Welcome to SPEECH THERAPY! Example of an inservice outline on speech-language pathology for facility staff

I. Introduction (I am ST)

A. Name
B. Location
C. Education
D. Experience
E. Role @ my workplace

(Activity #1: introduce yourself to the person next to you....brief comments on the 'communication' required)

II. ST is a health professional that practices an "applied interdisciplinary behavioral science"

A. Applied -  benefiting everyday people
B. Interdisciplinary - coming out of the work of all these professions, and melded
C. Behavioral - people doing real things
D. Science - a systematic way of explaining the world

III. ST referrals are made to help persons with problems -

A. Swallowing (case example follows each alphanumeric item)
B. Thinking
1. Attention
2. Memory
3. Problem Solving
4. "Being An Adult" - Executive Function
C. Communicating
1. Speaking - Speech, Voice, Articulation
2. Listening - Receptive Language
3. Understanding - Speech Perception (hearing)

IV. What ST does, in summary:

A. Breakdown function to component parts - skilled activity
B. Train improvement of components in clinical (unnatural) settings
C. Retrain the whole activities in natural settings

V. What YOU can do to help persons having problems with these skills

A. Offer assistance to the persons through use of compensations
(Activity #2: Demonstrate compensations used for persons having problems swallowing)
B. Identify for ST those persons for whom compensations are used; determine the need for additional evaluation.
C. Assist ST in helping the person improve skills as needed, through use of compensations and a home exercise program (as needed)
(Activity #3: Home Exercise program example - kazoo blowing for increased exhalation strength)

VI. Questions?

VII. Thank you!