First Bite: Fed, Fun, Functional SLP Insights

Guest: Andrea Storie, M, ClSc, CCC-SLP - In this episode Michelle is joined by Andrea Storie, MCLSC CCC-SLP, a professional whose focus is on evaluation and treatment of pediatric chronic cough and voice disorders. Whenever a pediatric feeding disorder SLP hears a child cough, instantly our ears perk up and we start wondering, “What is going on in there?” But did you know that some children develop a habit cough that is not triggered by penetration/aspiration? Andrea will educate and inspire us as to the signs and symptoms of pediatric habit cough, the interprofessional team that is needed to diagnose it, and the current evidenced based practice strategies to help treat a pediatric cough.

In this course, Michelle is joined by Erin Forward, and they’re back this month with functional strategies for language. They discuss how to embrace language acquisition within the framework of routines-based-intervention, the power of play, and how to encourage culturally competent language even with AAC.

Cari inspires colleagues with her P.I.E. analogy and offers functional strategies on what an appropriate parent-driven outcome really looks like with respect to goal writing. If you’ve ever worried about best practice for the dreaded data collection, breathe a sigh of relief, and brace yourself for side splitting laughter, while Cari and Michelle speak the truth on data for Early Intervention.

In this episode Michelle is joined by Lisa Bjelland MSW and Psy D, who works as a trauma therapist and Monte Torkelsen, M Div, President of Abba's Child Grief Camps for an hour dedicated to finding grace in grief. The caregivers of our little ones that we work with can struggle through the various stages of grief. We, the licensed SLP on the interprofessional practice team, can also struggle with grief, especially when the little ones that we work with pass on. What are we to do? How can we help our caregivers? How can we help ourselves? Maintaining our emotional, psychological, physical, and spiritual health is critical. But simply finding the time to engage in the acts of self-care can in itself be a challenge for the busy SLP. Today, Michelle, Lisa, and Monte hold the crucial conversation to help you bring healing, comfort, and joy into your being, so you are better equipped to help others.

In this hour, Dillen, OTR/L sheds light on the polyvagal theory and how this theory, that most of us haven’t heard of, impacts the patients that we evaluate. If you have a patient that has a past medical history of PTSD, ADD, ADHD, ASD, (and the list goes on), and they are struggling to attend and regulate, did you know that it could be a direct result of an impairment or delay in their fear response, emotional regulation, and social connection, as driven by the function of the vagus nerve? Dillen is here to enlighten and inspire while he gives you the evidence behind the polyvagal theory.

If you are working in the world of Early Intervention, or thinking about making the switch, but unsure of how to implement routines-based intervention within the framework of treating a pediatric feeding disorder (PFD), then this hour on functional feeding strategies for you. Michelle and Erin walk you through how routines-based intervention allows you to ditch that dread bag of toys and chewys for good, advise you on how to include caregivers and siblings in treatment, as well as discuss the positively powerful evidenced behind slow incremental changes via tapered weaning protocol and how it can guide our patients on their PFD journey.

At least once in our careers, we have all struggled with the question, “But does this little one need an instrumental swallow evaluation?” Sometimes, we feel that we are over referring for instrumentals, other times, we may feel that we are not sending the patients out frequently enough. In this course, our presenters help answer this question with functional guidelines to help lead us in our evidence based decision making process.

Guest: Haley Jones, CAE - Michells is joined by Haley Jones, CAE, former manager of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Leadership Academy, which was the recipient of the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) Gold Circle Award. Haley, who has a unique talent for program development, is here today to discuss how we can be the source of permanent positive change through the creation of diversity and inclusion programs within our respective professional settings. If you too feel the call in your heart to see our field excel in cultural competency, but are unsure where to start, Haley offers the guidance on how to hold that first deep conversation with our colleagues and friends. If you are ready to take it another step, but are unsure of how to establish a program of accountability, Haley offers functional strategies to see it come to fruition.

*** This episode is not available for ASHA CEUs.****

Guest: Sonya Floyd, MEd, CCC-SLP

Michelle is joined by Sonya Floyd, M.Ed., CCC-SLP, immediate Past President of the Georgia Speech-Language-Hearing Association (GSHA). If you have ever considered taking on leadership roles in your state association, this episode is for you. As a profession, we are all aware of the importance of actively engaging in cultural competency with our patients; however, have we had the crucial conversations with leadership about this topic? It is past time to engage in that dialogue. Michelle and Sonya are here to inspire, uplift, and initiate a conversation about what needs to happen at the state level to advance leadership in our profession and increase not only diversity in our field but also among our leaders.

Co-Host: Erin Forward, MSP, CCC-SLP - To kick off their first episode of 2021, Michelle and Erin, tackle one of their favorite topics, clinical case studies for evaluation and treatment of Pediatric Feeding Disorders. In this hour the ladies address some current clinical needs for individuals that have signs and symptoms of neurogenic based PFD, congenital heart defect (CHD) induced PFD, and esophageal dysphagia. Tune in as Michelle and Erin consult on the steps they have taken to engage interprofessional practice for the care of the little ones and how uncovering the new etiologies is shaping their plan of cares.