For AAPHI month, I had the privilege of speaking with Phuong Lien Palafox, MA CCC-SLP, a bilingual Asian-American SLP passionate about increasing culturally responsive care for our Asian clients and colleagues.

You can check out our LIVE Replay on the Pediatric Speech Sister Network here: https://youtu.be/p2uFajlxSPQ

Neurodiversity Affirming Practices in Speech Language Pathology

Introduction: What is Perception?

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What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity is the idea of understanding and valuing the various of ways of being human. This includes brain thinking, attentional focus, learning, behavior, and emotion in different ways due to neurological differences. It is essentially about recognizing, respecting, and celebrating the diverse ways people think and behave!

Neurodiversity is also about understanding that neurological diversity is not a disorder, nor a limitation; But simply a DIVERSITY of abilities. It is a way of “breaking out of deficits-based thinking” towards understanding that differences are natural, common, and beneficial.

The idea of neurodiversity can be seen as an extension of the social model of disability, which redefines disability as an environmental restriction. This social model also strives to promote greater understanding of the different ways that people think and act, thereby opening up increased social acceptance and opportunities for disabled people.

3. The Importance of affirming practices and Speech Langauge Pathology

Our field of Speech Langauge Pathology is a fertile ground to cultivate a healthy Neurodiversity affirming practice where speech-language pathologists can provide individuals with an opportunity to reach their goals and build on their strengths and accounts for their individual needs and preferences.
This type of practice requires an understanding of neurodiversity and a commitment to respecting the individual's privacy and preferences. It is an approach that ultimately leads to improved quality of life and more independence for individuals with neurologic conditions.

The importance of affirming neurodiversity practices within speech language pathology is growing. Neurodiversity affirming practices focus on creating an environment which respects the individual and celebrates their strengths. Such practices emphasize acceptance, empathy, and respect for diversity, rather than judgment and discrimination.

Neurodiversity affirming practices are also important for professional development within a speech language pathology practice. As therapists become knowledgeable and aware of different neurological conditions, they can better understand their clients and improve their ability to support them. Furthermore, they can expand their services by educating the community on the importance of affirming practices. By doing so, they can open up more possibilities and opportunities for individuals with neurodiversity.

4. What does an affirming practice look like?

A neurodiversity affirming practice is an approach to working with individuals who have a neurological condition. It involves a focus on the strengths and potential of each individual, as well as a commitment to creating an environment of acceptance, diversity, and respect.

An affirming practice is based on understanding the person, not their diagnostic label. It emphasizes providing individualized support to each person that respects their privacy, preferences, and priorities. In addition, it involves helping them build on their strengths and foster independence and self-determination.

The focus of an affirming practice is to empower individuals to reach their goals and to provide them with the tools and support they need to do so. This approach begins with the acknowledgment that everyone deserves respect and understanding, regardless of their abilities or disabilities.

In addition, an affirming practice requires an understanding of neurodiversity and a commitment to treating individuals as people, not a collection of diagnoses. It involves providing client centered approaches in a safe and accepting environment. This is essential for individuals to build on their strengths and reach their goals.

In conclusion:
Ultimately, the goal of neurodiversity affirming practices is to build an environment where everyone feels accepted and included. This allows individuals with disabilities to feel comfortable expressing themselves and tapping into their potential. By creating such an atmosphere, children or adults can challenge themselves and feel fulfilled. Allowing children or adults to feel accepted, appreciated and to reach their potential, can do wonders for their self-esteem and self-expression.

4 Approaches to Culturally Responsive Speech and Language Intervention:

Culturally responsive speech and language intervention is an approach that takes into account a family's cultural background and values when providing intervention services for their child's speech and language needs. This approach recognizes that a family's culture can significantly influence their beliefs, attitudes, and communication styles, and that these factors can impact their child's learning and development.

When implementing culturally responsive speech and language intervention, it is important to:

Understand and respect the family's cultural background: This includes learning about the family's cultural traditions, beliefs, values, and communication styles. The interventionist should demonstrate respect and appreciation for the family's cultural background and use this knowledge to guide their intervention strategies.

Use culturally relevant materials and activities: Intervention materials and activities should be culturally appropriate and relevant to the family's cultural background. For example, if the family speaks a language other than English at home, intervention materials should be available in that language. If the family has cultural traditions that involve storytelling or music, these activities could be incorporated into the intervention.

Involve the family in the intervention process: Families should be encouraged to actively participate in their child's speech and language intervention. They can provide valuable insights into their child's communication strengths and challenges and can also help to identify culturally relevant intervention strategies.

Collaborate with community resources: Interventionists should work closely with community resources, such as cultural centers or language schools, to enhance their knowledge of the family's cultural background and to identify additional resources and support.

By implementing culturally responsive speech and language intervention, interventionists can ensure that their services are tailored to the unique needs and cultural background of the family they are working with. This approach can lead to more effective interventions, greater family involvement and satisfaction, and ultimately, better outcomes for the child.

If you want to know more about how to be more culturally responsive for your speech pathology colleagues and clients, find more on my Instagram page here: instagram.com/pediatricspeechsister

These exercises are specially designed to target and enhance the muscles involved in speech production. These exercises can help improve muscle tone, coordination and control, eventually leading to clearer and more effective communication.

https://www.sportskeeda.com/health-and-fitness/simple-oral-motor-exercises-elevate-communication-skills-naturally

The number of students qualifying for special education services is rising, even as persistent shortages of qualified staff members and dramatically inflated costs continue to hamper school districts’ efforts to provide those services for more than 7 million students.

https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/how-special-education-funding-actually-works/2023/04

Speech therapists frequently work with clients who have communication difficulties, which can be stressful and emotionally draining. Mindfulness is a practice that can help speech therapists improve their ability to focus on their clients and be present in the moment.
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Parents play a vital role in the success of a child's speech therapy. A parent's involvement can mean the difference between progress and stagnation. As the primary caregivers, parents spend the most time with their child and can provide the necessary support between therapy sessions.
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In celebration of World Voice Day, Vanderbilt Voice Center presents the Professional Voice Conference April 17-18 at the Belcourt Theatre.
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ou may feel comfortable treating clients with dementia as well as those with aphasia after a stroke, but what about clients with primary progressive aphasia? Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a relatively rare, and often under-diagnosed, neurological disorder that primarily affects language and the person’s ability to communicate.
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The Arkansas Department of Education (ADE) has approved funding for the University of Arkansas at Monticello (UAM) to continue as a Special Education Resource Teacher Academy during the 2023-2024 academic year.
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