Exploring voice and participatory processes for children who communicate in unconventional ways

This study is intended to identify current perceptions about artificial intelligence among speech-language pathology practices and services in children and adults. Focus group data from 9 speech-language pathologists – clinical supervisors (SLPs) in Greece and Cyprus services were used. The focus group answered a 9-item questionnaire, and the data were analyzed using qualitative thematic analysis to understand better perceptions of Artificial Intelligence among SLPs professionals. The findings revealed the primary themes of the SLPs who participated in the focus group. Specifically, it was reported that participants showed a positive attitude toward AI, recognizing its potential to enhance speech-language pathology services with accurate and efficient diagnostics and treatment. Concerns about the lack of human touch and data privacy/security were significant among them. Most participants agreed that SLPs should acquire knowledge of AI, data analysis, and technical skills to integrate AI effectively into their practice. This study revealed critical clinical implications derived from participants’ reports. It discusses the importance of rethinking the scope of practice of using AI when working with vulnerable populations.

Enhancing Language Services to Native American Children: A Look From the Inside

Background: Significant others are important to persons with aphasia. For several reasons they should be involved in speech-language pathology (SLP) services, including acquiring facilitating communicative strategies and receiving support. In order to further adapt SLP services there is a need to know the perceptions and views of the significant others. Little is known about how they perceive changes in communication as well as received SLP services and in what way they want to be involved in these services. Aims: The study aimed to investigate which communicative changes significant others of persons with aphasia had experienced after a stroke event and to what extent these changes were experienced. A further aim was to describe the significant others' experiences of SLP services and their motivation to participate in these services. Finally, the significant others' experiences were compared in terms of sex, age, type of relationship, time since stroke onset, and type and severity of aphasia. Methods & Procedures: An 80-item study-specific questionnaire was answered by 173 significant others of persons with aphasia living throughout Sweden (response rate 69%). Of these, 33% were male and 67% female. Mean age was 64.2 years (range 33–87 years) and 85.5% of the participants were a cohabiting partner to a person with aphasia. Outcomes & Results: A total of 64% of participants perceived their conversations as being less stimulating and enjoyable compared with conversations before stroke onset. Aphasia was considered a substantial or very substantial problem by 64%. The participants took on an increased communicative responsibility, and 70% had changed their communicative behaviour in order to facilitate conversations. A total of 75% (n = 130) had met with the SLP of the person with aphasia. Of those, 63% perceived their own support from SLP services to be adequate; 87% considered language ability training as the most important SLP service. Type and severity of aphasia were especially related to the communicative experiences of the participants and their motivation to be involved in SLP services. Conclusions: The substantial decrease from pre- to post-stroke regarding enjoyment and meaningfulness of conversations suggests the need to further improve SLP services in order to help the people in question communicate at an optimal level. We suggest that clinicians should put more emphasis on explaining the benefits and availability of different kinds of aphasia rehabilitation services, such as functional communication training and communication partner training in addition to language ability training.

