Hi! I'm new to this group. I recently joined because I have a daughter with speech delay.

How can SLPs help children of color heal from collective trauma? "Collective trauma" explains the psychological distress experienced when a group or large community experience a shared trauma. This can be the psychological impact of watching protests and riots in response to police brutality cases like George Floyd, or other experiences like the ever-going water crises in Flint Michigan.

Pepperdine University (2021) provides insights on how we can help children heal from collective trauma. This is necessary for SLPs so we can ensure the welfare of the people we services (ASHA Code of Ethics, 2023).

You can see the article HERE: https://onlinegrad.pepperdine.edu/blog/children-of-color-collective-trauma-recovery/#supporting

How can we support parents with disabilities?

I'll be meeting with Dr. Robin L. Dodds, an associate professor who specializes in early childhood education to unpack this question.

If you don't have any Valentine's Day plans, we'd love for you to join us this Wednesday on the Pediatric Speech Sister Show Network on Youtube and LinkedIn!

We go LIVE on 2/14/24 at 4pm PT/6pm CT/7pm ET

Dr. Dodds is also a parent of children with disabilities and we'll get to hear her perspective navigating the SPED system despite her own expertise!

What questions would you like to ask her? Let us know in the comments!

Subscribe and get notified here: https://www.youtube.com/live/zj9Ud6J6Lfc?si=cHhfKjtD0e-3k-uL

Doing research for an upcoming presentation, Ethical AI in Speech Therapy: Harnessing the Future with Responsibility, and came across this.

"The $20 million, UB-led initiative — funded in January by the U.S. National Science Foundation and Institute of Education Sciences — will create artificial intelligence systems that ensure children with speech and language disorders receive timely, effective assistance."

"Since then (April, 2023) researchers have begun lab researching and building prototypes of two AI systems: the AI Screener, which will identify potential speech and language impairments by listening to and observing children in classrooms; and the AI Orchestrator, which acts as a virtual teaching assistant to SLPs by providing students with ability-based interventions."

AI is here and can be a positive or negative for speech therapy. What do you think of programs replacing speech-language pathologists?

Read the entire story by Cory Nealon here:
https://www.buffalo.edu/grad/news.host.html/content/shared/university/news/ub-reporter-articles/stories/2023/09/exceptional-ed-institute-update.detail.html

During the pandemic, she says accessing speech and language development services became increasingly challenging for parents whose children were struggling as many places closed down.

By the time services had moved online, long waiting lists had built up, meaning children like Cali were left behind.

https://www.bbc.com/news/health-67511716

Perfect holiday gifts for your SPED team, SLP Secret Santa, CF mentor and mentee ... and YOUR wishlist too!

Becoming an Exceptional Leader
Becoming an Exceptional AAC Leader
Becoming an Exceptional SLP Leader
Becoming an Exceptional API Leader (Coming Feb 2024!)

Build on clinical excellence and unite your passion with your purpose.
Love what you do every day!

https://bit.ly/3allbooks

This is more relevant now than ever! It's time to start shifting how we educate children here in the U.S. and around the world. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDZFcDGpL4U

Environmental Influence on AAC Device Use and Research Insights

AAC devices aren't just about tech; the environment and personal interactions matter a lot, too.

Vocabulary Limits: Many AAC devices focus on nouns, missing out on other essential words. This restricts conversations to basic functions such as requests and leaves out vital functions such as refusing or asking questions. Also, in standard English, creating a grammatically correct and clear sentence using only nouns in the positions of subject, verb, and object is challenging, if not impossible, without resorting to creative or non-standard interpretations. Crafting full sentences with a heavy noun emphasis, therefore, becomes tricky -- if not impossible.

Latency Time: Sometimes, users need a bit more time to find the right words on their device. However, this can sometimes disrupt the flow of a conversation, leading to potential awkward pauses -- which can sometimes cause a partner to interpret, non verbally, what a user might be trying to say.

Helpful, but...: Occasionally, people might step in to assist AAC users finish their thoughts. While the intent is kind, it can unintentionally overshadow what the AAC user is trying to express.

Ways to Improve:

Tweak the Device: Make it user-friendly. With faster word-finding, conversations become more fluid.

Broaden Word Choices: AAC devices should include a variety of core and fringe vocabulary — not just nouns but also verbs, adjectives, and more. Remember: you can rarely create sentences with only nouns, which are often fringe vocabulary words (e.g. YouTube). A diverse word selection paves the way for richer conversations.

Training for Friends & Family: Educating familiar conversation partners to be patient and allow the AAC user to lead can foster a more inclusive communication environment. When a new AAC user starts school, both their family and the school staff should receive training on how to use, model, and respond to the device in relevant situations.

Research Validates This...

There's strong research supporting these points. Works by Beukelman and Mirenda shed light on AAC's nuances, emphasizing the importance of a vast vocabulary and nurturing conversations. Many clinicians concur: understanding and addressing these aspects are pivotal for AAC users to engage in successful conversations.

Speech problems can make a child fall behind in school, and even simple tasks like ordering food can be a challenge.

The world of speech therapy for kids has evolved with technology advances, philosophical shifts and a greater model of inclusion.

https://www.gvnews.com/news/local/speech-therapy-is-evolving-in-schools-private-settings/article_44d269b8-11ed-11ee-b52a-8f1da2d29212.html

Happy National Speech and Language Day!

To all the Speech Language Therapists in our community, today we gather not just as colleagues and peers, but as a dedicated, passionate community with a shared mission. Today, we honor the transformative work that we do and the profound impact we have on the lives we touch. Happy National Speech and Language Day!

On this day, we celebrate the skill, dedication, and compassion that each and every one of you brings to your work as speech therapists. Our role is not merely a job; it's a calling to uplift lives, unlock potential, and transform futures. We witness daily how our efforts can help a child tell their parents they love them, allow an adult to regain their voice after a stroke, or give a person struggling with a stutter the confidence to speak in front of a crowd. The power of our work is immeasurable, and its impact is far-reaching.

Here at Liricare, we believe in empowering people through communication. We celebrate the beauty of diversity in the ways that we communicate, and we strive to bridge the gaps that speech and language barriers can sometimes create. We know that every voice matters and every voice deserves to be heard.

As speech therapists, we are truly the architects of communication. We design the tools and build the bridges that help our patients connect with the world around them. Today, let's pause to acknowledge the extraordinary work that we do, but also the responsibility we carry.

As we mark National Speech and Language Day, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to each member of our Liricare community. Your unwavering commitment, your compassionate care, and your constant pursuit of professional excellence inspire not just your patients, but everyone around you.

Let's continue to uplift one another, share our experiences and wisdom, and celebrate our successes. After all, we are stronger together. We are a beacon of hope for those we serve, and together, we are making a difference, one word at a time.

Happy National Speech and Language Day! Here's to us, to the lives we change, and to the future we're shaping.