The Speech Link: A Speech Therapy Podcast

Guest: Beth Bergstrom, MS, CCC-SLP - This episode provides answers regarding Velo-Pharyngeal Incompetence (VPI) and how to diagnose a submucous cleft from other diagnoses differentially. She shares specific methods to recognize a submucous cleft as a structural issue that only improves with surgical intervention; she explains why. You'll learn treatment options that are dependent on the characteristics before and after repair.

Many children with language impairments also have difficulty with executive function (EF); however, the relationships between language and EF are unclear. Dr. Baron summarizes what is known about inner speech--the use of self-directed language—and how it affects EF in children with and without language impairments. She also shares implications for clinical assessment and interventions.

This episode addresses an important dilemma: Am I on the right therapy track with my young children, and am I coaching their caregivers correctly? Rachel addresses these issues through 7 critical developmental skills and organizes them in a format and framework for you to increase your confidence and effectiveness with children and their caregivers.

This episode explores the need for orofacial myofunctional disorders (OMDs) information and practical application for clinicians and our university programs. Dr. Reed, a university professor, established the world's first university-based clinic for those with OMDs. She shares OMD info and trends as well as her 20-year efforts to generate awareness of this important and much-needed area.

This episode explores the importance of developing confidence and joy in school-aged children who struggle with learning differences. The presenters pinpoint the confidence and joy robbers, e.g., events and experiences, and list the red flags of those at risk. They discuss social-emotional health issues and how professionals can intercede to build teams of support. The role of the SLP is highlighted.

This episode explores articulation therapy, motor control, proprioceptive feedback, and neuroscience. Details are provided for the neural connections to acquire and maintain oral motor behaviors and the oral resting posture. Efficient neural programming of the tongue, jaw, lips, and velum enables optimal speed and precision of movement for speaking. What happens, and what do we do when it doesn't?

The use of myofunctional evaluation and therapeutic strategies can be invaluable in the remediation of many speech sounds, such as, /l/, /s/, /z/, and /r/. In addition, the sounds are more likely to remediate if the tongue rests in the correct position. We'll focus on students who can produce the targeted sounds in words, etc. but have difficulty generalizing them into spontaneous speech.

Have you ever wanted to use music in your therapy but were unsure how? Learn simple, direct, and fun methods from Rachel Arntson. She shares strategies to use music to improve imitation, receptive and expressive language, speech sound productions, sound blending, and more. Music is a “magical” tool to build social interaction and is a fun way to incorporate the home practice of targeted skills.

Research states that speech use drives language use through phonological memory and motor planning. However, those with Down syndrome are often encouraged to use nonverbal strategies (sign language, AAC, etc.) ahead of their speech abilities. Is this the best and most beneficial? This course investigates the research, rationale, and several alternatives. Practical therapy strategies will be shared.

This course defines ambiguous loss and how it can impact caregiver-child interactions. Ms. Searcy specifies how to assist families during stressful times and events, including the difficulties of communication disorders and delays. She covers the stressful details that caregivers can experience and how, if not addressed, it can negatively impact positive interactions and learning for the child.

Developmental language disorder (DLD) has gone by many names. Why does the name matter, especially when it doesn't match the terminology used in schools (e.g., IDEA) or medical settings (e.g., ICD)? In this course, we will explore how and why you should share the term DLD with families and other team members.

Guest: Teresa Farnham, MA, CCC-SLP - We have explicitly known for over 3 decades that parents influence their child's language development—especially vocabulary—with the quantity and quality of their input and interactions. In the 1980s, Hart & Risley conducted a remarkable research project examining the differences in preschool children's verbal environments. You'll learn the pertinent and practical results that you can apply.

Guest: Jacqueline Towson, Ph.D., CCC-SLP - This course outlines practical strategies to implement during shared interactive book reading.  Embedding techniques will be shared to facilitate language and emergent literacy skills with young children with language impairments, developmental disabilities, or those considered at-risk. Considerations for book selection, preparation, setting, and environment will be discussed.

Guest: Holly L. Storkel, Ph.D., CCC-SLP - This course presents a variety of practical methods to enhance and systematically guide treatment success for children with speech sound disorders. For example, did you know that selecting complex sounds as your treatment target can accelerate speech sound learning? Or, that there are better ways to contrast sounds than conventional minimal pair treatment? All of this and more will be explained in detail.

Guest: Licia Coceani Paskay, MS, CCC-SLP - This course provides an overview of chewing that's been researched within the medical and dental fields. Chewing is an overlooked and underestimated function that has a significant and well-documented impact on swallowing. Implications are covered from infants to the elderly. Chewing should take a more prominent role, especially in swallowing disorders.