2012 Revisions to Medicare Fee Schedule Proposed

You have accessThe ASHA LeaderASHA News1 Jun 2008Emerging Clinical Practices Identified Loretta Nunez, Sharon Beamer, Leigh Deussing, Diane Paul and Susanna Aulbach Loretta Nunez Google Scholar , Sharon Beamer Google Scholar , Leigh Deussing Google Scholar , Diane Paul Google Scholar and Susanna Aulbach Google Scholar https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.AN2.13082008.1 SectionsAbout ToolsAdd to favorites ShareFacebookTwitterLinked In Identification of emerging areas of clinical practice is important for ensuring the vitality of the professions of audiology and speech-language pathology. Information about emerging areas can guide clinical practice, support professional education and development, inform advocacy, and spur needed research. Why is it important to stay current with clinical trends? There are a number of reasons. Clinicians may need to perform a new or revised procedure, work with a new population, apply an existing treatment approach to a new population, or use a new service delivery model. The current scopes of practice for audiology and speech-language pathology may include the new areas of practice—or they may not. The ASHA Code of Ethics provides the overarching guidance for decisions about adopting new areas of practice. As stated in Principle of Ethics II, B, "Individuals shall engage in only those aspects of the professions that are within the scope of their competence, considering their level of education, training, and experience." Clinicians also need to refer to state licensure laws because state laws include requirements about permitted practices. Clinicians typically seek information about new areas of practice by talking to colleagues, attending conferences, reading articles, and participating in journal groups. No formal process exists, however, for identifying emerging areas of clinical practice in communication sciences and disorders or in other fields. To address that need, an ASHA team developed tools and applied a systematic process to identify emerging areas of practice using a set of guiding questions, a decision-making flowchart based on the answers, and a list of targeted data sources. Guiding questions included: Is the practice in the current scope of practice in audiology and/or speech-language pathology? If yes, is the practice applied as described in the scope(s) of practice? If no, are clinicians being asked to perform a new procedure? Are new populations being served by clinicians? Or are existing treatment approaches being applied to new populations? Is there research to support including the practice as an emerging area of practice? Are speech-language pathologists and/or audiologists being excluded from areas of clinical practice that are within their respective scopes of practice? Is there a new service delivery model being used? The process yielded several practice areas in audiology and speech-language pathology that met the criteria for "emerging." Audiology The emerging areas of audiology practice involve an increase in knowledge, skills, and abilities in areas outside of traditional audiologic practice—traumatic brain injury (TBI), blood-screening tests, and the use of otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) in identifying infants at risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Mild Traumatic Brain Injury As military veterans become more aware of the effects of mild TBI, the need for screening for that condition also will increase. For veterans entering the health care system through audiology services, the audiologist may be asked to perform the initial screening for mild TBI to ensure appropriate referrals to other members of the health care team. Blood-screening Tests Many audiologists are expanding their knowledge and understanding of etiologies of deafness. This knowledge includes molecular blood screening tests that detect conditions such as Connexin 26, Connexin 30, Pendred syndrome, the mitochondrial A1555T mutation, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) as a cause of hearing loss. OAEs and SIDS Emerging research in OAEs may result in a new application of the procedure in identifying children at risk for SIDS. Findings from Ruben, et al. (2007) suggest that infants who died from SIDS had a significant decrease in signal to noise in the right ear. As research results continue to unfold, audiologists may play a more integral role in the identification of risk factors for this syndrome. Speech-Language Pathology Emerging areas identified in speech-language pathology include assessment of patients with esophageal dysphagia, high-speed laryngeal imaging, and an expanded role in hearing screening for infants. Esophageal Dysphagia Speech-language pathologists are growing more interested in the assessment of patients with esophageal dysphagia. Patients referred for pharyngeal disorders, once evaluated, may instead have an esophageal disorder, or may have coexisting disorders of the pharynx and the esophagus. SLPs may work with referring physicians to ensure that patients with symptoms such as "choking on food" or complaints of "food sticking" receive a modified barium swallow to assess possible pharyngeal causes and barium swallow studies to determine if the cause is esophageal. Often only a modified barium swallow study is ordered and conducted for these patients—which eliminates assessment of the esophagus, a key anatomical structure. Until recent years, some SLPs who conducted videofluoroscopic studies failed to screen function below the pharynx because of a perception that the esophagus was not their concern. Nancy Swigert, department head of speech-language pathology at Central Baptist Hospital in Lexington, Ky., notes that "SLPs are educating referring physicians and team members about our scope of practice. As a result, there is a growing acceptance among professionals—referring physicians, radiologists, and SLPs—involved in the assessment and treatment of pharyngeal and esophageal disorders that these two areas are overlapping and interrelated." High-Speed Imaging High-speed imaging is an emerging technology used in the assessment of voice disorders. "Unlike traditional videostroboscopy, which produces a composite image that is averaged across many cycles of vocal fold vibration, high-speed imaging actually captures the true cycle-to-cycle vibration of the vocal folds," said Bob Hillman, co-director and research director of the Center for Laryngeal Surgery and Voice Rehabilitation at Massachusetts General Hospital. Only major voice centers are likely to have or purchase high-speed imaging equipment. Expanded Role in Hearing Screening SLPs are assuming an expanded responsibility for hearing screening across the life span. ASHA's revised Scope of Practice in Speech-Language Pathology (ASHA, 2007) extended the role of SLPs to infant hearing screening, including otoacoustic emissions screening and family education. ASHA previously recommended that hearing screening practitioners for neonates, infants, and young children from birth to 2 years be limited to certified audiologists or supervised support personnel (ASHA, 1997). As part of the education component, SLPs may provide information to families about typical auditory, speech, and language development. They also can help a family better understand the hearing screening process, the likelihood that their child will have a hearing loss, and follow-up procedures. Dual Area: Emergency Preparedness Audiologists and SLPs both have emerging roles in emergency preparedness. They may be responsible for educating the first-response teams or emergency-care providers and for assisting with the development of emergency or disaster preparedness plans. Audiologists can educate first-responders and providers about communicating with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing and about the likelihood of ear trauma, temporary or permanent hearing loss, and tinnitus among victims on the scene of blast-related incidents. SLPs can educate first-responders and health care providers about the communication needs of persons who rely on augmentative and alternative communication systems and individuals with intellectual disabilities, dementia, traumatic brain injury, and speech and language impairments. Audiologists and SLPs also may serve as members of a first-response team to assist individuals with communication or cognitive disabilities in an emergency. First-responders may need the services of audiologists and SLPs following a disaster if they have been exposed to noise, trauma, or other circumstances that may compromise their ability to communicate. Future Benefits These results can be used to inform practice patterns, professional education and development, advocacy, and research. Clinical areas may be the focus of in-service education programs, be incorporated into academic courses, lead to the development of knowledge and skill statements, and be part of a research agenda or a topic for an evidence-based systematic review. Areas that were considered but that did not meet the established "emerging" criteria were categorized as expanding or non-emerging. Expanding areas represent practice trends that involve an increasing number of professionals. For additional information about emerging and expanding areas of clinical practice, visit the ASHA Web site. A poster session at the 2008 ASHA Convention will present the results of the project. Author Notes Loretta Nunez, director of academic affairs, can be reached at [email protected]. Sharon Beamer, associate director of audiology professional practices, can be reached at [email protected]. Leigh Deussing, associate director of special interest divisions, can be reached at [email protected]. Diane Paul, director of clinical issues in speech-language pathology, can be reached at [email protected]. Susanna Aulbach, academic affairs program manager, can be reached at [email protected]. Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Additional Resources FiguresSourcesRelatedDetails Volume 13Issue 8June 2008 Get Permissions Add to your Mendeley library History Published in print: Jun 1, 2008 Metrics Downloaded 169 times Topicsasha-topicsleader_do_tagleader-topicsasha-article-typesCopyright & Permissions© 2008 American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationLoading ...

