Speech and Hearing Science Commons^™

Audiological Management Of Children With Down Syndrome: A Toolkit For Caregivers, Natalie Lisiewicz

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Children with Down syndrome may have multiple medical co-morbidities. This can result in an overwhelming number of medical appointments and information for caregivers to keep track of. Middle ear dysfunction, among other otologic abnormalities, is common in the Down syndrome population, and the presence of these conditions will result in referrals to an audiologist to monitor hearing sensitivity. While hearing may not be the most pressing concern as compared to a possible life-threatening condition such as a heart defect, it is still a crucial factor in a child’s overall development.

This toolkit is designed with the intention of educating caregivers …

Exploring The Potential Of Hearing Screening Smartphone Applications To Enhance Access To Hearing Healthcare: A Literature Review, Adam Sulaiman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

In 2016, the National Academies of Sciences (NAS) published a landmark consensus report with several recommendations to enhance the availability and affordability of hearing healthcare in the United States. Among the most notable of the recommendations was the creation of a new category of FDA-approved Over-the-Counter (OTC) hearing aids. Unlike the traditional hearing aid model, which requires a comprehensive hearing test by a hearing health professional prior to purchase, OTC hearing aids would be directly available for sale to any American adult with a self-perceived mild-to-moderate degree of hearing loss. This proposal has now become reality with the passage of …

Examining The Effect Of Training Using Natural And Noise-Vocoded Sentences On Noise-Vocoded Speech Perception In Normal-Hearing Listeners, Alexis Leiderman

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Auditory training has been shown to be an intervention strategy that may improve speech perception abilities in individuals with and without hearing loss. Within the cohort of individuals with hearing loss, auditory training has also been shown to have an improvement on speech perception in cochlear implant users. In several training studies, normal-hearing listeners have been exposed to noise-vocoded speech using auditory training paradigms to mimic how cochlear implant users may in turn be affected by these paradigms. These studies have highlighted certain areas for improvement in speech perception abilities based off of the training paradigms put in place. Several …

Multilingualism And Augmentative Alternative Communication: A Review Of The Literature, Hannah N. Lamarca, Natalie R. Andzik

Honors Capstones

Purpose: Individuals from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds who use Alternative and Augmentative Communication (AAC) are often offered English-only AAC systems that do not meet their language needs. Devices that host multiple languages often only offer one at a time.

Method: The authors reviewed the literature by searching relevant databases using a variety of search strings. Following our inclusionary and exclusionary criteria, 15 articles were yielded for analysis.

Results: Authors found that more than half of the included articles were discussion-based papers on AAC delivery, barriers to AAC and multilingualism, and codeswitching using AAC. The included interview studies aimed to …

The Effects Of An Intervention Using Pokemon Trading Card Game On The Decoding Abilities Of Children, Derek Emmett

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

The present study focuses on illustrating the relationship between word decoding instruction and word decoding abilities within the context of a trading card game. Additionally, an argument for reading motivation and improvement of literacy skills is made. Three participants between the ages of 9 and 13 were recruited for participation in this study. Several decoding strategies such as phonemic awareness and morphological awareness strategies were implemented and trained over the course of several trading card games. Performance in decoding of several lists of compiled nonwords following treatment phases were systematically measured by the researcher. Two of the three participants demonstrated …

The Effects Of Using Baby Sign Training On The Interactions Between Mothers And Infants, Ayzzar Gurrola

Open Access Theses & Dissertations

Baby sign has been becoming more popular and known through the publication of parenting books and websites dedicated to its use. Research continues to blossom on the subject, demonstrating that it is indeed beneficial on many levels for both the infant and their caregiver. Several researchers have implicated the effects of baby sign on infantsâ?? cognitive and behavioral development. The purpose of this research is to analyze the effects of a baby sign training on the interactions of mothers and their babies. Five typically developing infants between the ages of eight and fourteen months and their parent participated in this …

Examining Perception And Understanding Of Stroke And Its Risk Factors In A Rural Population, Mackenzie King, Gabrielle Scarpa, Mary Gardiner

Theses & Honors Papers

Stroke, also sometimes referred to as a brain attack, occurs when there is a blockage in blood supply to the brain or when a blood vessel bursts within the brain (CDC, 2022). Rural populations have a higher incidence of stroke and higher stroke mortality in the United States (Howard et al., 2017). Although there is a higher incidence rate of stroke in rural populations, researchers have also found that these populations appear to have limited knowledge on stroke and its risk factors. The current study employed a non-experimental descriptive design that explored stroke knowledge in adults residing in rural populations …