Guest: Deborah Ross-Swain, EdD, CCC-SLP - School-aged children with language and learning differences are at risk for education trauma; some feel defeated. They're often labeled as unmotivated, ADHD, lazy, unfocused, or oppositional. SLPs are a part of a collaborative team that can recognize and avoid this trauma and boosts a child's educational success, confidence, and joy. Numerous practical and easy-to-apply strategies will be covered.

Guest: Jennifer Gray, MS, CCC-SLP - We must find ways to motivate those with Down syndrome to join their peers in learning. Strategies for active listening, retrieving known information, and planning and executing speech allow them to perform better academically and become independent. This podcast shares three simple and essential strategies to address complex communication issues specifically for students with Down syndrome.

Guest: Kristin Martinez, MA, CCC-SLP - Kristin shares practical information on Therapy Essentials, a comprehensive therapy platform and teletherapy training option for both school-based speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and SLPs in the clinical setting. She clarifies and outlines the full features and benefits of Therapy Essentials that can be used to deliver teletherapy, and within hybrid speech-language services

Guest: Janice M. Wright, MA, CCC-SLP - Ms. Wright discusses the issues of conflict resolution rather than conflict management related to the supervision of speech-language pathology supervisees.  She shares constructive definitions, analyzes the typical views of conflict, identifies conflict styles, and tactfully imparts techniques to effectively resolve disputes positively and productively.

Guest: Ray D. Kent, PhD. - Diadochokinesis (DDK) has been in our field for almost a century and has applications in many specialties. A scoping review found 360 DDK articles and has been associated with diverse etiologies: motoric, structural, sensory, and cognitive. Its popularity notwithstanding, it is not unquestioned as an assessment tool. However, it has been used across a spectrum of disorders and as a proposed biomarker.

Guest: Sandra Combs, Ph.D., CCC-SLP - Some clinicians avoid using research to guide their practice due to implementation challenges that appear controlled or too large to apply to their population. Dr. Combs outlines data collection and procedures on how to utilize single-case research to improve therapy quality. Her goal is to bridge the clinical world and the academic world of speech-language pathology to meet client needs better.

Guest: Shari Gross, MA, CCC-SLP - -Selective mutism is an often misunderstood social pragmatic communication disorder.  For many children, within their selective silence, their social pragmatic issues mask additional communication disorders:  articulation, semantics, syntax, processing, and even autism spectrum disorders.  This course introduces SLPs to the evaluation and treatment strategies of children with selective mutism.

Guest: Bryan Gick, Ph.D. - In this research studies and strategies episode, the importance of posture in speech production will be discussed. Posture is vital in motor systems as a precursor to all movements. Maintaining speech articulators in stable postures provides a motor foundation for all speech sounds and movements. Learn how lingual postures shape speech sounds, how postural positions can help in therapy, and how posture governs facial expressions, phonation, and velopharyngeal port control. Prepare to change how you view speech!

Guest: Megan Panatier, MS, CCC-SLP - After visiting all 72 branches of the Los Angeles Public Library with her daughter, Megan was blown away at the quality and quantity of the FREE materials and activities available for speech and language therapy and literacy use. She tells of their journey, what she learned and how she applies the rich resources in her therapy to enhance reading enjoyment and verbal participation.

Guest: Nicole Archambault, EdS, MS, CCC-SLP, CLEC - Pediatric sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) can jeopardize development, performance, and health. SDB is within the SLP's scope of practice. We have knowledge of oral functions (speaking/swallowing/chewing), craniofacial structures, respiration, oral rest postures, and executive skills, SLPs can help mitigate SDB. We'll cover research and management strategies within an interdisciplinary framework.

Guest: Jennifer Gray, MS, CCC-SLP - Speech clarity is possible for many of those with Down syndrome. New therapy techniques in motor speech, voice, and executive functioning are emerging and present viable options. Several were discussed: How to generate active engagement, voice-based methods, and how to encourage frequent practice to accelerate speech and language used to improve comprehension for success and independence.

Guest: Lisa Chattler, MA, CCC-SLP - This course covers the concept of instructing “questions” in our 8+ year old students. Students' perception of classroom involvement can impact their willingness to take question-asking risks. Ms. Chattler shares details on how to support our classroom teachers, and how to create relevant lessons to address the processes of understanding, answering, and formulating questions.

Guest: Adina Soclof, MS, CCC-SLP - This one-hour course provides practical information and strategies to successfully manage disruptive and challenging student behaviors during therapy sessions. Adina provides effective ways to motivate and engage students to create an inviting therapy environment to stimulate cooperation and more responsible and respectful behavior conducive to learning.

