Welcome Rachel Swinson! August 9, 2011

Central Texas Speech Pathology Services, Inc. is pleased to add Rachel Swinson to our staff!  Rachel is a familiar face to CTSPS, as she was previously employed with us as part of our administrative staff during her undergraduate work. We consider it a high compliment to have her rejoin the team in the new role of speech-language pathologist this year!

Rachel, originally from Del Rio, Texas, received both her undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of Texas at Austin.  She is a member of the National Stuttering Association and Youth Stuttering Association local chapters.  Rachel’s areas of interest are fluency, child articulation and phonology disorders, adult cognitive-linguistic and swallowing disorders, and voice disorders.  She has experience in several settings including rehabilitation hospitals, public schools, ENT offices, and private practice.

Join us in welcoming Rachel!

Parents Know Their Children Best July 20, 2011

Referrals for speech and language services can come from a myriad of sources – physicians, ENTs, pediatricians, and teachers.  The earliest and most reliable sources for identifying problems, however, are parents.  Parents have the most direct observation time with their children and can typically best answer the relevant questions regarding their child’s difficulties.  Does the problem occur when the child is frustrated?  Is the child social?  Do other family members understand the child during casual speech?  Does the speech have to be in the context of a conversation for the child to be understood?  Is the child developing at about the same pace as older siblings?  When the child is in a group of peers, are there obvious differences in speech and language function?

An ongoing Australian study called Growing Up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Australian Children found that parents were very accurate in identifying disorders in their children.  More than 80 percent of parents’ report about their children’s communication skills corresponded with the diagnosis by a qualified speech-language pathologist.  In this study, the parents were even better at accurate identification than classroom teachers.  (Sharynne McLeod, Linda Harrison, Lindy McAllister, & Jane McCormack.  Charles Sturt University, Australia. The University of Queensland, Australia. www.csu.edu.au/research/speech-impairment/docs/speech-language-impairment-LSAC.pdf)

Parents should follow their first instincts when it comes to seeking a speech and/or language evaluation for their child and discuss issues or concerns with their physician or qualified speech pathologist.  Early intervention is key as many disorders can be treated and resolved before school-age if caught early enough.

McLeod S. , Harrison L., McAllister L., & McCormack J. (2009, December). Correspondence between direct assessment of speech and language impairment in 4- to 5-year-olds and LSAC measures of parent and teacher reported concern. Poster session presented at the 2^nd Growing Up in Australia: Longitudinal Study of Australian Children (LSAC) Research Conference, Melbourne, Australia.

Teasing & Bullying: More Support for Early Speech Therapy Intervention July 12, 2011

According to Scholastic (www.scholastic.com/resources/article/bullying), “Teasing becomes bullying when it is repetitive or when there is a conscious intent to hurt another child.  It can be verbal, psychological, or physical.”   A 2009 University of Behavioral Health at Denton survey found that 18 percent of school-age children reported being bullied at least once during their school year. (The Gainesville Daily Register, “Survey Shows 18 percent of Texas students bullied”, January 31, 2011).

The percentage of children who experience teasing and bullying could predictably be higher for those with speech and language disorders.  In 1999, the British Psychological Society published a study that found 83% of adult who stutter experienced bullying as children.  (“Stammerers targeted by school bullies” by John Carvel for The Guardian, June 4, 1999).  The bullying included “name-calling, threats, theft of belongings, and physical aggression.”  A large percentage of those surveyed experienced bullying everyday and almost all had some form of taunting at least once per week.   Additionally, many study participants reported life-long effects with self-esteem and disturbing memories of the bullying.  One adult male even admitted to a suicide attempt.

Here are some resources that are readily available to help with bullying:

Full credit to:  Helping Children Deal With Teasing and Bullying (ASHA Leader, June 7, 2011.  “Teasing and Bullying” by Judith Maginnis Kuster)

                “Trouble at Recess” is a free downloadable book from the Stuttering Foundation about being teased “www.stutteringhelp.org/Portals/English/book0034.pdf)

                “Just for Kids” lists children’s responses to how they have been teased, how they feel when being teased, and what they can do when they are teased – and invites children to submit their own responses (www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/kids/kids.html#teasing).

