Authors' Affiliations

Rachael Buckles, Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Allison Burrows, Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Caitlyn Deel, Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Elizabeth Holley, Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Ellen Monroe, Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Olivia Page, Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN. Brenda Louw, Department of Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology, College of Clinical and Rehabilitative Health Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN.

Faculty Sponsor’s Department

Audiology & Speech Pathology

Name of Project's Faculty Sponsor

Dr. Brenda Louw

Classification of First Author

Graduate Student-Master’s

Type

Poster: Competitive

Project's Category

Craniofacial Disorders

Abstract or Artist's Statement

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) has been determined to be the second most common birth defect in the United States, affecting 1 in every 940 births (Parker et al., 2010). The team approach is the accepted best practice for children with CLP (Kummer, 2020) and the school-based Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) has an important role to play in assessment and intervention of children with repaired CLP, however there is little research to describe their collaboration. This research aimed to explore and describe the referral practices of school-based SLP’s to CLP teams. A survey titled “Referral to Cleft Lip and Palate Teams: Practice of School-Based Speech Language Pathologist’s” was developed and distributed to members of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association’s (ASHA’s) Special Interest Groups (SIGs) 15 and 16 following an in depth literature review on the topic. A total of 57 practicing school-based SLPs acted as respondents. The results of the survey suggested VPD was the main reason for making a referral to a CLP team (89.72%), which validates the response that clients mostly referred had suspected VPD (89.47%). Making a team referral was not common practice, as 58.7% had never made a CLP team referral in the schools. ENTs (51.06%) were the preferred choice of referral in comparison to a CLP team (25.53%). Barriers to making CLP team referrals varied and obtaining permission from the school was experienced by some respondents (36.36%). Respondents made valuable comments which centered on positive experiences with working with CLP teams (11/56). The process of making referrals to CLP teams and collaboration between school-based SLPs and CLP teams needs to be addressed in graduate training and CE. According to Vallino et al., (2019) such communication enhances care, bridges the perceived gap between school-based SLPs and CLP teams, and will ensure that children with CLP and VPD receive the best care possible.

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Referrals to Cleft Lip and Palate Teams: Practices of School-Based Speech-Language Pathologists

Cleft lip and palate (CLP) has been determined to be the second most common birth defect in the United States, affecting 1 in every 940 births (Parker et al., 2010). The team approach is the accepted best practice for children with CLP (Kummer, 2020) and the school-based Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) has an important role to play in assessment and intervention of children with repaired CLP, however there is little research to describe their collaboration. This research aimed to explore and describe the referral practices of school-based SLP’s to CLP teams. A survey titled “Referral to Cleft Lip and Palate Teams: Practice of School-Based Speech Language Pathologist’s” was developed and distributed to members of the American Speech-Language Hearing Association’s (ASHA’s) Special Interest Groups (SIGs) 15 and 16 following an in depth literature review on the topic. A total of 57 practicing school-based SLPs acted as respondents. The results of the survey suggested VPD was the main reason for making a referral to a CLP team (89.72%), which validates the response that clients mostly referred had suspected VPD (89.47%). Making a team referral was not common practice, as 58.7% had never made a CLP team referral in the schools. ENTs (51.06%) were the preferred choice of referral in comparison to a CLP team (25.53%). Barriers to making CLP team referrals varied and obtaining permission from the school was experienced by some respondents (36.36%). Respondents made valuable comments which centered on positive experiences with working with CLP teams (11/56). The process of making referrals to CLP teams and collaboration between school-based SLPs and CLP teams needs to be addressed in graduate training and CE. According to Vallino et al., (2019) such communication enhances care, bridges the perceived gap between school-based SLPs and CLP teams, and will ensure that children with CLP and VPD receive the best care possible.