Planning for Parental Leave as a Private Practice Owner
For many private practice owners, their clinic is their baby. My business partner—audiologist Melissa Wilson Beer—and I constantly joke about our clinic being our first child with all the highs (and lows) that come with raising a little one! The dedication and attention given to the business helps it improve and grow. This time and attention can also become a challenge when a real baby comes along.
As women business owners, we navigate the world of business while carving out time to learn the world of parenting. As I prepare to welcome my first little one into the world—in just a few weeks—I spent time researching...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - June 26, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Jody Vaynshtok Tags: Audiology Private Practice Slider Speech-Language Pathology Practice Management Source Type: blogs
5 Tips to Create Positive Food Memories for Pediatric Feeding Groups
Think about a favorite food memory. Do you remember only the taste of the food or does the entire scene—the smell of the dishes served, the sounds of the bustling restaurant or conversation of the friends’ home, the sight of the table setting and plating of the food—spring to mind? Food can trigger memories and emotions in a way other experiences can’t.
How do these multi-faceted sensory memories created by good—or bad—food experiences affect our pediatric population when it comes to feeding? Using this question as my guide, I tried to find ways to create positive memories between food and sensory play for my ...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - June 25, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Cindy Herde Tags: Health Care Private Practice Slider Speech-Language Pathology Early Intervention Feeding Disorders Swallowing Disorders Source Type: blogs
Why Join Special Interest Group 16, School-Based Issues?
ASHA members who work in the schools face a range of challenges. Here’s how joining SIG 16 can help you get the most out of your chosen career.
What would you say to encourage other colleagues to join SIG 16?
School-based SLPs sometimes feel like no one really understands what they do. Some work in smaller districts, where they are the only SLP on staff. This SIG provides a community that understands what we do, shares information, provides support and ideas, and celebrates the successes others achieve. SIG 16 is a wonderful way to understand our profession from many different points of view. The members are always re...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - June 19, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Shelley Lloyd Tags: Academia & Research Audiology Schools Slider Speech-Language Pathology Source Type: blogs
Yes to PhD, No to Life Upheaval: The Final Chapter
I’ve learned I tend to bury the “lede” when I write, so I will lead with this: I’m done. I make my kids call me Dr. Mom and I return to sender all cards not addressed to Dr. Stauder. I’m so happy.
I shared the process of figuring out how I could get my PhD without blowing up my life, then again on how I balanced being in school with that life, and now I can reflect on lessons learned.
During the five years I was on the PhD train, I learned many things. I hope sharing them might help you.
The first thing I learned was the title of this three-part series is actually ridiculous. While I was fortunate to fin...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - June 17, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Erin Stauder Tags: Academia & Research Audiology Slider Speech-Language Pathology Professional Development Source Type: blogs
10 Conversation Strategies Highlighted in the Father-Son Viral Video
The viral video of a conversation between a father and his young child that has delighted viewers highlights 10 key conversation strategies speech-language pathologists routinely share with families. The interaction in the video demonstrates key skills needed for speech, language, and communication development.
SLPs offer these 10 tips to help parents enhance conversational interactions with their children:
Take turns when talking. Start conversations with children from birth. Pause after you finish talking to signal it’s the child’s turn to communicate. This gives your child a chance to respond and initiate conversa...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - June 14, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Diane Paul Tags: Audiology Health Care Private Practice Schools Slider Speech-Language Pathology Early Intervention Source Type: blogs
5 Strategies to Help Families Act as Speech and Language Coaches
As school ends for summer and families plan summer vacations, speech-language pathologists plan activities for caregivers and families to work on with their child, sibling, niece, or cousin. Coaching families can boost a child’s progress over summer break or help them maintain key communication skills.
Coaching by caregivers and siblings can happen anywhere, with any age child, no matter the type of communication disorder. Teaching family members—whether it’s parents, step-parents, grandparents, siblings, or cousins—your strategies or “tricks” empowers them and can result in better long-term outcomes for yo...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - June 12, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Susannah Silvia Tags: Private Practice Schools Slider Speech-Language Pathology Uncategorized Early Intervention Language Disorders Source Type: blogs
Why We Went To Capitol Hill, and Why We ’ll Go Back
As members of the Coordinating Committee for ASHA Special Interest Group 7, Aural Rehabilitation and Its Instrumentation, we—Deb Culbertson, Beth Humphrey, Jani Johnson, Nicole Marrone, and Jessica Sullivan—recently spent a day on Capitol Hill. As a group, we visited our various representatives to advocate for the professions—with guidance from ASHA’s legislative team—the day before our annual business meeting at the National Office.
After our visit, we debriefed about the experiences so other audiologists and speech-language pathologists considering advocating for our professions on the Hill might gain some insi...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - June 10, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Deb Culbertson Tags: Academia & Research Advocacy Audiology Health Care Private Practice Slider Hearing Assistive Technology hearing loss hearing protection Source Type: blogs
An Act of Compassion Quells an Autism Meltdown —and Stuns a Mom
Ralph Koppelman, age 9, was itching to ride the Spider-Man attraction. Finally, as his family wrapped up their day at the Universal Orlando Resort last week, the time came. Spider-Man would be the last ride, and Ralph was bursting to get on it.
