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Spotlight on... awareness weeks

Awareness weeks guide

Speech Pathology Week

Speech Pathology Week

20-26 August 2023

Speech Pathology Week promotes the speech pathology profession and the work done by speech pathologists with the 1.2 million Australians who have a communication disability. This year, the theme for Speech Pathology Week is 'Communicating for life.' We aim to highlight the vital role speech pathologists play in supporting quality of life across the lifespan. Speech Pathology Australia

UpToDate

General

Paediatrics

Cochrane Library

Websites

Articles

Alzheimer’s and dementia

Paediatrics

Research

E-books

E-journals

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Core Australian websites

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Articles

Alzheimer’s and dementia

Identification of eating, drinking and swallowing difficulties for people living with early-stage dementia: A systematic review
Eating, drinking and swallowing (EDS) difficulty in early-stage dementia can be highlighted by indicators that could be combined to create enhanced pathways to support the early identification of EDS difficulties for people living with early-stage dementia with a view to preventing complications and facilitating informed discussions regarding wishes in the event of further deterioration. Exploring the experiences of people living with dementia and their families’ perspectives on potential indicators of EDS difficulty may add to the existing evidence base. International journal of language & communication disorders 22 July 2023

Exploring the connection between dementia and eating, drinking and swallowing difficulty: Findings from home-based semi-structured interviews
The connection between potential EDS difficulties and a dementia diagnosis may not be made, even though EDS changes were recognised by people living with dementia and their family carers. This may be explained by behaviours that mask problems or allow individuals to cope or compensate. Reduced awareness may also be due to inadequate access to information and lack of specialist services. If the connection between dementia and EDS difficulty is missed it could further delay access to support services.  International journal of language & communication disorders 23 May 2023

Effect of speech rate and complexity on sentence comprehension in Alzheimer’s disease
Previous research has not shown a benefit of slowed speech on the comprehension of sentences by persons with Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The objective of this study was to replicate and extend the findings from previous research by employing a novel speech rate manipulation that inserted strategic pauses at phrase and clause boundaries in sentences. Fourteen participants with AD were instructed to match auditorily presented sentences to one of several pictures that corresponded to the correct meaning of each sentence. The sentences varied in their speech rate and grammatical complexity. The results show that participants’ comprehension did not significantly benefit from the altered speech rate, though participants did demonstrate better comprehension of simpler than more complex sentences. The findings extend previous research by showing that even when employing a more natural method of slowing the speech signal it did not benefit AD participants’ comprehension. The results also contribute to evidence-based clinical recommendations concerning speech modifications to facilitate verbal comprehension in Alzheimer’s disease. Speech language and hearing 31 July 2023

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Paediatrics

“The barriers are plentiful.” Speech-language pathologists’ perspectives of enablers and barriers to hearing assessment for children in metropolitan, regional, and rural Australia: A mixed methods study
Barriers to hearing assessment are extensive and multifaceted. Future research might examine the accessibility of the health system in light of the barriers discussed in this research, and whether policies and procedures could be adapted to allow more easily accessible services. International journal of speech-language pathology 15 June 2023

Psychosocial features of stuttering for school-age children: A systematic review
The psychosocial features of stuttering need to be managed during the school years. Three psychosocial domains—impact of stuttering, anxiety and speech satisfaction—show evidence of potential treatment effects. This review provides direction for future clinical research so that speech–language pathologists can effectively and holistically manage school-age children who stutter. International journal of language & communication disorders 3 May 2023

Introducing a novel clinical tool to describe child engagement in telehealth speech and language assessments
The Factors Affecting Child Engagement in Telehealth Sessions (FACETS) tool may be a useful resource for describing the factors that influence children’s engagement in telehealth during the assessment. The FACETS requires further testing with clinical populations. International journal of speech-language pathology 30 June 2023

Australian speech-language pathologists’ self-rated confidence, knowledge, and skill on constructs essential to practising in literacy with children and adolescents
The level and consistency of speech-language pathologists’ (SLPs’)  literacy knowledge and skills requires improvement. The perception of inadequate preparation to practise in literacy may mean that SLPs are reluctant to engage in this area of practice. Minimum accreditation requirements specifically for literacy are recommended, together with assurance of ongoing professional learning opportunities spanning all components of literacy. International journal of speech-language pathology 28 April 2023