Alternative Techniques For Amplification: A Capstone Case Series, Toryn Davis, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Abstract 1- Introduction: Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease is a rare and chronic hereditary disorder that causes motor and sensory damage to the peripheral nervous system. As the disease progresses, hearing sensitivity may worsen. Case Presentation: A young adult-aged patient presented to the clinic with congenital hearing loss and difficulty with conversational speech in quiet and noisy conditions. Discussion: When encountering a patient with CMT, clinicians should be cognoscente of amplification options, especially if nerve pathways begin to deteriorate. When audiologic testing reveals a progression of hearing loss, alternative amplification may be indicated because conventional hearing aids may not provide enough …

Audiological Intervention For Late-Identified Children And Teenagers With Hearing Loss, Melissa Wiedeman, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Abstract 1 - Introduction: The family of every child referred for definitive care after a newborn hearing screening should follow up with an audiologist to rule out hearing impairment. Early identification, diagnosis, and intervention are crucial for individualized planning and outcomes. Children who need binaural amplification and are not managed appropriately become exposed to sound deprivation, which leads to diminished speech audibility, sound localization, and speech and language development. Case Presentation: A young child presented to the clinic with an unspecified bilateral mild to moderate hearing loss at 500, 2000, and 4000 Hz. Discussion: Children with monaural amplification have shown …

Ensuring Equitable Treatment For People Of Color Receiving Audiology Care, Isabel Guidotti, Antony Joseph

AuD Capstone Projects - Communication Sciences and Disorders

Abstract 1- Introduction: As health care providers, serving patients equitably may require concurrent caring for the concerns and demands of family members as well. When striving to provide equitable care to patients of all backgrounds, familial participation throughout an appointment can play a substantial role. Case Presentation: An older adult male patient who used English as a second language presented with moderate, sloping to severe, mixed hearing loss, bilaterally. Hearing aid options were counseled and discussed in detail with the patient and his spouse. Discussion: The patient’s wife played an active role throughout the appointment and served as a valuable …

The Integration Of The Scholarship Of Teaching And Learning Into The Discipline Of Communication Sciences And Disorders, Jennifer Friberg, Jerry K. Hoepner, Allison M. Sauerwein, Kerry Mandulak

Teaching and Learning in Communication Sciences & Disorders

McKinney (2018) has argued that for the scholarship of teaching and learning (SoTL) to advance within a discipline, the integration of SoTL must be closely examined and opportunities for growth in SoTL must be recognized and discussed. To that end, this paper reflects on the degree to which SoTL is integrated into communication sciences and disorders (CSD) by examining a variety of topics: perspectives and theories historically valued by our discipline, existing supports for SoTL at various levels (i.e., individual teacher-scholars, departments, institutions, and the CSD discipline as a whole), the application of SoTL findings in teaching and learning. Four …

Late Talkers: Maternal Input And Attention Allocation In Mother–Child Dyad Play, Toby B. Mehl

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Late talkers (LT) are two-year-old children with expressive language delays, who do not yet have a lexicon of fifty words, and do not combine words. Maternal child-directed language to these children, termed ‘maternal input’ may influence their language learning. The first aim of this study was to examine the relationship between a child’s language, as measured by expressive vocabulary, and the child-directed speech by the mother of the child. Maternal input to late-talking children was compared to the maternal input presented to two typical language matched groups: an age-matched group of children (AM) and a vocabulary-matched group of children (VM) …

Analysis Of Electrophysiological Markers And Correlated Components Of Neural Responses To Discourse Coherence, Kurt M. Masiello

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Constructing meaning from spoken language is invaluable for learning, social interaction, and communication. In clinical populations with developmental disorders of speech comprehension, the severity of disruption can persist and vary from limiting occupational opportunities to lower performance outcomes. Previous research has reported an event-related potential (ERP) neural positivity over right hemisphere lateral anterior sites in response to semantic and discourse processing. Although useful as a marker for clinical populations of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and developmental language disorder (DLD), little is understood about the dynamics and neural sources of this biological marker. In addition to traditional methods of ERP analysis, …

A Case History Of Non-Causational Autism And Hearing Loss Diagnoses, Alexandra Gray

2023 SLP Posters

This case study looks retroactively at one now 20-year-old white male's case history -- for privacy purposes, our participant will be referred to a ZG -- reviewing his Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) diagnosis, his bilateral hearing loss diagnosis, and treatment services he received. This study will review literature relating to those who have had similar dual diagnoses, how one can look like the other by discussing symptoms of both and where they overlap, and what treatment was given to those patients. By the end, the author will infer if the best choices were made given his diagnoses and which diagnosis …

Taking Down Barriers To Work With People Who Are Deaf, Grace Kite

2023 SLP Posters

This poster presents information from the literature regarding the preparedness of SLPs to work with the deaf and hard-of-hearing population compared to the hearing population when enrolled in an intervention program related to speech, language, and listening development.