Did you or someone you know deal with bullying due to a speech disorder?  Tell us about your experience.

A New Way to Help July 8, 2011

The AVIA Triathlon in Austin

One of CTSPS’s speech pathologists, Erica Ortiz, has recently made a personal commitment to train with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training in preparation for the AVIA Triathlon in Austin on September 5.  In addition to training for the event, Erica is also raising funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Erica has participated in several running and cycling events in the area over the past few years, but was inspired to participate in this organization after a family member was diagnosed with lymphoma in 2010.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training 

The mission of Team in Training and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma, and to improve the quality of life for patients and their families.  Leukemia is a type of cancer that affects the blood and bone marrow, the spongy center of bones where our blood cells are formed.  Lymphoma is the name for a group of blood cancers that develop in the lymphatic system. The two main types are Hodgkin lymphoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).  Myeloma is a type of cancer that begins in the bone marrow and affects the plasma cells.

Cancer Treatment and Speech Therapy

Leukemia and lymphoma themselves do not carry an inherent risk of impairing the areas of function we typically associate with speech therapy such as communication, cognition and swallowing abilities. However, radiation and chemotherapy often used to treat various types of cancer can result in a myriad of side effects, including feeding and swallowing difficulties and cognitive decline. Speech pathologists, also known as speech therapists, are trained in assessment and treatment of these deficits and therefore can assist with the care of individuals with cancer.

Swallowing

Chemotherapy and radiation side effects may include a variety of symptoms that make it difficult to chew and swallow food or liquid and increase risk for aspiration (food/liquid entering the lungs).  Difficulty swallowing is referred to as dysphagia.  Patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiation may experience a number of dysphagia symptoms including the following:

• Dry mouth (also called xerostomia)
• Soreness in the mouth or throat
• Infections of the mouth or esophagus
• Swelling of the throat and esophagus

Speech therapists evaluate swallowing function and provide treatment to restore swallowing function to its maximum potential.

To learn more about chemotherapy and radiation therapy’s effects on the mouth and throat, visit the following:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/chemo-side-effects/mouth-and-throat

http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=18686

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/radiation-therapy-and-you/page8#SE5

Cognition & Communication

In addition to dysphagia, a decline in cognitive and communication abilities is possible after completing chemotherapy and/or radiation.  Difficulties have been reported particularly in the areas of memory, attention, processing numbers, word retrieval, following instructions, multi-tasking, and setting priorities. These difficulties can have a negative impact on an individual’s ability to understand and make decisions regarding treatment, perform in school or work, and connect with loved ones.  Speech therapy may be recommended to assess and treat these deficits to help patients return to their everyday lives.

To learn more about chemotherapy and radiation therapy’s effect on cognition, visit the following:

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/coping/chemo-side-effects/memory

http://info.cancer.ca/cce-ecc/default.aspx?cceid=405&se=yes&Lang=E&toc=1

How YOU Can Help

Speech pathologists can play an integral role in rehabilitation for individuals undergoing cancer treatment.   Erica is excited to have found an additional way to contribute to the care of those suffering from cancer.  If you would like to support Erica and make a donation to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, please visit the following website: http://pages.teamintraining.org/sctx/austntri11/eortizdtmd.  Donations via credit or debit card are accepted and greatly appreciated!

Good luck, Erica! CTSPS is cheering you on!

A Work in Progress… June 27, 2011

Our South Office renovations are well underway. Check out our latest improvements…

Updated restroom cabinets, mirrors and tile borders

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We are looking forward to the next step of our renovations with the installation of new carpet in July.

Check back soon for more pictures of the transformation.

Welcome Kim Herrejon June 22, 2011

CTSPS, Inc. is pleased to announce that Kimberly Herrejon has joined our practice!  We are so excited to have another bilingual therapist on staff to enable us to serve even more of the Austin community.  

