Practical strategies for supporting autistic communicators.

Guest: Farwa Husain, MS, CCC-SLP

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In this episode of First Bite, Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, FNAP, is joined by Farwa Husain, MA, CCC-SLP, bilingual speech-language pathologist, for a thoughtful conversation about supporting autistic individuals through relationship-based, neurodiversity-affirming care. Together, they discuss how echolalia can be understood as meaningful communication rather than a behavior to eliminate. Farwa shares practical strategies for supporting autistic communicators who use echolalia, emphasizing how caregiver coaching and everyday interactions can create rich opportunities for connection, language, and participation.

About the Guest: Farwa Husain, bilingual SLP, is the Founder of First Phrases and Owner of One-on-One Speech Therapy. She specializes in relationship-based, neurodiversity-affirming care, with a clinical and educational focus on supporting echolalia. Farwa is an international presenter who provides professional development training for schools and organizations worldwide.

Show Notes:

Contact Farwa:

• IG: @firstphrasesofficial
• LinkedIn
• www.firstphrases.com

Related Course: Autism Conference: Embracing Joy Through Practical Intervention

Family Guided Routines Based Interventions

Morris County Speech and Hearing Association

Follow the child’s cues for more meaningful feeding therapy.

Guest: Karen Dilfer, OTR/L

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In this episode of the Making Sense podcast, host Madi Metcalf, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Karen Dilfer, OTR/L, to discuss child-centered feeding therapy and how it aligns with the principles of responsive feeding therapy. Together, they explore the importance of honoring a child's autonomy and share practical ways to implement child-led approaches during feeding therapy sessions.

Whether you're new to responsive feeding therapy or looking to strengthen your current approach, this episode offers practical strategies for balancing therapeutic goals with respect for each child's cues, preferences, and participation, supporting more positive and meaningful feeding experiences.

About the Guest: Karen Dilfer MS, OTR/L is an occupational therapist, feeding specialist, and food enthusiast. She is trained in the Get Permission Approach to pediatric feeding and is privileged to spend the majority of her time as a clinician, working with children and families. Karen is the director of the feeding program at Amy Zier + Associates, a private pediatric therapy clinic in Chicago. She participates in research activities at the University of Chicago where she works in the department of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. Karen is a co-founder and board member of The Chicago Feeding Group, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting families of children with Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD) and advancing continuing education for professionals serving this population. Recognized as a leader in the field, Karen is a sought-after educator and regularly presents for advanced practice platforms, including the Early Intervention training program in Illinois, Sooner Start in Oklahoma, and national professional organizations such as the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA).

Show Notes:

Contact Madi Metcalf: LinkedIn, Instagram, Function First

Contact Karen Dilfer: LinkedIn

Pediatric feeding disorder in early intervention: Expanding access, improving outcomes, and prioritizing responsive feeding

Responsive Feeding Therapy: Values and Practice

Chicago Feeding Group

Get Permission Institute

Gain actionable strategies to support more inclusive, culturally responsive, and family-centered practice.

Guest: Samantha Dudding, MS, CCC-SLP

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In this episode of First Bite, Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, is joined by Samantha Dudding, MS, CCC-SLP, for a thoughtful conversation about how culturally responsive communication can promote more equitable outcomes in special education. Drawing on her clinical expertise and leadership experience, Samantha shares practical strategies for supporting culturally and linguistically diverse students and families while strengthening collaboration across educational teams.

About the Guest: Samantha Dudding, M.S., CCC‑SLP, is a speech‑language pathologist and special education leader whose work centers on culturally responsive communication within school‑based special education processes. She is currently a Student Support Coordinator in a school district just outside of Washington, DC where she facilitates special education processes, supports multidisciplinary teams, and leads professional development focused on inclusive practices.

Show Notes:

• Bronfenbrenner's ecological systems theory
• Sign up for the ASHFoundation's 7th Annual Virtual Walk/Run
• Join the team "First Bite Fun Runners"

Whether you're curious about the science behind music-based interventions or looking to build stronger interdisciplinary partnerships, this episode offers a practical introduction to music therapy

Full Episode Title: More Than Music: What School-Based SLPs Should Know About Music Therapy

Guest: Anna Graves, MA, MT-BC

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Music therapy is far more than singing songs or playing instruments. In this episode of the School of Speech podcast, host Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by music therapist and SLP graduate student Anna Graves, MA, MT-BC, to discuss what music therapy is, the theoretical approaches that guide clinical practice, and how understanding the role of music therapists can strengthen collaboration in school settings.