Skilled nursing facility (SNF) care has historically been influenced by systemic issues that could impact speech-language pathology (SLP) service provision. However, there has been little study specifically on factors associated with SLP service provision in SNFs. Large administrative data sets are rarely analyzed in SLP research but can be used to understand real-world SLP services. This study investigated associations between patient and facility characteristics and SLP services. Mixed-effects logistic regression models were used to evaluate factors associated with SLP service provision in 2018 Medicare administrative data representing 833,653 beneficiaries. Beneficiaries had higher odds of receiving SLP services when they had neurologic diagnosis (odds ratio [OR] = 3.32), had SLP-related functional impairments (ORs = 1.19-3.41), and received other rehabilitative services (ORs = 3.11-3.78). Beneficiaries had lower odds of receiving SLP services when they received care from SNFs located in hospitals versus freestanding (OR = 0.45), with need for interpreter services (OR = 0.76) and with thresholding (OR = 0.68), a financially motivated practice. Direction of association varied across racial and ethnic groups and measures of location. Odds of being provided SLP services decreased with increasing communication impairment severity. The results suggest that clinicians are identifying patients with diagnoses most likely to warrant SLP services. However, association disparities and weakening association of service provision with increasing impairment severity have concerning clinical implications. Health services research methods can be used to further explore SLP practices in SNFs to support equitable service provision.