The Use Of Aac To Reduce Challenging Behaviors In Children, Kerri Mcfarland

2023 SLP Posters

This session provides an overview of the use, benefit, and implementation of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) with children who present with challenging behaviors. The basic process of when to implement AAC will be discussed. There will be a brief review of literature regarding the benefit of AAC on students with challenging behaviors. Application of this knowledge in practice will also be discussed.

Enhancing Expressive Language Skills In Children Who Are Deaf And Hard Of Hearing With Alternative Augmentative Communication, Alexis Parkinson

2023 SLP Posters

Deaf and hard of hearing children develop vocabulary slowly and struggle with abstract words, functional words, and multiple meanings. According to Scott and Dostal (2019) a deprivation of language in the early years may be a part of the puzzle for difficulties deaf and hard of hearing children encounter, rather than the hearing loss itself. Research points towards the use of American Sign Language (ASL) as a reliable treatment for deafness and hearing loss but is often overlooked due to many deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) children being born to hearing parents (Grether et al., 2019:Lederberg, et al., 2013; …

Verbal Expressive Language Intervention For Children With Down Syndrome: What Works?, Kelsey Christman

2023 SLP Posters

Down Syndrome is defined as a genetic disorder that is caused by abnormal cell division that results in an extra full or partial copy of chromosome 21. Children with Down Syndrome (DS) experience delays in all areas of development; however, they have specific deficits in developing expressive language acquisition. This review explores the effect of both play and joint attention on expressive language development. It also discusses the effect of Naturalistic Sign Intervention. The LENA (Language Environment Analysis) was used to explore the effect of behavioral phenotypes on expressive language development.

Cultural Responsiveness In Assessing Social Pragmatic Communication Disorder​, Nicole Rose Colflesh

2023 SLP Posters

In 2013, the new edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) introduced the diagnosis of Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder (SPCD) as a disorder characterized by deficits in pragmatic abilities. Many professionals often compare this diagnosis to Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) due to their similarities in diagnostic criteria. However, unlike ASD, SPCD currently has no standardized assessments created specifically for this diagnosis. Furthermore, SPCD lacks culturally valid assessment tools. Considering recent research and data on SPCD and methods to provide culturally valid evaluations, this poster aims to provide a resource for Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) to self-educate and …

Implementation Of Life Participation Approach For Persons With Aphasia, Allison Cosma, Lauren Blodgett, Monika Bozickovic Bozickovic

2023 SLP Posters

Objectives

• Explain the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA) and how it relates to persons with aphasia and their caregivers.
• Discuss the significance of Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA) and explain how it can be implemented in the community, as well as what resources are available for Persons with aphasia (PWA) and their caregivers.
• Perform activities that observe the Life Participation Approach to Aphasia.

Implementing In-Line Speaking Valves During Mechanical Ventilation, Grace Davis

2023 SLP Posters

The Passy Muir Valve (PMV) is a one-way speaking valve that allows a patient with a tracheostomy to inspire through the trach tube and exhale through the upper airway and vocal cords. The PMV provides opportunity for increased communication for respiratory patients, decreasing psycho-emotional distress and increasing overall quality of life while the tracheostomy is placed. Additionally, the PMV also improves secretion management and swallowing leading to a reduced risk of aspiration. While it is common to delay intervention until a patient is no longer using mechanical ventilation, a review of literature has indicated benefits to initiating PMV intervention prior …

Using Virtual Reality To Treat Cognitive & Communication Impairments In Adults, Aubrey Hicks

2023 SLP Posters

Cognitive and communicative deficits are experienced by individuals with dementia, stroke, traumatic brain injury, and developmental disabilities. Skilled speech therapy services are required for these individuals’ experiencing impairments in communication, memory, problem-solving, and processing. Treatment targets may vary including communication, attention, focus, orientation, word retrieval, and executive functioning. Treatment tasks must be personalized and purposeful to provide the most functional therapy possible. Virtual reality (VR) has been proposed as a means to provide these services for individuals to promote independence in their environment, and in turn, more functional success in real life. VR is the “use of interactive simulations created …

Effectiveness Of Core Vocabulary On An Aac Device In Children With Expressive And Receptive Language Disorders, Madison Hissong