About the Guest: Anna Graves, MA, MT-BC, is a music therapist and graduate speech language pathology student in Northern Colorado. After her undergraduate schooling at Truman State University, she attended graduate school for Music Therapy at the University of Iowa. She relocated to Northern Colorado in 2022, and she has been practicing music therapy since.

How can we incorporate brain health into everyday clinical practice?

Guest: Jennifer Ruckner, MS, CCC-SLP

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Brainstorms podcast host Renee Garrett, MSED, CCC-SLP, CBIS, is joined by Jennifer Ruckner, MS, CCC-SLP, for a practical discussion on how speech-language pathologists can incorporate brain health into everyday clinical practice. Together, they break down the neuroscience behind neuroplasticity, cognitive reserve, and lifestyle factors that influence brain function, while exploring what brain health really means across the continuum of care.

About the Guest: Jennifer Ruckner, MS, CCC-SLP, is a seasoned speech-language pathologist with over three decades of experience across Early Intervention, school districts, and private practice. She earned her Bachelor of Science and Master’s degrees in Communication Disorders from Auburn University and has practiced since 1990. Jennifer specializes in Social/Pragmatic Language, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Expressive Language Disorder, and Feeding Disorders.

Show Notes and Resources:

• First Things First (Arizona Early Childhood Development and Health Board): This state-funded organization explicitly publishes these exact percentage benchmarks in their The First Five Years and general Brain Development guides to emphasize the importance of early childhood. [1, 2, 3]
• The Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University: Harvard's research on early brain architecture and "serve-and-return" interactions serves as the scientific foundation for these milestones. They document that the brain's physical volume and synaptic pathways undergo their most rapid, critical expansion during this 0-to-5 window. [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
• National Institutes of Health (NIH): Public health studies track these figures based on physical brain weight and volume growth, explaining how a newborn's brain starts at about 25% of adult size, doubles in the first year, and hits the 90% mark around age 5. [1, 2]

What does it take to prepare pediatric SLPs in serving diverse communities?

Guest: Paula V. Pineda, SLPD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL

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In this episode of the First Bite podcast, host Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, is joined by Paula V. Pineda, SLPD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, bilingual speech-language pathologist, Chief Clinical Supervisor at Teachers College, Columbia University, and President of the ASHA Hispanic Caucus, for a thoughtful conversation about preparing pediatric SLPs to serve culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

About the Guest: Paula V. Pineda, SLPD, CCC-SLP, BCS-CL, is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Speech-Language Pathologist with over 14 years of experience. Originally from Colombia, Paula has lived in New York City since 2001. She earned her Master’s degree from Adelphi University in 2011 and completed her clinical doctorate at Northwestern University in 2023.

Show Notes:

• Contact Paula: www.tc.columbia.edu
• Family Guided Routines Based Intervention: fgrbi.com
• Sign up for ASHFoundation's 7th Annual Virtual Walk/Run
• Join the team "First Bite Fun Runners"

Love Money:

• Support the Hispanic Caucus: www.hispaniccaucusasha.org
• Support your local immigration association: www.findhelp.org

Whether you're part of a feeding team or looking to strengthen collaboration with colleagues, you'll leave this episode with practical, evidence-informed ideas you can put to work in your own school.

Full Episode Title: More Than Lunch: How SLPs and OTs Can Transform School Mealtimes

Guests: Maragryta Kuzmin, MA, CCC-SLP, TSSLD-BE & Lily Glasgo, PhD, OTR/L

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In this episode of the School of Speech podcast, host Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Margaryta Kuzmin, MA, CCC-SLP, TSSLD-BE, BCS-S Candidate, and Lily Glasgo, PhD, OTR/L, to discuss how school-based speech-language pathologists and occupational therapists can work together to better support students with pediatric feeding disorder. They explore each profession's unique and overlapping roles in feeding, swallowing, self-feeding, sensory needs, and mealtime participation, while examining how feeding challenges can influence student safety, nutrition, attendance, learning, inclusion, and access to the educational environment.

About the Guests: Margaryta Kuzmin is a bilingual speech-language pathologist based in New York City with over 15 years of experience working with infants, toddlers, and school-age children with complex communication, feeding, and developmental needs. She specializes in pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders, AAC, and working with medically complex populations.

Dr. Glasgo received her PhD in Occupational Science in 2025 from UNC Chapel Hill, where she was funded through a Department of Education grant supporting young children with significant disabilities. She enjoys interdisciplinary collaboration and loves to bring an occupational perspective to research. She is co-chairing a large research project with the nonprofit Feeding Matters, which aims to increase physician education and outreach for early identification of pediatric feeding disorder.