State of the States in 2008

Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is estimated to affect between 5 and 72% of people living at home in the community. This figure is expected to increase in the context of a globally ageing population in which people are living longer with more complex and chronic health conditions, and healthcare system changes are targeted at supporting people to remain living at home. Despite the increasing demand for community-based health care, there remains a significant research gap regarding how dysphagia is and should be managed in the community by speech-language pathologists, including what issues clients with dysphagia living at home and their caregivers experience. Gaining a broader and deeper understanding of the nature of community-based speech-language pathology (SLP) dysphagia services and practices may help provide insights into how dysphagia care in the community setting can be optimised now and into the future. The thesis aims were to (1) investigate and explore community-based SLP services and practices provided to adults with dysphagia living at home and (2) explore the lived experience of dysphagia at home from the perspectives of adults with dysphagia and their caregivers. These aims were explored using quantitative and qualitative methods across four research studies. The first thesis aim was addressed by two studies positioned within an explanatory sequential mixed methods design to first quantitatively, then qualitatively, investigate the nature of dysphagia services and practices for people living at home in the community. The first study (Chapter 2) involved an online survey of practice conducted with speech-language pathologists (n = 144) working with adults with dysphagia living at home. Results suggested that SLP dysphagia practices in the community were similar to dysphagia practices in other settings, which are inherently biomedical and may not be optimal for community-based clients with dysphagia and their caregivers. The second study (Chapter 3) sought to elaborate the findings of Chapter 2 and involved semi-structured interviews with 15 practising speech-language pathologists. Data were analysed using content analysis and revealed an overarching theme suggestive that Community commands a different approach, illustrated by three subthemes that highlighted how and why a different approach to dysphagia care in the community setting was necessary: (1) Skills and mindset require adaptation in the community context, (2) Values and approaches are different in the community context, and (3) Organisational influences impact service delivery in the community context. The second thesis aim was addressed by two separate research studies that explored the lived experience of dysphagia at home in the community, first from the perspectives of 15 clients with dysphagia (Chapter 4) and then of 15 caregivers of persons with dysphagia (Chapter 5). Using a qualitative descriptive approach grounded in phenomenology, interviews explored their personal experiences of living with and managing dysphagia at home. Client perspectives revealed an overarching theme outlining a Journey of discovery—learning to live with dysphagia, describing the process of managing dysphagia at home. This theme comprised three subthemes: (1) The story of dysphagia, (2) Engaging with support networks, and (3) Limited community awareness of dysphagia. Clients described living with dysphagia in the context of other health issues and shared experiences of people in their community not knowing about dysphagia, from friends and the public to health professionals and the hospitality industry. Caregiver perspectives revealed an overarching theme of “You do whatever it takes”, describing the caregiver experience of supporting a family member/friend with dysphagia at home. This theme was reflected in three subthemes where caregivers described (1) Being a caregiver, (2) Support networks, and (3) Practicalities of living with dysphagia. Caregivers voiced a range of pertinent issues experienced when caring for a family member/friend with dysphagia, including how their personal attributes and life experiences may influence their approach to caring. Thesis findings highlight the multifaceted impact dysphagia may have on an individual and their caregiver when living at home in the community. Apparent in the findings is that dysphagia is a health condition that has both physical and psychosocial effects. SLP services must evolve to ensure community-based dysphagia care addresses both physical and psychosocial needs of clients and, importantly, caregivers through the delivery of personalised and holistic care. Further, speech-language pathologists must play a role in raising the profile of dysphagia in our communities.