2023 SLP Posters

Core vocabulary is a set of words in any language used in an everyday context. Words that fall into this category include: “can,” “do,” “want,” “more,” “have,” “where,” “when,” “why,” “get,” “give,” “have,” “me,” “you,” “go,” “stop,” “yes,” “no,” etc. Children who are using an AAC device will practice communicating with these core vocabulary words along with nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, etc to build phrases. Research indicates that core vocabulary is just as beneficial to high-functioning students as it is too low-functioning students (Cannon, Edmond, 2009). Most of what individuals say is communicated through core vocabulary words which is why …

Assessing Auditory Comprehension In Persons With Mild-Moderate Aphasia, Kirsten Johnson

2023 SLP Posters

Challenges in auditory comprehension ability are some of the most crippling aspects of aphasia. The degree to which auditory comprehension is impacted by aphasia is variable, can be inconsistent, and may depend on the severity of the neural damage. ‘High-level’ aphasic patients can be dismissed or go unnoticed due to ignorance of symptoms, passing scores on standardized assessments, and the frequent, inconspicuous nature of a mild-moderate diagnosis. Understanding deficits in mild-moderate aphasia related to auditory comprehension could aid in choosing beneficial communication modalities for conversation partners to use during intervention, interactions, and daily activities.

Peer Socialization For Individuals Who Are Deaf/Hard Of Hearing, Alyssa Keune

2023 SLP Posters

Peer relationships are needed for positive development, but children who are deaf/hard of hearing (DHH) experience difficulties when socializing with their typically hearing peers. This poster will provide an overview of various supports that can be put in place to facilitate socialization for DHH children with their hearing peers. Opportunities for practitioners and parents to promote peer socialization will be provided.

Benefits Of Online Support Groups For People With Aphasia (Pwa), Benjamin Norell

2023 SLP Posters

Research on quality of life for People with Aphasia (PWA) post-stroke. Benefits of Life Participation Approach to Aphasia (LPAA).

Neurodiversity Affirming Goal Writing, Maggie O’Brien O’Brien

2023 SLP Posters

The rise of the neurodiversity movement has started to question social communication and pragmatic therapy as we know it today. This movement started in the 1990s when Autistic people were able to connect and share ideas in online forums. These groups went on to create a social-justice movement for Autistic self-advocacy along with their own Autistic culture. This community has pointed out that some forms of pragmatic therapy can promote masking.

Possible Effects Vaping Nicotine Has On Laryngeal And Vocal Health, Ashley Reichwein

2023 SLP Posters

The act of smoking electronic cigarettes, known as “vaping”, has increased in popularity in recent years. According to the FDA, 1 in 10, more than 2.5 million, U.S high school and middle school students have reported using e-cigarettes in 2022. In 2018, an estimated 8.1 million U.S adults reported using e-cigarettes (Villarroel et al, CDC). Vaping is defined as “inhaling a smoke-free aerosol through a mouthpiece, which is produced through the heating of a liquid such as glycol or glycerin in an electronic device” (Lyzwinski et al., 2022). Vaping was originally marketed as a safer alternative to traditional smoking; however, …

Factors Affecting Correct Diagnosis Of ​Paradoxical Vocal Fold Motion​, Nicolas Valdez

2023 SLP Posters

Paradoxical Vocal Fold Motion is a laryngeal disorder where sudden, inappropriate adduction of the true vocal folds during inspiration causes dyspnea. Due to the respiratory distress found with this disorder, it is often misdiagnosed for asthma and a correct diagnosis is often not made until after the patient has undergone costly office visits, procedures, and pharmaceutical interventions (Ibrahim et. al, 2007). It may take years of inappropriate treatment with no benefit to receive a correct diagnosis for this disorder. Though the exact cause of PVFM is idiopathic, four main pathogenetic mechanisms have been suggested in the literature: laryngeal hypersensitivity, altered …

Graduate-Level Leadership Training For Speech-Language Pathologists: Perceptions, Attitudes, And Potential Effect On Career, Sandra Kemper

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

The aim of this study is to determine how a perceived lack of leadership training at the graduate level contributes to inadequate preparedness for the clinical, professional, and supervisory leadership roles professionals hold within the field of speech-language pathology (Kummer, 2017). More specifically, this study will seek to identify current leadership concerns of practicing SLPs, exploring whether and/or how lack of leadership training has affected their professional growth or career. The information can serve to guide the development of leadership training opportunities in speech-language pathology graduate programs. This descriptive, non-experimental study utilized purposive sampling of speech-language pathologists licensed in the …