4 key take home strategies for SLPs and OTs on Communication

Last posting: What are 4 key take home treatment strategies that SLPs and OTs can apply given the literature and discussion you provided on your blog? What is the rationale for each of these take home strategies?

             

During the last few weeks we have discussed communication and Autism; Auditory processing, motor control, learning and impairment as they relate to communication, specific word finding difficulties, and some techniques of facilitating communication.  In this last blog, four treatment strategies that SLPs and OTs can apply are discussed, along with rationale for each.

1^st strategy:

Develop Co-Treatment sessions between speech and OT

Rationale: Since communication is a social-functional occupation, it fits well under both the SLP as well as OT domain. Many of the specifics like the prosody, low tone need two professionals with slightly different focus working towards same goal, and one carrying over techniques then to their own individual sessions.

OTs can bring their expertise in sensory based techniques, vestibular, tactile and visual techniques to prepare the child, while SLP can bring their expertise of specific oral motor facilitation, and breathing techniques into the session. One can grow professionally and give the same in return.

2^nd strategy:

Use AAC for ALL non-verbal and semi-verbal ASD children

Rationale: There are many established as well as newly discovered, developing augmentative and alternative communication devices out there, so use them! When you come across any SLP, or OT that is unaware of such advanced devices, educate! Too many ASD children can not communicate to the extent they could be, due in part by unawareness of well meaning therapists of what can be done to increase desire to communicate; AAC.

The most commonly used AAC are:

-PECS

-VOCAs like “springboard”

-ipad apps like the proloque2

3^rd strategy:

Involve, collaborate, educate and empower parents, teachers.

Rationale: Systematic implementation of techniques known to SLP, OT will bring about faster changes, and reduce confusion for the child. When setting up certain treatment techniques, for ex: LIP CLOSURE AND SWALLOW to improve saliva control when speaking; it would be very important to let everyone involved know that they can be cueing the child the same way SLP would, or a certain grip on writing instrument for written communication should be known to teacher as well as parents to reinforce at home.

4^th strategy:

Use FUNCTIONAL approach when facilitating communication

Use communication during daily functional tasks. In kitchen, crawling under the table, on playground, during self care tasks in bathroom. Communication is not like handwriting that needs a t able, chair, proper lighting, pen etc. It’s everywhere; use each opportunity to facilitate it using whatever method is being trialed (PECS, Sign, PROMPT). Encourage, and give feedback to the child at each attempt to increase the desire to communicate.

After all, its only the child’s engine of desire to communicate that can get the communication train anywhere!