Spring 2004

Articles from the Spring 2004 Issue

Finger on the pulse.

Hibberd, J., Shale, A., Bowers, S. & Miles, K. (2004)

Although videofluoroscopy can identify dysphagia and distinguish between penetration and aspiration on swallowing, it is not always available or appropriate. Judi Hibberd and colleagues investigate a possible alternative.

Although videofluoroscopy can identify dysphagia and distinguish between penetration and aspiration on swallowing, it is not always available or appropriate. With permission from their two employing Trusts, the authors looked into the potential of using the less invasive pulse oximetry in conjunction with cervical auscultation as a bedside screen for dysphagia. They suggest that on pulse oximetry there may be differences between people with neurological dysphagia and those with respiratory dysphagia, and that this should be investigated in further studies. They conclude that pulse oximetry may be able to distinguish between aspiration and penetration, and that, used in conjunction with cervical auscultation, it may be useful as a bedside screen.

A year of storytelling.

Grove, N. (2004)

Nicola Grove reflects on a year spent exploring different ways of storytelling with people with learning disabilities.

Speech and language therapists are familiar with working to ensure clients can make choices and decisions, but the most basic of human needs, the sharing of conversational stories, is not so well supported. Nicola Grove reflects on a year spent researching different ways of storytelling with people who have learning disabilities. Using case examples to illustrate points, she considers what kinds of stories are generated by people with severe communication difficulties; how people with disabilities and their families and carers be helped to share experiences through storytelling; and what frameworks are most useful for assessing and teaching storytelling skills.

Sure Start: the final frontier.

Cooke, A. & Taylor, D. (2004)

Alison Cooke & Dana Taylor report back on their joint mission to bring specialist knowledge of early speech and language development to two culturally diverse Sure Start locations.

Sure Start speech and language workers (therapists) Alison Cooke and Dana Taylor describe the development of the community-based ‘Play & Say’ that aims to engage all children and carers in activities to promote development of language and social communication (a sample workshop is included). They use their experience to explain why they believe two therapists working in partnership is the ideal speech and language therapy set-up for a Sure Start project.

Winning Ways series (2): Enjoying the ride.

Middlemiss, J. (2004)

As the wheel of life goes round, it’s easy to lose our balance. Life coach Jo Middlemiss encourages us to find ways of getting things back on an even keel.

The physical environment, career, money, health, friends and family, significant other / romance, personal growth and fun and recreation – as the wheel of life goes round, it’s easy to lose our balance. Life coach Jo Middlemiss presents two case examples to demonstrate how we can get things back on an even keel. 

You talk – but what does it type?

Roberts, P., Joyce, M. & Philpott, C. (2004)

Peter Roberts, Malcolm Joyce and Claire Philpott examine the potential of automatic speech recognition software for people with dysarthria.

Most people are familiar with the idea of using a keyboard to type up a document, send and e-mail or play games on a computer. Automatic speech recognition (“you talk, it types”) can also be used to do these tasks. The authors investigate what happens when the user has dysarthria, examining the capability of the software to adapt to the characteristics of the individual’s dysarthric speech, and to tolerate increased variability. They outline ways to help people with more marked dysarthria access the programs. They conclude that current commercially available automatic speech recognition products can be viable for mild or moderate dysarthric users.

Skills for life.

Clarkson, B. & Peel, A. (2004)

Barbara Clarkson and Angela Peel join forces with their Year 8 and Year 10 pupils to offer ideas for providing effective support for secondary pupils with specific language impairment.

Barbara Clarkson is a specialist speech and language therapist and Angela Peel the specialist teaching head of Wakefield secondary speech and language resource. Together with their Year 8 and Year 10 pupils, they explain why their ‘Learning skills’ and ‘Challenger – Social Skills’ curriculum enables pupils with severe specific language impairment to learn and change.

How I am keeping up-to-date

(1) – The tools of the trade.

Frazer, L. (2004)

For Louise Frazer, working with school aged children who stammer was a particular challenge – until she found the right tools for the job.

Louise Frazer left Scotland for Barbados 5 years ago. She reports a seminar from the 20th National Lingui Systems Conference in Las Vegas, A balanced approach to school-aged stuttering therapy by Nina Reardon, as the ‘tools’ she recommended (covering communication; beliefs and feelings; and speech management) are proving very useful.

(2) – A sound therapy?

Nicoll, A. (2004)

Can CDs of music with certain frequencies dampened or amplified to stimulate an individual’s listening skills lead to improvements in their speech and language? Editor Avril Nicoll sounds out Johansen Sound Therapy.

Can CDs of music with certain frequencies dampened or amplified to stimulate an individual’s listening skills lead to improvements in their speech and language? As readers of Speech & Language Therapy in Practice were requesting more information about auditory processing and sound therapy, editor Avril Nicoll signed up for a 4 day Johansen Sound Therapy course presented by founder Dr Kjeld Johansen, director of the Baltic Dyslexia Research Laboratory in Denmark. Its rationale and implementation process are summarised, and some of the controversy around its use discussed. Avril concludes that further research by speech and language therapists is needed.

 (3) – Past meets present.

Nicoll, A. (2004)

The North Eastern Speech & Language Therapists Association was formed 25 years ago to provide low cost training for speech and language therapists in the north east of England. Editor Avril Nicoll finds the energy, drive and vision of the founder members mirrored by the current cohort.

The North Eastern Speech & Language Therapists Association (NESTA) was formed 25 years ago to provide low cost training for speech and language therapists in the north east of England. Editor Avril Nicoll reports from NESTA’s Silver Jubilee conference which showcased recent developments in the north east, and finds the energy, drive and vision of the founder members mirrored by the current cohort.

My Top Resources – child voice.

Cavalli, L. (2004)

Lesley Cavalli specialises in the assessment and management of voice disorders in children and adolescents, as well as those who have had head and neck surgery.

Lesley Cavalli works as a member of the speech and language therapy team at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. She specialises in the assessment and management of voice disorders in children and adolescents, as well as head and neck surgery. Children attend Great Ormond Street for second opinions and for management of both common and more unusual voice problems. Lesley also lectures in voice at University College London. Here she give her ten top resources for her work.