You have accessThe ASHA LeaderBottom Line1 May 2006Medical Necessity and Medicaid Ingrida Lusis, and Janet McCarty Ingrida Lusis Google Scholar More articles by this author and Janet McCarty Google Scholar More articles by this author https://doi.org/10.1044/leader.BML.11062006.3 SectionsAbout ToolsAdd to favorites ShareFacebookTwitterLinked In Clinicians providing speech-language pathology and audiology services to Medicaid beneficiaries must support the medical necessity of their services, including services provided to children in school settings. Clinicians need to understand the definition of medical necessity as it relates to Medicaid, and how the services they provide meet that definition. Medicaid is a jointly funded program between the federal and state governments to assist states in providing medical care to low-income individuals and those who are categorized as medically needy. Under this health insurance program, speech-language pathology and audiology services and related devices are covered for children as long as they are medically necessary, and the patients are referred by a physician or other member of the healing arts as defined by the state. Documentation of medical necessity is required for all Medicaid services, regardless of where those services are being provided. Q: My school district is requiring that speech-language pathologists bill Medicaid for all services provided to eligible students, regardless of medical necessity. Is this appropriate? No. Medicaid should only be billed if the individual is referred for speech-language pathology services and those services are documented as medically necessary. Q: What is the definition of medical necessity? Each state’s Medicaid agency may define medical necessity, and an SLP should check with the agency for that definition. There may be an interagency agreement between the agency and the state department of education that includes how medical necessity relates to school-based services. Q: Does ASHA have a definition of medical necessity that I can use? ASHA has not defined medical necessity because that is typically defined by payers of health care, such as Medicare, Medicaid, and private payers. However, an ASHA document, “Medical Necessity for Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology Services,” discusses why speech-language pathology services meet the definition of medical necessity [PDF]. ASHA’s position is that speech-language pathology and audiology services are medically necessary to treat speech-language, swallowing, hearing, and balance disorders. Many of these disorders have a neurological basis and result from specific injury and illness, such as head injury and cerebral palsy. Determining medical necessity takes into consideration whether a service is essential and appropriate to the diagnosis and/or treatment of an illness or injury. Illness is defined as “disease,” which can be further defined as a disorder of body function. Loss of hearing, impaired speech and language, and swallowing difficulties all reflect a loss of body function. Therefore, services to treat such impairments must be regarded as meeting the definition of medical necessity. Q: How can I document medical necessity? Medicare policy manuals have provided useful guidelines in providing documentation of medical necessity. Claims for speech-language pathology and audiology services should be supported by the following basic elements of coverage: Reasonable: provided with appropriate amount, frequency, and duration, and accepted standards of practice Necessary: appropriate treatment for the patient’s diagnosis and condition Specific: targeted to particular treatment goals Effective: expectation for improvement within a reasonable time Skilled: requires the knowledge, skills and judgment of a speech-language pathologist. Q: What type of information should I have in the patient’s records? Medical history: pertinent medical history that influences that speech-language treatment, brief description of function status of patient prior to the onset of the condition Speech, language and related disorders: the diagnosis established by the SLP, such as expressive aphasia or dysarthria Date of onset of speech, language and related disorder diagnosis Physician referral Initial assessment and date Plan of treatment and date established Progress notes Q: What should I do if I am being required to bill Medicaid for services that, in my professional opinion, are not medically necessary? If your school system seems to qualify children for services inappropriately (e.g., treating children whose progress has reached a plateau or providing services because of Medicaid status only), you should consider contacting your state association and state Medicaid agency for assistance. Q: What can my state association do to help? The state speech-language-hearing association can determine if there are questionable requests of SLPs related to Medicaid beneficiaries in other schools or local education agencies. The state association may have heard from your colleagues and may want to collect information that show a widespread problem and meet with state Medicaid officials. Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Advertising Disclaimer | Advertise With Us Additional Resources FiguresSourcesRelatedDetails Volume 11Issue 6May 2006 Get Permissions Add to your Mendeley library History Published in print: May 1, 2006 Metrics Current downloads: 974 Topicsasha-topicsleader_do_tagasha-article-typesleader-topicsCopyright & Permissions© 2006 American Speech-Language-Hearing AssociationLoading ...

The aim of this study was to explore the assessment, intervention, and family-centred practices of Malaysian and Australian speech-language pathologists (SLPs) when working with children with developmental disabilities who are pre-symbolic. A questionnaire was developed for the study, which was completed by 65 SLPs from Malaysia and 157 SLPs from Australia. Data reduction techniques were used prior to comparison of responses across questionnaire items. Results indicated that SLPs relied mostly on informal assessments. Malaysian and Australian SLPs differed significantly in terms of obtaining information from outside the clinic to inform assessment. When providing intervention, SLPs focused mostly on improving children's pre-verbal skills. A third of Australian SLPs listed the introduction of some form of symbolic communication as an early intervention goal, compared to only a small percentage of Malaysian SLPs. Regarding family involvement, SLPs most often involved mothers, with fathers and siblings being involved to a lesser extent. Overall, it appeared that practices of Malaysian SLPs had been influenced by developments in research, although there were some areas of service delivery that continued to rely on traditional models. Factors leading to similarities and differences in practice of SLPs from both countries as well as clinical and research implications of the study are discussed.

