SWR Blog

Many speech-language pathologists provide care to tracheostomy patients with speech and/or swallowing issues as evidenced by the references published 1,2,3.  The American Speech and Hearing Association has acknowledged our participation by stating that the care of atypical communication and swallowing issues associated with such laryngeal anomalies as tracheostomy patients is within our scope of practice 4. Some entities, such as licensing boards and state associations, have discussed the extent to which the speech-language pathologist should be involved in the suctioning of trach patients and have published guidelines 5.  These entities have also suggested that we review relevant scope of practice [...]

Patient-Centered Approach to Determining the Plan of Care for Dysphagia Patients (Part 1)   Patient-centered care essentially revolves around the patient.  The idea is that the patient knows best how to meet their needs, and it is the patient’s view that correlates with outcome or satisfaction.   Continuum of care is a concept involving a system that tracks patients over a period of time through an array of health services spanning all levels and intensity of care. Functional Outcome Measure (FOM) provides a means to quantify change in the patient's functioning throughout an episode of care using a common language [...]

Research Article   Effects of Respiratory Exercise on Post-Stroke Cognition Melody L. Sheldon, a, b Kenneth O. Simpson, a John McDonough, c     Purpose: The purpose of this investigation was to assess the effects of a self-administered respiratory exercise on cognition in individuals with chronic stroke. The questions investigated included the effects on working memory, sustained attention, executive functioning, forced vital capacity, and perceived health and emotional benefits. Method: An AB single-subject design was used over an 11- to 12-week period beginning with the A phase. Baseline measurements were obtained over a three- to four-week period using the dependent [...]

Cognitive-linguistic therapy seeks to address difficulties that patients experience related to their thinking and to their language. The term “cognitive” refers to processes that involve information processing. This includes attention, memory, executive functions (i.e., planning, organization, sequencing, problem-solving, decision-making, etc.), and social communication. “Linguistic” refers to aspects of a person’s language, both language production (output), and language comprehension (input). Individuals who may benefit from cognitive-linguistic therapy include patients who have undergone neurological trauma, such as a traumatic brain injury or stroke, patients who have dementia, and even older adults who are experiencing cognitive-linguistic challenges associated with normal aging.   Any [...]

SPEAK OUT! Therapy Program is a research, evidence-based speech therapy program specific for Parkinson’s and other related neurological disorders to help patients regain and retain their speech and swallowing. This program combines individual speech therapy, education, daily home practice, and ongoing support. It was developed by Parkinson Voice Project in Richardson, Texas and you can visit their website at parkinsonvoiceproject.com for even more information!   “Up to 90% of people with Parkinson’s are at risk of losing their ability to speak. In addition, swallowing complications account for 70% of the mortality rate in this patient population. Our vision at Parkinson’s [...]

What is aphasia? Aphasia is an impairment of language affecting the ability to produce, understand, read and/or write. Aphasia can be caused by brain injury, but most often by stroke. Why would a stroke affect your language? Strokes (aka brain attacks) stop blood flow to the brain. When that occurs, access to that area of brain is damaged. In the left hemisphere of the brain, the language centers reside. A stroke stops the oxygen to the left temporal centers, resulting in aphasia. Can a speech pathologist help someone with aphasia? Yes! Whether the stroke was severe or mild, we have [...]

When I had my first child, I bought a book called, "The First 12 Months of Life," by Frank Caplan. It outlined what a parent can expect from their baby each month. I combined the information from Caplan's book with all of the  text books from my Master's Degree program and made a big, big chart out of butcher paper.  I pinned it o n the wall in my daughter's room.  It was great to look at the chart to see where she was performing. The best part of the chart, however, was  knowing what to expect and being able [...]

You might ask, “Why are speech therapists interested in treatments for sleep apnea?”  The answer is simple.  Many of our stroke and heart attack patients with a history of sleep apnea, end up with speech and swallowing problems.  You might also ask, “Is there a correlation between sleep apnea and stroke or heart attack?” And the answer is, yes.  According to the National Stroke Foundation, “Sleep apnea can be an after effect of stroke, but can also be the cause of a first time or recurrent stroke. The condition causes low oxygen levels and high blood pressure, both of which [...]

There is a difference between sight and vision. Eye sight is assessed based upon the ability to see at a distance of 20 feet and identify letters on the Snellen chart.    A determination is made regarding the eye’s ability to make clear an image at a distance.  The ability to see clearly, however, is only one of several skills needed to process information. Vision is a complex process and can be thought of as the ability to take what you see and make sense of it. There are 20+ visual performance skills necessary to process what we see. Visual perceptual [...]