Guest: Melissa Burk DeLange, MA, CCC-SLP - In this episode, Melissa reaches out to school SLPs who are discouraged and burnt out. From experience and much reading and research, Melissa shares her Four Pillars for Thriving in the public schools. She discusses what is within the SLP's control, what is not, and what can be influenced even without control. She details suggestions for time management and how to create positive interpersonal relations.

This episode explained the ASHA supervision expectations as well as five additional, practical guidelines on how to effectively supervise practicum for graduate students in any setting.  Numerous details were provided regarding supervision of the evaluation/diagnostic process, treatment implementation, professionalism, and the importance of being flexible.

This 1-hour course focused on practical and effective therapy techniques for the early intervention child with significant speech delays.  It provided numerous insights and ideas to work online as well as in person to improve the child’s communication skills.  Specific and doable strategies were shared to inspire and empower parental involvement.

Terri presented how language sampling and analysis is an effective, authentic, and reliable method to establish baseline speech and language performance as well as periodically evaluate progress. She refreshed our skills in language sampling and analysis, and how these basic principles can be effectively applied in the school practice setting for evaluation as well as documentation.

Based on two decades of experience, Sarah freely discussed the issues and responsibilities of being a Master Clinician in the schools and how to effectively guide the Graduate Student Clinician. She disclosed several critical components: how to share expectations, how to maintain a constructive ongoing dialogue, and how to hone-in on essential skills and provide constructive feedback.

Char shared real-world solutions on how to effectively manage difficult parent/caregiver situations. She emphasized that issues tend to occur when parents do not know a therapist’s motivation, his/her capability level or work ethic. Many detailed communication reactions and response options were provided, as well as a system to build parental support and even teamwork.

Guest: Jayanti Ray, PhD, CCC-SLP - In this one-hour course, Dr. Ray shared the common signs, symptoms, and conditions that impact voice disorders in school-aged children and therapy techniques to mitigate them. In addition, she covered the importance of vocal health and several ways maintain vocal quality and agility in children.

Guest: Jayanti Ray, PhD., CCC-SLP, BCS-F - In this course, Dr. Ray shared a wealth of evidence-based information and anecdotal examples about those with Vocal Cord Dysfunction (VCD). Topics included: what is VCD and signs and symptoms of episodes, several causal options, and many treatment techniques and strategies. The information pertained mostly to school-aged children, but also briefly discussed adults with VCD.

In Nina’s follow-up to her previous episode, she continued to share her extensive knowledge on the evidence-based views, analysis, and therapy of neurologically based stuttering for individuals 5 years and older. She provided informative answers as to why our typical stuttering therapy is not always effective, as well as five therapy prerequisites complete with insights and activities to use in comprehensive, successful stuttering therapy.

Guest: Tricia H. Rogers, MS, CCC-SLP - This one-hour podcast explores the of characteristics of oral habits (thumb/finger sucking, nail biting, extended pacifier use) of primarily the school-aged child.  It addresses the rise in oral habits due to the change in routines and lifestyle during COVID-19 and what can be done.  Several causes and consequences of thumb/finger sucking are discussed, as well as many extinguishing strategies, including several ideas for parents to implement at home.

Guest: Patricia Fisher, MA, CCC-SLP, COM - In this episode Patty shared in-depth detailed methods and the benefits of parental involvement during teletherapy. She suggested, “Keep learning; change happens.  Be prepared (know your goals), be flexible (implement functional therapy based on the child’s needs), and incorporate the parents/caregivers during teletherapy and beyond, (i.e. during daily living and personal interactions).  

In this course, Terri shares her down-to-earth techniques and interesting experiences of working with teen aged children with severe disabilities. You’ll learn practical, highly useful strategies such as, how to best use videos in therapy, and the rationale behind them. From her observations over the years, she shares several “hurdles” that must be dealt with when working with this population.

Guest: Patti Hamaguchi, M.A. CCC-SLP - In this course, Ms. Hamaguchi focuses on understanding elementary age children with Social Communication Disorder (SCD), as well as effective ways to assess it, and how to put together targeted individual and group intervention strategies to improve social language, including greetings, etc., and conversational skill development across settings, and more.

Guest: Susan Fitzell, MEd, CSP - In this course, an experienced classroom teacher and national co-teaching coach shared insightful guidance on how the SLP and the classroom teacher can collaborate together to maximize time, efficiency, and effectiveness.  Her focus is on bringing rationale and specific and practical tips and techniques to the table for all professionals to utilize in classroom instruction.

Panelists: Michelle L. W. Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC; Andrea M.Szwabowski, M.H.S., CCC-SLP/L; Marisha Mets, MS, CCC-SLP; Carrie Clark, CCC-SLP; Jessi Andricks MS, CCC-SLP; Lauren Tandy, MS CCC-SLP This panel of presenters discussed teletherapy, the essential and best practices for EI to High School related services.