Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a medically complex and life-disrupting condition. SCI is one of the most severe injuries which bring sudden and profound life changes that have global effects (Somers, 1992). According to World Health Organization (WHO) report (2011), word wide 20-40 people per million of populations acquire spinal injury every year. It is estimated that in the United States (US) each year there are about 11,000 new cases of SCI and there are currently about 250,000 persons alive with SCI, because of lack of improvements in medical care and survival. The prevalence of people living with SCI has increased, and it is predicted that there will be greater and greater numbers of older patients with SCI (Spinal cord injury: facts and …show more content…
Therefore, individuals with CSCI have a risk of voice fatigue and that create restrictions in communicative participation. At the least, changes in voice function can affect enjoyment and social interactions with others. Voice difficulties following CSCI are an under-recognized complication which can lead to significant medical complications. Although, voice difficulties are most common with persons with neurological conditions (e.g.: stroke, head injury, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, etc.) (Vocal Fold Paralysis, 2015) and several studies has been conducted on voice difficulties/ characteristics in these conditions, but specifically, data on voice difficulties in patients with CSCI are rare in world. Additionally following SCI, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) perform assessments and provide treatment for swallowing, motor speech, voice, and cognitive–communication disorders that result from the SCI and/or co-occurring brain injuries (Brougham et al., 2011). In the study of Brougham et al. (2011), the SLP consults are requested for 40% of SCI rehab
FACTS: Respondent, Davis, a licensed LPN for over ten years who also lives with hearing loss applied for admissions to Southeastern Community College. The Petitioner, requested Davis see an audiologist before accepting her to the RN program. The audiologist concluded that Davis required lip-read in order to fully understand audible communication. The school subsequently denied Davis entry, assuming her hearing loss would affect her ability to effective care for patients safely.
Bryson-Campbell, M., Shaw, L., O’Brien, J., Holmes, J., Magalhaes L., (2013). A Scoping Review on Occupational and Self Identity After a Brain Injury. Work, 44(1), 57-67
Winitz, H. (1984). Treating articulation disorders for clinicians by clinicians. (pp. 263-286). Austin, TX: Proed.
The role of a speech-language pathologist (SLP) is a challenging but imperative role to society. When there is pathology present in an individual’s communication, either language-based or speech-based, serious adverse effects can impact the quality and functionality of their lives. This is why I am perusing a career as an SLP. The ever-changing profession as an SLP allures me to the field because the learning never ends. As an academic, I am always prepared to absorb new information, and SLP’s must stay updated on the most current research, to ensure that they are providing the most appropriate services for their clients. Also, because every client is unique with diverse
A spinal cord injury refers to any traumatic injury to the nervous tissue that runs throughout the spine. Spinal cord injuries can be in one of two basic types, incomplete, or complete (A brief overview). In a complete spinal cord injury there is a total loss of function in everything below the area of the injury. In an incomplete spinal cord injury the patient retains some function. In some cases, with a minor injury the patient may even suffer no loss of function at all. Other effects of spinal cord injuries include lack of ability to regulate automatic bodily functions, such as body temperature and blood pressure, muscular and bone degradation, and kidney stones (A brief overview).
There are many types of tests speech language pathologists (SLPs) use for diagnosing and assessing clients. Case history, informal and formal assessments, and conversation samples are some examples of the numerous factors that are critical when diagnosing a client as impaired, delayed, or typical. Norm-referenced standardized tests are one of the more reliable measures of assessment because the results are objective and can determine whether a client is performing within normal limits. Many conclusions can be made from the scores on standardized tests, one of them is age-equivalent scores. Age equivalent scores signify the mean or median score as a result of a normative sample for a certain age group. In general, age-equivalent scores are used
Aphasia can be defined as a disorder that is caused by damage to parts of the brain that are responsible for language (“Aphasia” n.p.). Wernicke’s aphasia is a type of fluent aphasia (with the other type being nonfluent). It is named after Carl Wernicke who described the disorder as “an amnesiac disorder characterized by fluent but disordered speech, with a similar disorder in writing, and impaired understanding of oral speech and reading” (“Wernicke’s” n.p.). Wernicke’s aphasia can also be known as sensory aphasia, fluent aphasia, or receptive aphasia. It is a type of aphasia that is caused by damage to Wernicke’s area in the brain, in the posterior part of the temporal lobe of the left hemisphere. This area of the brain contains motor neurons responsible for the understanding of spoken language and is believed to be the receptive language center (“Rogers” n.p.). Wernicke’s aphasia can be most efficiently defined as a fluent language disorder commonly caused by strokes and characterized by difficulty comprehending spoken language and producing meaningful speech and writing which is both assessable by an SLP and treatable by a variety of methods.