Then came the announcement: The ride closed because of technical problems. As described in a Washington Post article, Ralph, who has autism, launched into a full-on meltdown—sobbing, screaming, and hyperventilating.
What happened next came as huge surprise to Ralph’s mother, Lenore Koppelman. Ride attendant Jennifer Welchel dashed over and lay down next to Ralph on the ground, t...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - June 7, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Bridget Murray Law Tags: News Speech-Language Pathology autism Autism Spectrum Disorder meltdowns Source Type: blogs
Make Summer a Season of Safe Listening
School’s out for summer and kids of all ages will spend even more time listening to personal audio devices. That could mean an unsafe season lies ahead for their hearing. Noise-induced hearing loss is recognized as a global public health threat, so what better time than now for ASHA members to take the lead in spreading awareness about safe listening habits?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than one billion young people are at risk for noise-induced hearing loss. Potentially damaging listening habits—too loud, too long, too often—remain a leading culprit for this risk. WHO’s concern led to...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - June 5, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Joseph Cerquone Tags: Audiology Health Care Private Practice Slider hearing loss hearing protection Source Type: blogs
Exploring Feeding/Swallowing Disorders Versus Eating Disorders in Children
What would you say if a graduate student or clinical fellow asked you to explain the difference between a feeding/swallowing disorder and an eating disorder for pediatric patients? As a pediatric feeding and swallowing specialists, I answer this question with, “It’s complicated.”
Often, an overriding medical issue—such as gastrointestinal issues or poor oral strength and coordination due to prematurity—causes feeding and swallowing disorders. As medical issues resolve, feeding and swallowing issues can persist. And, over time, these issues could gradually change from medically based issues to increasingly behavi...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - June 3, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Jennifer WIlson Tags: Health Care Private Practice Schools Slider Speech-Language Pathology Dysphagia eating disorders Feeding Disorders Social Media Source Type: blogs
Pros and Cons of Screening Tools for Assessing Dementia
Working with older adults as a speech-language pathologist for a rehab company, I often assess patients on their cognitive function. I will deal more in-depth on how and why determining cognitive function helps guide my treatment strategies in an upcoming post. For this first article, however, I wanted to discuss the first steps.
The first step I take in determining a person’s cognitive status involves using a standardized evaluation. I like three tests: the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) exam.
Quick, easy to use, and readily a...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - May 31, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Bonnie Slavych Tags: Academia & Research Health Care Private Practice Slider Speech-Language Pathology dementia Source Type: blogs
Pros and Cons of Screening Tools for Dementia
Working with older adults as a speech-language pathologist for a rehab company, I often assess patients on their cognitive function. I will deal more in-depth on how and why determining cognitive function helps guide my treatment strategies in an upcoming post. For this first article, however, I wanted to discuss the first steps.
The first step I take in determining a person’s cognitive status involves using a standardized screening tool. I like three tests: the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) exam.
Quick, easy to use, and readi...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - May 31, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Bonnie Slavych Tags: Academia & Research Health Care Private Practice Slider Speech-Language Pathology dementia Source Type: blogs
Pros and Cons of Various Screening Tools for Dementia
Working with older adults as a speech-language pathologist for a rehab company, I often assess patients on their cognitive function. I will deal more in-depth on how and why determining cognitive function helps guide my treatment strategies in an upcoming post. For this first article, however, I wanted to discuss the first steps.
The first step I take in determining a person’s cognitive status involves using a standardized screening tool. I like three tests: the Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), and Saint Louis University Mental Status (SLUMS) exam.
Quick, easy to use, and readi...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - May 31, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Bonnie Slavych Tags: Academia & Research Health Care Private Practice Slider Speech-Language Pathology dementia Source Type: blogs
The Value of Meeting Your Clients in the Community
Think about the last location where you provided clinical services. Mine was a grocery store. The produce section is not the only place I provide services with my adult clients—I also address address speech intelligibility and social communication goals at coffee shops, money management at banks, divided attention at soup kitchens, sequencing at golf courses, and reading comprehension during book club at the library.
These locations might seem unconventional, but they represent real-life community settings in which to help my clients—who mostly have acquired brain injuries or dementia—integrate back into their comm...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - May 29, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: April Gibbs Scott Tags: Private Practice Slider Speech-Language Pathology Cognitive Rehabilitation dementia Language Disorders Source Type: blogs
The Importance of Soft Skills for Professional Success
Sure, you can remediate /r/ or help move a patient off a modified diet with the best of them—but how do your clients, coworkers, supervisors, and supervisees view you? Do they trust you and seek your advice? Do they enjoy being around you? Do they see you as someone who can roll with the punches?
The point is, how are your soft skills—those interpersonal attributes that enhance your interactions, job performance, and career prospects?
Soft skills—typically a combination of interpersonal skills, emotional intelligence, and personal attributes—include work ethic, professionalism, courtesy, initiative, and communicati...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - May 28, 2019 Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Amy Shollenbarger Tags: Audiology Slider Speech-Language Pathology Professional Development Source Type: blogs