Discover how felt safety can open the door to appetite, curiosity, and connection at mealtimes.

Guest: Katja Rowell, MD

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In this episode of Making Sense of Responsive Feeding Therapy, host Madi Metcalf, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Katja Rowell, MD, to explore why felt safety is the foundation of responsive feeding therapy. Together, they discuss how creating a sense of felt safety during feeding sessions and at home supports children with pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders by fostering appetite, regulation, and curiosity about food.

Throughout the episode, Madi and Dr. Rowell examine the relationship between felt safety and responsive feeding, explaining how a supportive environment can reduce stress around mealtimes while encouraging intrinsic motivation and engagement. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of how felt safety influences feeding outcomes and leave with practical insights for creating more effective, child-centered feeding experiences.

About the Guest: Katja Rowell is a family doctor, author, and founder of The Feeding Doctor. She is one of the authors of the Responsive Feeding Therapy White Paper. Her mission is to help children grow up to feel good about food and their bodies. She has special interests in avoidant eating and supporting adopted and fostered children. Her books include Helping Your Child When Mealtimes are Hard, Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating, and Love Me, Feed Me, for fostering and adopting parents. She is a webinar contributor at Responsivefeedingpro.com.

Show Notes:

Contact Madi Metcalf: LinkedIn, Instagram, Function First

Dr. Katja Rowell - The Feeding Doctor

Self-Determination Theory as a Theoretical Framework for a Responsive Approach to Child Feeding

Responsive feeding is embedded in a theoretical framework of responsive parenting

Relationships between sensory sensitivity, anxiety and selective eating in children

Impact of a Responsive Feeding Intervention on Children and Caregivers: A Nonrandomized, Repeated-Measures Study

'Finish your soup': counterproductive effects of pressuring children to eat on intake and affect

The'picky eater': The toddler or preschooler who does not eat

Modern Attachment Theory: The Central Role of Affect Regulation in Development and Treatment

Role reversal method for treatment of food refusal associated with infantile feeding disorders

Invitada: Lymari Segarra Arroyo, SLPD, CCC-SLP

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En este episodio del podcast SLPs en Acción, Damaris Sánchez Rivera, MS, CCC-SLP, conversa con la Dra. Lymari Segarra Arroyo, SLPD, CCC-SLP, sobre cómo la teleterapia puede convertirse en una herramienta clínica efectiva, dinámica y accesible para nuestros clientes. Juntas exploran estrategias prácticas para planificar sesiones virtuales significativas, fomentar la participación activa, adaptar las intervenciones según las necesidades del cliente y abordar los desafíos más comunes de la telepráctica. Este episodio ofrece ideas aplicables para SLPs y SLPAs que desean fortalecer sus servicios en línea con confianza, creatividad y propósito clínico.

Show Notes:

• Contacta a Lymari Segarra Arroyo en Instagram: @wepaslp
• Facebook: Wepa SLP
• TikTok: WepaSLP

Recursos:

Kit de recursos para telepráctica

What role do SLPs play with literacy development?

Guest: Heather L. Ramsdell, PhD, CCC-SLP, CALT, QIT

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In this episode of First Bite, Michelle Dawson, MS, CCC-SLP, CLC, BCS-S, FNAP, is joined by Heather L. Ramsdell, PhD, CCC-SLP, CALT, QIT, for a passionate, research-backed discussion that positions speech-language pathologists as central to literacy development. Heather reframes dyslexia and reading challenges as reflections of underlying language and developmental profiles, explains how early oral language skills lay the foundation for reading, and discusses key early indicators of risk and the diverse developmental pathways that contribute to reading difficulties.

About the Guest: Heather L. Ramsdell, PhD CCC-SLP, CALT, QI in Training, University of Memphis, 2009, is an Associate Professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at Idaho State University, owner/clinician at Once Upon a Time LLC, and mother of two children with dyslexia. Her teaching, research, and clinical areas of expertise/interest include infant vocal development, phonetics, phonology, multisensory structured language intervention, spelling, structured word inquiry, literacy, and dyslexia.

Show Notes:

• Read with Ramsdell: www.readwithramsdell.com
• Contact Heather: www.isu.edu/slp/about/faculty
• Publications: https://pubs.asha.org/authored-by/Ramsdell/Heather+L
• Sign up for the ASHFoundation 7th Annual Virtual Walk/Run
• Join the First Bite Team: "First Bite Fun Runners"
• Love Money: Support Children's Dyslexia Centers