As a speech-language pathologist, it is important to understand patients with SLI’s since it frequently co-occurs with speech. Speech-language pathologists can assist individuals with SLI’s in maximizing their potential to succeed not only in school, but also in everyday life. It is necessary to be extremely patient with these individuals. Also, it is important to be well educated about the treatments available for people with SLI’s.
warm) in the left upper and lower extremities; decreased strength and movement of the right upper and lower extremities and of the left abdominal muscles; lack of triceps and biceps reflexes in the right upper extremity; atypical response of patellar, Achilles (hyper) reflexes in the right lower extremity; abnormal cremasteric reflex in the right groin; fracture in cervical vertebrae #7; and significant swelling in the C7-T12 region of the spinal canal (Signs and symptoms, n.d.). The objective complaint of a severe headache could also be consistent with a spinal cord injury (Headache, nausea, and vomiting,
Alternative Augmentative Communication (AAC) is assistive technology in which it attempts to compensate (either temporarily or permanently) for the impairment & disability patterns of individuals with sever expressive communication disorders (person w/sever speech-language and writing impairments) (ASHA, 1989). When we look towards an AAC device we should focus on a device that is multi-modal and uses the individual’s full communication capabilities, this may include residual speech or vocalizations, gestures or signs and aided communication. While Augmentative refers to supporting existing communication, Alternative replaces unintelligible or nonexistent speech or wr...
..., Ducker, T.B., ….. Young, W. (1997). International Standards for Neurological and Functional Classification of Spinal Cord Injury: International Medical Society of Paraplegia, 35, 266 – 274.
Speech language pathology is another major rehabilitative medical care. Some stroke survivors area unit left with brain disorder, an impairment of language and speaking skills within which the stroke survivor will assume likewise as before the stroke, however is unable to induce the proper words out or is unable to method words coming back [32]. Brain disorder is sometimes caused by a stroke on the left aspect of the brain. Speech language pathology will teach the aphasic stroke survivor and his or her family members’ ways for dealing with this frustrating impairment. Speech language pathologists additionally work to assist the stroke survivor deal with blackout and alternative "thought" issues caused by the stroke [33].
Regular exercise program is known to be beneficial for people with SCI. Exercise program designed for SCI patients is somewhat similar to the program for stroke survivors. However, it should be noted that the concerns for each condition are different, so there must be focus on specific requirements for the individual. Stroke survivors’ disability depends on the area of the brain that is damaged, whereas the disability of individuals with SCI depends on the damage in their spine. Therefore, detailed assessment of the spinal lesion must be carried out before designing exercise program for a person with SCI (Jacobs & Nash, 2004). An exercise program that combines mobility activities, aerobic resistance, strength, coordination, recreation, and relaxation can improve their functionality and fitness (Durán, Lugo, Ramírez & Lic, 2001). The individual should have 3 sessions per week with the total of 120 minutes (Durán, Lugo, Ramírez & Lic, 2001). The duration of each session can be shorter at first and increased over time to avoid injury and overwhelming stress for the patients. Some very common modalities of exercise for this group include arm crank ergometry and swimming. This is because SCI often causes paralysis and weakness in the lower limbs, which makes sense to place more focus on the upper extremity exercise modes in order to achieve the desired fitness level (Nash,
Lubinski R. 2010. Speech Therapy or Speech-Language Pathology. In: JH Stone, M Blouin, editors. International Encyclopedia of Rehabilitation. Available online: http://cirrie.buffalo.edu/encyclopedia/en/article/333/
The target audience for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association includes audiologist, speech-language pathologists, speech, language, and hearing scientists, students and general public. To attend all this different community, the website has specific information divided by sections, and according to the specific audience; also, the webpage is easy to navigate and has a variety of articles and characteristics mentioned by Hargis, Hernandez, Hughes & Ramaker “accuracy, clarity, completeness, concreteness, organization and visual effectiveness in order to make the communication accessible” (Hargis, Hernandez, Hughes & Ramaker, 1997, p.2).