Clinical Doctorate in Speech-Language Pathology

Introduction: Trans and gender diverse people may want to alter the sound of their voice to present authentically and reduce distress. Research indicates that traditional speech-language pathology (SLP) practices can improve how trans and gender diverse clients feel about their voice but not necessarily improve broader psychological well-being. SLP practices that support trans and gender diverse people to view themselves more positively, i.e. targeted at clients creating a positive narrative identity, could benefit client psychological well-being. This study investigates what trans and gender diverse people value in gender affirming SLP care and how SLP practices might help them create a positive narrative identity within the therapeutic context. Methods: In this exploratory, qualitative study, we conducted individual episodic interviews. Reflexive Thematic Analysis was used to construct themes in a data-driven, iterative manner. Results: Ten trans and gender diverse people participated in the study. We constructed five themes around what participants valued in SLP care and how that might relate to their narrative identity. Participants valued SLP care that was informed, holistic, client-led, pleasurable and low-pressure, as well as based on a positive client-clinician relationship. This type of care seemed to have supported participants in feeling validated, in integrating various parts of their identity, in feeling autonomous, and in evoking positive emotions. A positive client-clinician relationship appeared to have created space for clients to shape a positive narrative identity. Conclusion: A variety of SLP practices may contribute to supporting trans and gender diverse people in presenting authentically and creating a positive narrative identity. To further support trans and gender diverse people’s psychological well-being, speech-language pathologists need to feel confident and be skilled to address clients’ narrative identity more systematically and directly. However, supporting trans and gender diverse people in their daily life requires cultural and structural change.

The goal of this communication is to provide clinicians and behavioral scientists with a scoping perspective on the diverse array of impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in the U.S. It is our hope that this will stimulate subsequent scientific and advocacy efforts to ameliorate the disproportionate burden of the pandemic on people with IDD.We begin with the assertion that among non-infected persons in the U.S. few are more adversely affected by COVID-19 than individuals with IDD, given that a vast proportion require in-person care or critical therapeutic support within their living environments, with little back-up or systematic coverage for prolonged interruption of services.Many have temporarily lost access to trained caregivers or community service providers, and now face evolving threats to the return of baseline service, given uncertainties in State and agency budgets.Therefore, a first priority relates to restoration of in-person support services or comparable alternatives.There have been emerging guidelines on the safe care and support of individuals with IDD during the COVID pandemic-see Supplementary Table (ST) 1 which lists resources and documentation of early success of such strategies, however guidance is still evolving, has not permeated all reaches of the community where the information is desperately needed, and is not always presented in ways that can be fully comprehended by those with IDD.It must be

Speech-language pathology services are frequently accessed by families of children who have suspected or diagnosed autism. This is expected given that social communication differences are a core feature of autism. This review looked broadly at the state of research in the field of speech-language pathology and preschool autism interventions in order to identify the types of studies that could be used to inform the practices of speech-language pathologists (SLPs), and to identify gaps in the field so they can be addressed in future research. Specifically, we examined the extent of research conducted on interventions delivered (at least in part) by SLPs to preschool children with suspected or diagnosed autism, identified the range of skill development areas targeted within the studies, and explored the characteristics of the interventions (i.e., theoretical models underlying the programs, service delivery models, treatment dosage). A scoping review of articles published between 1980 and 2019 was conducted using the five phases outlined by the Arksey and O'Malley framework: (a) articulating the research question; (b) identifying relevant studies; (c) selecting studies; (d) charting the data; and (e) collating, summarizing, and reporting the results. A total of 114 studies met inclusion criteria with most published since 2010 and conducted within North America. Case study or single-subject study designs were the most frequently used. Interventions delivered solely by SLPs and by multiprofessional teams that included SLPs were relatively equally represented. Across the included studies, nine skill development areas were targeted, but interventions targeting social communication, language, and augmentative communication skills made up the vast majority of studies. There was relatively even distribution of interventions informed by child-centered, clinician-directed, and hybrid models. Explicit information detailing intervention characteristics (e.g., treatment dosage, professional training of clinicians delivering the intervention) was poorly reported in many studies. For those studies providing details, there was a great deal of variability in the nature of interventions (e.g., service delivery models, SLPs' role, dosage). This review revealed that research in the area of autism interventions delivered, at least in part, by SLPs has markedly increased over the past 10 years. Still, there remains a need for more research, and greater transparency detailing the nature of the interventions being investigated. The research conducted to date captures the versatility of the SLP's role within preschool autism intervention. Improved reporting and studies with strong methodological rigor focused on capturing the complex and individualized nature of interventions are needed, as are intervention studies aligned with real-world community practice. This review provides a comprehensive examination of the status of research on preschool interventions delivered to children with suspected or diagnosed autism within the field of speech-language pathology. Several directions for future research are provided, as are suggestions for improving the clinical applicability of results to further the development of effective, evidence-informed policy and practice in speech-language pathology.

The New Flexible Health Plans