Sunday’s Program

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Raina Bueno, MHS, CCC-SLP , Columbia Public Schools
Tori Specketer, MHA, CCC-SLP, Columbia Public Schools
Greta Roettgen, MHS, CCC-SLP, Columbia Public Schools

Back to school- For the new or just graduated SLP, back to school sounds daunting. However, many of us find ourselves working with school-aged children. What’s helpful these days for the new school SLP? This session is for new SLP graduates who will soon find themselves in the schools, SLPs new to the school setting, future SLPs considering the school setting, and anyone seeking to support school-based SLPs. This session will provide strategies for young SLPs starting out in the schools to feel confident in their new position. This session will also include ideas for how to organize a new caseload and collaborate with general education teachers, administration, other service providers, and families.

Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

• Identify benefits of working in the school setting.
• Describe organizational ideas for creating caseload schedules, data collection, evaluation write-ups, progress reports, and therapy plans/materials.
• Describe strategies for collaborating with other school professionals and IEP team members, including families

Level of Learning: Introductory

Cheryl Livingston, MS, CCC-SLP, N/A – Private Practice

“Variety is the spice of life” & “Repetition with variety” are frequently heard in the Augmentative & Alternative Communication (AAC) therapy world.  However, how many therapy materials can you afford with your limited budget?  Do you have therapy materials that you can share with the classroom staff and families?  Have you explored “5 minute fillers”, quick activities to promote communication opportunities throughout the day?  The dollar store is an option for finding affordable materials and creating therapy resources to promote communication opportunities for all.  This session will highlight resources created and adapted from dollar store finds.

Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

• Identify items purchased at a dollar store to make AAC therapy materials.
• Plan two AAC therapy activities with an item from the dollar store.
• Identify ways to expand their AAC therapy support to other settings.

Level of Learning: Intermediate

Marion C. Leaman, PhD, CCC-SLP, University of Kansas Medical Center

ECoLoGiC Treatment (Expanding Communication and Language Opportunities Generated in Conversation; ‘ECoLoGiC-Tx’) is a new aphasia therapy developed to improve conversational language for people with moderate to severe aphasia, recently innovated by Marion Leaman and Lisa Edmonds.

In this talk, Dr. Leaman will provide an overview of  ECoLoGiC-Tx, and introduce the protocols for delivering each of the two components, Therapeutic Conversation and Therapeutic Repair. During treatment, the speech-language pathologist uses guidelines developed from social interaction research to provide meaningful opportunities for spontaneous conversation by the person with aphasia. When communication breakdowns occur that cannot be easily repaired, the SLP shifts to Therapeutic Repair. In this phase of therapy, the client is encouraged to repair the communication breakdown as independently as possible, yet with SLP supporting communication through use of a 7-step feedback hierarchy.  The talk will include many video examples of the SLP using the Therapeutic Conversation and Therapeutic Repair Protocols, as well as responses by the client, with the goal to provide the audience members with the practical information they will need to carry-out the treatment on Monday morning. Group discussion will be encouraged. In addition, clinical tools such as in-session tally sheets and goal-writing suggestions will be shared.  Pilot work results for 8 people will be reported, showing improvements on all domains of the WHO-ICF framework assessed by generalization to formal test batteries (Western Aphasia Battery; Communication Abilities of Daily Living, etc.), to language production in spontaneous conversations and standardized monologue tasks, and by patient/family-reported outcome measures.

Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

• Describe the ECoLoGiC-Tx protocol, including the procedures for Therapeutic Conversation and Therapeutic Repair components.
• State the impact of ECoLoGiC-Tx on language production as reported in the pilot work.
• Explain two critical ingredients of ECoLoGIC-Tx, hypothesized to drive change (time for self-expression by the person with aphasia; linguistic metafeedback about repair attempts provided by the SLP).

Level of Learning: Intermediate

Darin Shirley, MS, CCC-SLP, Mercy Hospital Springfield MO
Charity Shelton, MS, CCC-SLP, Mercy Hospital Springfield MO

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is one of the  most diagnosed gastrointestinal disorders. Estimates conservatively suggest a prevalence of around 20% in western cultures. Our patients who experience symptoms of dysphasia often complain of chronic cough and globus sensation. These complaints are common sequelae of GERD. In many cases, voice disorders can also be attributed to GERD. Recent studies show there are alternative means of addressing GERD beyond just medication. Speech therapists’ ability to provide behavioral management strategies and manual therapy techniques for reflux management can significantly improve outcomes for cough and globus sensation.

Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

• Describe the need for speech therapists to recognize the role GERD can play in voice disorders
• Describe the need for speech therapists to recognize the role GERD can play in globus sensation and cough vs dysphagia.
• Describe reflux and its sequelae with coughing and globus sensation and why medication alone doesn’t always help.
• identify non-pharmaceutical treatments for GERD

Level of Learning: Intermediate

Carrie Clark, MA, CCC-SLP, Speech & Language Kids/SLP Solutions
Christi Baker, MS, CCC-SLP, University of MO-Columbia

Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok are a regular part of most of our lives.  The ability to connect, share ideas and learn from others is amazing for our profession, but there are dangers as well.  Mis-information can spread just as easily as evidence-based practice suggestions.  During this session, we will discuss how we can ethically and responsibly use social media to improve our practice.  We will discuss how to critically evaluate information and professional advice that is found online to ensure we are following best practices.   Finally, we will discuss ways that social media can be used in therapy sessions to support teenage and young adult clients to meet therapy goals in areas such as perspective taking and social skills.

Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

• Identify ethical considerations that need to be made when connecting with others on social media for support and guidance.
• Describe three criteria for evaluating the source and/or finding more supporting information of professional advice/information found on social media.
• List three different ways that social media could be responsibly used in therapy sessions to support therapy goals.

Level of Learning: Intermediate

Time Ordered Agenda:

5 minutes: Introduction
5 minutes: Evidence based practice/best practice review
20 minutes: Popular Social Media Platforms with visuals
20 minutes: Finding and Evaluating Sources of Information on Social Media
20 minutes: Ethical considerations to consider
20 minutes: Use of Social Media in Therapy
10 minutes: Group discussion
20 minutes: Conclusion and Q&A

Michelle Dampf, MA, CCC-SLP, MU Thompson Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment

Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) rely on the communities around them for support and understanding.  ECHO Autism connects specialists and local care teams to benefit and empower autistic people and their advocates.  Through telementoring, ECHO creates access to high-quality specialty care in local communities.  Professionals can access a virtual learning network with other providers, including pediatricians, BCBAs, SLPs, OTs, and advocates to care for patients in their own settings with the support of nationally recognized autism experts.  Virtual ECHO Autism meetings happen regularly worldwide to discuss complex cases for real-time advice.

Learner Outcomes: At the end of this presentation participants will be able to:

• Identify core features of an ECHO learning community.
• List the essential components of an ECHO learning community.
• Describe how ECHO meets the needs of our current care system to improve the lives of those with autism.

Level of Learning: Intermediate

Product Disclosure: ECHO Autism Communities