Kim grew up in McAllen, Texas and attended Baylor University for her Bachelor’s degree.  She obtained her Master’s in speech pathology at Missouri State University where she gained experience working with pediatrics and adults in educational and medical settings.

While in Missouri, Kim was an active volunteer in the community. She assisted the Verona School library in receiving a sizeable grant from the Laura Bush Foundation for America’s Libraries used to expand the library’s collection of bilingual and multicultural materials.  Kim also provided workshops with the Hispanic Initiative at Missouri State to educate Spanish-speaking parents in early literacy and the importance of education, and she volunteered with Americorps as a bilingual mentor for children.

Kim has particular interest in bilingualism, Spanish language development and disorders, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) and accent modification.  As a native Spanish speaker who began learning English in second grade, Kim brings a unique understanding of the experience of second language learning and bilingualism to our practice.  She is currently practicing at our north and south locations evaluating and treating English and Spanish-speaking pediatric and adult patients.

Welcome Kim!

Crossing the Finish Line! June 1, 2011

CTSPS enjoyed our first year as participants in Austin’s Capitol 10k, the largest 10k in Texas, on March 27th 2011.

Check out the photos of our staff trekking towards the finish line…

(Please note that not all of our participants could be photographed mid-race-

some were simply too fast to be captured on film!)

taking an incredibly brief water break/photo opp…

and celebrating at our post-race office party!

Thanks to all of our staff who participated!

We look forward to crossing the finish line again next year.

Pardon our dust! May 24, 2011

Central Texas Speech Pathology Services, Inc. is always striving to provide excellence in all aspects of patient care.   With the needs of our adult and pediatric patients in mind, we are currently renovating our South office.  Please excuse our dust as we finish painting and put the final touches on our state-of-the-art facility.  The results will be worth it!

More updates and pictures coming soon…

Welcome to CTSPS!

Therapy Room Renovations in Process

Our South Office Entrance

Better Speech and Hearing Month May 17, 2011

Central Texas Speech Pathology is celebrating Better Speech and Hearing Month during the month of May!

Speech, language, hearing and swallowing difficulties can occur at any time in a person’s life.  These problems have various origins and can greatly impact one’s ability to interact effectively with the world around them. There are approximately 43 million people in the United States that have communication disorders meaning they have problems with speech, voice, language and/or hearing.

A speech-language pathologist is fully trained with a minimum requirement of a master’s degree and licensed to assess and provide the most effective treatment for your particular communication and/or swallowing disorder.

We want to hear from you! Have you or anyone you know ever been positively affected by speech therapy?  Do you suspect a communication or swallowing disorder in a relative or friend? Share your story and questions here with us!

Here are some helpful links with more information or give our office a call at 512-327-6179 with your questions.

http://www.asha.org/

http://www.nsastutter.org/

http://www.aphasia.org/

http://www.asha.org/public/speech/swallowing/SwallowingAdults.htm

Contributed by CTSPS speech-language pathologist Leah Legere, M.A. CCC-SLP.

Leah Legere grew up in Abbeville, Louisiana and is a graduate of Louisiana State University where she obtained her Master’s degree in speech pathology. She has special interest in voice disorders, adult swallowing disorders, as well as pediatric oral-motor and swallowing disorders.  Leah has been with CTSPS since 2008 and currently practices primarily at our South Austin office and surrounding areas.

For more information on CTSPS therapists, visit our website at www.centraltexasspeech.com.

CTSPS IS ON THE RUN! March 21, 2011

Central Texas Speech Pathology therapists and staff are joining with thousands of Austinites to hit the street for Austin’s Cap10K Fun Run on March 27^th.  We work and live in Austin and are excited to be a part of a race benefiting agencies that care about Austin like we do. Proceeds from the race will go to Austin’s Children’s Shelter and Swim Safe for Austin Kids. Come out and cheer us on… or better yet, join us!

For more information about the race, check out the Cap10K website.

Special thanks to Matthew at Shed Ink, a locally owned and operated screen shop in South Austin, for our fantastic race t-shirts.  Visit their website at www.shedink.com.