speech-language pathologist is needed. The third article, a tutorial, addresses the research–clinical practice gap. A description is provided of a perceptual speech assessment protocol for cleft palate speech, to enable clinical data to be used for research purposes. The article provides detail related to determining the most appropriate standardized assessment tools as well as the best ways to collect and analyze this data. Further details related to implementation within the clinical setting are outlined. The data is easily accessible through networking between cleft teams and Sweden’s national cleft lip and palate registry, making retrospective research attainable in a clinical setting.
Credit(s): PDHs: 2.5, ASHA CEUs*: 0.25
Summary: In this SIG 2 activity, participants explore innovative articles regarding a range of topics in the assessment and treatment of motor speech disorders. The first article describes a case of anarthria in which the speech-language pathologist thoroughly described the patient’s motor speech presentation, thereby contributing to his overall neurologic diagnosis. The second article examines the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), a promising method of eliciting behavior change through brain stimulation, on the speech of individuals with Parkinson’s disease. The third article explores the speech and language profiles of children with apraxia of speech as their primary diagnosis, as compared to children with other concomitant diagnoses.
Credit(s): PDHs: 3.0, ASHA CEUs*: 0.3
Summary: This quartet of SIG 13 articles provides information regarding managing and treating dysphagia in the adult population. Caileen Harvey, Rachel Flemming, Julia Davis, and Victoria Reynolds investigate International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative implementation issues by surveying health care professionals in health care facilities in rural Upstate New York. Ankita M. Bhutada, William A. Broughton, Brenda L. Beverly, Dahye Choi, Sandip Barui, and Kendrea L. (Focht) Garand aim to identify the prevalence of dysphagia and reflux reported symptoms in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and determine associations between symptoms and demographic and clinical variables. Stevie Marvin summarizes published research on screening, evaluating, and treating post-extubation dysphagia in the intensive care unit. Rebekah Guastella, Stefania Oppedisano, Luis F. Riquelme, and Ashwini M. Namasivayam-MacDonald study bolus location at swallow onset, stage transition, pharyngeal transition duration, pharyngeal response duration, and pharyngeal phase duration between cued and uncued swallowing conditions in patients with dementia.
Credit(s): PDHs: 2.5, ASHA CEUs*: 0.25
Summary: This assemblage of articles provides information on interesting topics encountered in adult dysphagia practice. Aarthi Madhavan, Nicole Shuman, Claire Snyder, and Nicole Etter provide insight on the comparative consistency of the Eating Assessment Tool and Sydney Swallow Questionnaire scores for self-reported swallowing difficulties in a group of community-dwelling older adults completing both questionnaires. Georgina Papadopoulos-Nydam, Jana Maureen Rieger, and Gabriela Constantinescu evaluate the usability of a mobile health (mHealth) system designed for dysphagia exercise in persons with a history of stroke. Renata Mancopes, Fernanda Borowsky da Rosa, Lidia Lis Tomasi, Adriane S. Pasqualoto, and Catriona M. Steele demonstrate concern for people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and share information regarding dysphagia in people with COPD, synthesizing knowledge both from the literature and from studies performed in the context of a multidisciplinary clinical pulmonary rehabilitation program abroad. Additionally, Talia H. Schwartz brings to light the importance and utility of the clinical swallow evaluation while caring for patients with COVID-19.
Credit(s): PDHs: 1.0, ASHA CEUs*: 0.1
Summary: These SIG 2 articles focus on clinical assessment and practices for individuals with aphasia. Topics covered included challenges associated with diagnosing primary progressive aphasia (PPA) and the impact of adaptive yoga programs for persons with aphasia. First, Aimee Dietz, E. Susan Duncan, Lauren Bislick, Sarah Stegman, Jenna Collins, Chitrali Mamlekar, Rachel Gleason, and Michael J. McCarthy provide an overview of the potential impact adapted yoga programs can have for people with stroke-induced aphasia. Second, Adithya Chandregowda raises awareness about the challenges associated with encountering primary progressive aphasia (PPA) patients in the acute hospital setting.