Feature of the Month: ASHA Convention

This past November, we had the opportunity to travel to New Orleans, Louisiana for the annual ASHA (American Speech and Hearing Association) Convention. This gathering included a full three days of workshops, posters, exhibits, dinners, and meetings, with a focus on the most current and cutting edge research being performed in the field of Speech Pathology.

The last time ASHA was held in New Orleans was in 2001, so we were unsure what to expect post-Katrina. Upon arrival, we were immediately greeted by an enthusiastic cab driver, who was listening to the Saints game and emphatically cheering them on, raving about their 9-0 record. Thus, after that, everywhere we went it was evident that New Orleans was back, and it was better than ever. From the thumping of music on Bourbon Street to the packed Café Du Monde, it was clear that people were having a good time in New Orleans once again.

Our week started with a city tour where we explored the Garden District, Warehouse District, French Quarter, beautiful City Park, a cemetery, as well as the Upper and Lower Ninth Wards. Our guide shared with us that only 60% of the city’s population have returned to live in the city, and only 20% of the population that lived in the Ninth Wards have returned. Street after street in this area of the city, we saw numerous houses that had not been rebuilt and were clearly uninhabitable. We also witnessed much positive work that had been done in this area such as the Musician’s Village and Brad Pitt’s Make it Right Project in the Lower Ninth Ward.

On Wednesday, ASHA sponsored a community service day helping to build houses with Habitat for Humanity in the Upper Ninth Ward. Over 70 volunteers boarded buses that took us to various work sites. Upon arrival, our group split up into several teams of 10-15 volunteers on each project. We were very excited to finally hear about our day’s endeavor, which was to paint an entire house! The new homes being built in New Orleans are now adhering to Florida building codes, which means they have to be built solid and several feet off of the ground. Thus, painting this single story little home was more like painting a two-story house. Several of us braved the 24-foot ladders to reach the highest points with paint buckets in hand. Needless to say, this was a long day of hard work, but through the teamwork and dedication of everyone on the job, we were actually able to finish the entire house! After that, we returned to the convention center, picked up our registration materials for the conference, and then headed out to find a big bowl of gumbo after a hard day’s work.

The next several days were spent at the convention center attending many workshops, viewing research posters, and walking the enormous exhibit hall, which showcased many products and services related to the field of speech and language. Some of our favorite new products included many new applications that are available for the using the IPhone or IPod touch as an assistive communication device.

It was really amazing to see all of the technology that is now readily available to those who have challenges with verbalizing. This greatly reinforced our philosophy that everyone can communicate, no matter where their individual skill levels lie, having access or opportunities to express yourself should be a right for all humans.

During workshops regarding Autism, we learned that the new DSM-V (Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) will have just one diagnostic category for Autism and will no longer list subtypes such as: Aspergers disorder, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, etc.) These subtypes are often confusing to parents and sometimes can limit a child’s access to appropriate services by having a particular “label” of sorts. With just one general “Autism” category, parents may have easier access to services, therapies, and supports that are needed by children with this disorder. We also learned about how to best support children who are non-verbal by providing a total communication program (e.g., use of pictures, simple signs, and alternative communication devices) in order to best promote comprehension and expressive growth. The impact of motivation on communication was also discussed in-depth. Learning what the child’s “golden ticket” is was key to this discussion. What does your child love to do? How can you use his interests to promote spontaneous communication?

Another area of interest to the speech/language field has been the use of non-speech oral motor exercises to promote speech development. These are exercises such as sticking out your tongue and moving it from side to side, holding a cheerio up in your mouth with your tongue tip, or any type of “exercise” involving the mouth and/or jaw muscles. A presentation by Gregory Lof included an extensive review of literature and research studies which concluded that there is currently no evidence base to support the theory that these types of exercises will improve speech. The main reason being that speech and non-speech movements are controlled by two different areas of the brain. Thus, if you want to improve speech, you need to work on speech instead of non-speech activities that are not related to speech.

Finally, we learned a little bit more about ourselves by attending a supervision workshop which focused on people’s different personality styles. We learned that your personality style greatly influences the way you approach your job, and more importantly, the relationships among co-workers and supervisors. There are many types of personality surveys out there and these surveys can be used to help us become better leaders, find the “best fit” person for hiring a certain position, and also assist us in our personal lives. Having an insight to not only your own personality, but also the personality types of others in your life can greatly enhance communication with spouses, significant others, and children. With enhanced communication skills comes an enhanced quality of life!