Siloed vs. Interprofessional approach: Speech language pathologists' and occupational therapists’ perspectives on comorbidity of childhood apraxia of speech and sensory processing disorder

Abstract

BackgroundChildhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a neurologic pediatric speech sound disorder characterized by impaired movements required for speech production. While potentially existing in isolation, CAS is a motor-based condition that may frequently co-occur with sensory processing disorder (SPD), challenges with receiving, understanding and responding to sensory information. PurposeThis study aimed to reveal shared understanding of CAS and SPD, integral to differential diagnosis and prognostication by skilled occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) and speech language pathologists (SLPs). MethodsVia reflexive thematic analysis, this study analyzed responses from SLPs and OTPs elicited from focus group and survey, evaluating perspectives on potential co-morbid presentation and collaborative treatment of CAS and SPD. DiscussionKey findings support unification of common clinical language when treating children where CAS and SPD each serve an agreeable ‘soft-landing’ function for less acceptable terms of globally occurring disorder. ConclusionIntentional interprofessional approaches to serve clients with complex challenges can improve clinicians’ shared knowledge while expanding conceptualization to co-morbid presentation.