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Research

Public purse, private service: The perceptions of public funding models of Australian independent speech-language pathologists
This original and timely research offers perceptive descriptions of the multifaceted facilitators and barriers for families seeking to access public funding for independent speech-language pathology services in Australia. Research findings illuminate challenges for the speech-language pathology profession. Accessibility to funding was identified as a major issue. Research findings suggest that current funding provisions do not align with the dosage required for evidence-based speech-language pathology management. Further, this research has highlighted the need for funding to be equitable, acceptable to stakeholders, and for services to be delivered in an efficient and sustainable manner. Future research is recommended to understand which Australian public funding models (PFMs): (a) facilitate consumer access to speech-language pathology services; (b) enrich consumer experiences; and (c) align with scientific evidence to promote optimal outcomes. International journal of speech-language pathology 5 June 2023

Cognitive-communication difficulties due to traumatic brain injury sustained in adults 55 years and older: A survey of speech-language pathology professional practice in Australia
Research relating to cognitive-communication difficulties following traumatic brain injury (TBI) in older adulthood is required to support evidence-based practice and inform services for older adults who sustain TBI. International journal of speech-language pathology 15 March 2023

A short-form version of the Australian English Communicative Development Inventory
Fitted percentiles permit working guidelines for typical (median) performance and lower cut-offs for children who may be behind on age-based expectations and/or at risk for a communication difficulty. The OZI-SF is a short-form of the The Australian English Communicative Development Inventory (OZI) that has promise for research and clinical/educational use with Australian families. International journal of speech-language pathology 6 October 2021

Communication strategies to support decision-making by persons with aphasia: A scoping review
This review presents research trends regarding the support of persons with aphasia (PWA) in decision-making. Future research should focus on the effectiveness of the different strategies identified, and on the support of PWA in the making of a greater variety of complex decisions. International journal of language & communication disorders 5 July 2023

Clinical practice patterns of speech-language pathologists for screening and identifying dysphagia
Results from this study provide an in-depth look at the choices clinicians are making in the field regarding how to effectively screen patients for the presence of dysphagia. Contextual factors such as evidence base consumption patterns should serve researchers to continue seeking alternative ways to share evidence with clinicians, accessibly. Associations between continuing education and protocol choice show the need for continued evidence-based and high-quality continuing education opportunities. International journal of language & communication disorders 27 June 2023

‘Patient unable to express why he was on the floor, he has aphasia.’ A content thematic analysis of medical records and incident reports on the falls of hospital patients with communication disability following stroke
Communication disability as a risk factor for a fall, and fall prevention strategies tailored to the communication disability, were typically identified and documented by physiotherapists, occupational therapists and nursing staff. The inclusion of speech pathologists in fall risk assessment, management, and prevention strategies may provide crucial information regarding the patient's communication disability that may enhance their fall prevention plan. International journal of language & communication disorders 25 June 2023

A systematic review of behavioural therapies for improving swallow and cough function in Parkinson’s disease
Behavioural therapies were diverse in nature and many treatments demonstrated broad cross-system outcome benefits across swallow, respiratory, and cough functions. Given the progressive nature of the condition, the focus of future trials should be evaluating follow-up therapy effects and larger patient populations, including those with more severe disease. International journal of language & communication disorders 3 August 2023

Digital games for rehabilitation of speech disorders: A scoping review
Digital games can improve patients' speech and motivation in therapy. Although studies showed the positive impact of digital games on speech disorders, personalized speech therapy should be considered in designing these games. Health services reports 4 June 2023

Speech pathologists' perspectives on the use of augmentative and alternative communication devices with people with acquired brain injury and reflections from lived experience
This research has highlighted considerations for augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) use by people with acquired brain injury (ABI), from the perspective of speech pathologists and aided by lived experience reflections. Speech pathologists need to understand the breadth of products, and good practice service steps, to ensure successful AAC use and skill development. Listening to the perspectives of people with ABI is central to that understanding. Brain impairment 15 July 2023

A qualitative exploration of speech–language pathologists’ approaches in treating spoken discourse post-traumatic brain injury
This study provides new insight into the current treatment targets, activities, resources and outcome measures employed by clinicians supporting adults with discourse impairment post-TBI. It details the factors that influence clinical decision-making for this caseload and identifies an emphasis on client priorities and the value of clinician experience. International journal of language & communication disorders 14 March 2023

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E-books

This is just a sample of the e-books the library subscribes to – you will need your library login

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E-Journals

This is just a sample of the journals the library subscribes to – you will need your library login

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