Session Descriptions for 2023 ASHA Health Care Summit
Grand Rounds in Motor Speech Disorders
April 15, 2023 | In collaboration with Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn.
In-Person Sessions
Differential Diagnosis of Motor Speech Disorders Across the Life Span: Not Just for Experts Anymore
Heather Clark, PhD, CCC-SLP
Many clinicians feel unprepared to include differential diagnosis as a component of motor speech assessment. This session will encourage and empower clinicians to use critical thinking to leverage their knowledge and skills to elevate this important practice to their standard of care.
After completing this session, you will be able to:
- explain the goals of differential diagnosis and its role in informing neurologic diagnoses
- identify resources for gaining skill in perceiving and identifying speech features and patterns that inform differential diagnosis of motor speech disorders
Features of Apraxia of Speech in Children and Adults: Listen Up!
Heather Clark, PhD, CCC-SLP, and Edythe Strand, PhD, CCC-SLP
In this interactive session, you will practice “honing your ear” to the perceptual characteristics of apraxia of speech in adults and children. The presenters will share pediatric and adult case studies with audio and video examples of salient features of apraxia of speech so participants can practice detecting and describing the speech features they hear.
After completing this session, you will be able to:
- perceive and identify speech features associated with apraxia of speech
- discriminate features associated with apraxia of speech from those associated with other developmental or acquired speech sound disorders
Functional Speech Disorders
Rene Utianski, PhD, CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS
Functional speech disorders (FSDs) are distinguishable from neurogenic motor speech disorders based on the presence of clinical features rather than a diagnosis of exclusion. However, their differential diagnosis and management can be challenging. This session will provide an overview of the diagnosis and management of FSDs through several case examples.
After completing this session, you will be able to:
- describe the clinical features of functional speech disorders (FSDs)
- outline how FSDs are diagnosed
- discuss the general management approach for FSDs
Differential Diagnosis of Childhood Motor Speech Disorders: Case Studies
Ruth E. Stoeckel, PhD, CCC-SLP
Diagnosis of motor speech disorders in children can be challenging, particularly in cases where there are other developmental issues. This session will use case studies to highlight assessment tools and strategies to establish a differential diagnosis or to determine what further steps would be needed in cases when it is not possible to arrive at a conclusive diagnosis.
After completing this session, you will be able to:
- differentiate features specific to childhood apraxia of speech and childhood dysarthria
- explain how relative contribution of characteristics of children with varied presentations contributes to diagnostic decision-making
Differential Diagnosis of Dysarthria
Julie A.G. Stierwalt, PhD, CCC-SLP
Careful, differential diagnosis of dysarthria can assist with neurological localization of symptoms, provide a framework to inform treatment decisions, and inform terminology use and clinical discussions. This session will examine the salient perceptual features and physical characteristics that can be used in differentiating the primary types of dysarthria.
After completing this session, you will be able to:
- discuss the underlying neuropathology of the primary types of dysarthria
- list salient features that differentiate the primary types of dysarthria, including site of lesion as well as perceptual and physical characteristics
Treatment of Childhood Motor Speech Disorders: Case Studies
Ruth E. Stoeckel, PhD, CCC-SLP
There is a growing body of research on treatment for childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), while much less evidence has been generated for treatment of childhood dysarthria. This session will use case studies to highlight similarities and differences in treatment approach for these two disorders based on best available evidence.
After completing this session, you will be able to:
- explain key elements of motor-based interventions and how they can be implemented
- practice target selection strategies for children of different ages and severities with CAS and dysarthria
The Care Pathway for Adult Motor Speech Disorders
Hugo Botha, MD; Margaret Moutvic, MD; Kaylee Lanser, MS, CCC-SLP; and Gina Mitchell, MS, CCC-SLP (moderator)
During this session, each panelist will share their unique perspective of the journey of adults experiencing motor speech disorders due to an acute neurologic injury or neurodegenerative disease. Panelists will discuss experiences and goals across the continuum of care, including the acute phase of neurologic injury, during rehabilitation, and throughout assessment for motor speech disorders.
After completing this session, you will be able to:
- advocate for speech-language pathology assessment as a contribution to the process of differential diagnosis
- differentiate models of care adopted in the context of acute, chronic, and neurodegenerative disease
Motor Speech Disorders: The Patient Experience
Jennifer Maloney, Mike Maloney, Tim Schut, Lori Cohen, and Heather Clark, PhD, CCC-SLP (moderator)
During this session, individuals with motor speech disorders and their families will share their experiences with the diagnostic process, treatment approaches, and opportunities for advocacy.
After completing this session, you will be able to:
- advocate for patient-centered care, focusing on the unique needs of patients with acute vs. neurodegenerative conditions
- provide guidance to empower patients to seek evidence-based care outside traditional care models
Bonus Online Content
Your event registration includes the following bonus online courses to watch at your leisure in advance of (or following) the event to supercharge your learning—and earn up to 1.65 additional ASHA CEUs.
- Management of Progressive Motor Speech Disorders (brand new for this event – see description below)
- The Care Pathway for Childhood Motor Speech Disorders (brand new for this event – see description below)
- Principles of Motor Learning: Application in the Treatment of Speech Disorders (brand new for this event – see description below)
- Assessing Dysarthria in Adults (available in the ASHA Learning Pass)
- Treating Dysarthria in Adults (available in the ASHA Learning Pass)
- Assessing Acquired Apraxia of Speech: Practical Solutions to Common Challenges (available in the ASHA Learning Pass)
- Treating Acquired Apraxia of Speech: Practical Solutions to Common Challenges (available in the ASHA Learning Pass)
- Building and Expanding Your CAS Toolkit (available in the ASHA Learning Pass)
- CAS Assessment (available in the ASHA Learning Pass)
- Assessment and Treatment of Pediatric Dysarthria (available in the ASHA Learning Pass)
Management of Progressive Motor Speech Disorders
Rene Utianski, PhD, CCC-SLP, BC-ANCDS, and Kristie Spencer, PhD, CCC-SLP
Motor speech disorders occur secondary to a wide variety of progressive neurological disorders. This course discusses strategies for the speaker, listener, and environment that clinicians can consider for managing progressive motor speech disorders. Presenters discuss management strategies in the context of concomitant decline of cognitive-linguistic and motoric function from neurodegenerative processes.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- summarize management approaches for patients with progressive motor speech disorders
- explain when to consider voice and message banking
- describe strategies to improve communication for individuals with co-existing motor speech and cognitive-linguistic impairments
The Care Pathway for Childhood Motor Speech Disorders
Becky Baas, MA, CCC-SLP; Maja Katusic, MD; Kelly Green Brytowski, MA, CCC-SLP; and Heather Clark, PhD, CCC-SLP
This session explores the common journeys children with motor speech disorders and their families undertake when seeking diagnosis and treatment. The speakers discuss the medical workup, the role of expert SLPs, and the partnerships among the medical and educational teams serving children.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- identify indicators for referral for medical specialty workup
- advocate for interdisciplinary care for children with motor speech disorders
Principles of Motor Learning: Application in the Treatment of Speech Disorders
Julie A.G. Stierwalt, PhD, CCC-SLP
Principles of motor learning (PML) are guidelines developed for the purpose of training motor execution of movement. Initially designed for training in the limbs, the methods have been adapted for use with the oral motor system. This course reviews how PML can be employed in training protocols targeting speech production.
After completing this course, you will be able to:
- describe the fundamental differences between PML and traditional methods for treating speech disorders
- list techniques for treatment stimuli selection and elicitation using a PML approach
