Join host Sarah Baar as we welcome Dr. Tabia Pope, an expert in the areas of athlete brain health and sports concussion management. In this episode, Dr. Pope shares with us her journey from collegiate sports to spearheading interprofessional education through her nonprofit, Head to Speech, which emphasizes the critical role of SLPs in concussion care. The discussion delves into essential strategies for bridging gaps between athletic trainers and speech-language pathologists to enhance proactive care and support adult athletes in return to play and return to learning. Discover research highlights, collaborative models, and actionable strategies that redefine how SLPs and ATCs can work together in sports concussion management.

Learning Objectives

• Interpret the evidence around interprofessional education and collaboration
• Apply evidence-based, practical strategies to actionably address concussion management, return to play, and return to learning
• Solve patient case scenarios involving collegiate student-athletes

Timestamps

• (00:00:00) Welcome
• (00:02:04) Personal journey into concussion management
• (00:04:23) Understanding the importance of concussion care
• (00:08:41) Interprofessional collaboration between speech-language pathologists and athletic trainers in concussion management
• (00:12:01) The role of SLPs in sports rehab
• (00:16:19) Research insights on concussion management
• (00:20:51) Practical applications of concussion protocols
• (00:26:11) Assessment strategies for concussion recovery
• (00:32:49) Current treatment trends in concussion care
• (00:35:27) The concept of prehabilitation
• (00:38:30) Building interprofessional networks
• (00:42:40) Actionable takeaways for clinicians
• (00:44:38) Case study: collaborative care in action
• (00:51:32) Final words of wisdom

Resources Mentioned in Episode

• Head to Speech, Incorporated
• Sport Concussion Assessment Tool 6 (SCAT6)
• Cognitive-Communication Checklist for Acquired Brain Injury (CCCABI)

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