SLP Healthcare Case Studies
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IPP Team Develops Surgical Management Plan for Laryngomalacia in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Summary
A triplet girl born at 29 weeks gestational age was admitted to the NICU for management of prematurity including respiratory distress syndrome. Her treatment team developed an interprofessional plan to target oral breathing and oral feeding, and following surgery, Mia showed improved suck/swallow/breathe coordination and respiratory stability and stamina.
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Team Helps Young Stroke Survivor Return to Living Alone
Summary
A 38-year-old woman had a stroke that resulted in aphasia and some physical limitations. Her treatment team developed an interprofessional plan to target community access and support communication so that both she and her family were confident that she could live by herself again.
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IPP Team Helps Child With a Cleft Palate to Improve Feeding, Swallowing, and Speech Sound Production
Summary
A Cleft Palate Team collaborated across specialties to help a 13-month-old child with a history of cleft palate to improve feeding, swallowing, and speech sound production. The interprofessional team completed individual assessments, discussed results, and made recommendations for Sam and the family.
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IPP Team Develops Rehabilitation Transition Plan for High School Student Following a Traumatic Brain Injury
Summary
Kai, a 16-year-old high school junior, was in a motor vehicle accident that resulted in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and multiple orthopedic injuries. His treatment team developed an interprofessional plan to support his physical, sensory, cognitive-communication, and social–emotional needs so that he and his family could successfully navigate his return to school and community as well as his preparation for college entrance exams. The medical and school-based teams both recognized the importance of proactive, coordinated communication and integrated management to facilitate attainment of these goals and functional outcomes. By the third quarter of his junior year, Kai had transitioned back to school full time with a 504 plan that addressed necessary accommodations, and he was preparing to take his SATs.
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IPP Team Develops Dental Treatment Plan for 8-Year-Old Child with Spastic Cerebral Palsy
Summary
An 8-year-old boy with mild to moderate quadriplegic spastic cerebral palsy began to complain of a toothache. Through videoconferencing, David’s IPP team discussed the concerns of tooth pain, and the need to conduct an oral health assessment for David. The team reached mutual agreement on an assessment plan to prepare for the visit with the dentist and a treatment plan to enhance David’s oral health.
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Vestibular Team Helps to Resolve Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) Dilemma
Summary
Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common peripheral vestibular etiology presenting with brief symptoms of dizziness or vertigo triggered with position changes (lying supine, rolling over in bed, tilting the head back). However, there are other conditions that mimic this etiology. Careful considerations, consultations, and referrals can help to resolve symptoms. An interprofessional team evaluated and treated a 77-year-old female patient with position-provoked vertigo secondary to a motor vehicle accident (MVA). The team worked together to solve the mystery of the unresolved vertigo and devised a new management care plan.
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Interprofessional Committee Improves Health Care Access for LGBTQ+ Veterans
Summary
An interdisciplinary committee works to make health care providers aware of services, including voice and speech therapy, and provide more comprehensive care for LGBTQ+ veterans.
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Interprofessional Practice (IPP) Team's Vestibular Assessment Provides Clues for Life-Changing Diagnosis
Summary
An interprofessional disciplinary team utilized a vestibular test battery—along with other clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings—to help support the diagnosis of demyelinating disease in a 57-year-old male. Vestibular testing includes a battery of test measures designed to determine the function of the peripheral vestibular system and associated central nervous system pathways. While this testing does not identify underlying disease, it can aid in revealing the site of the lesion to support a diagnosis.
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Team Helps Child with Hearing Loss Develop Language Skills
Summary
An interprofessional practice (IPP) team worked together to assess hearing loss and language skills in a 2-year-old child. The team recommended a cochlear implant and a plan of therapy for language development and listening skills. As a result, the child’s expressive vocabulary began showing steady growth.
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Team Uses Therapy and Smartphone App to Help a Woman Recover After a Fall
Summary
A 65-year-old woman experienced general weakness, balance issues, and speaking difficulties after a fall. A team of professionals developed a plan, which explored low-cost options for increasing intelligibility and providing strategies for communication. The team helped her use a speech intelligibility smartphone app to improve her pitch, volume, and overall intelligibility. After 4 weeks in a rehabilitation facility, the woman’s communication skills returned to their previous levels.
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Students Receive Valuable IPP Training During a Disaster Simulation Event
Summary
Faculty from a university’s health care–related programs collaboratively developed an interprofessional education (IPE) experience for their undergraduate and graduate students. By working together across departments, the faculty planned and executed a tornado simulation, where students role-played “victims” and “responders.” As they carried out their roles, students learned about collaboration and health care services during a disaster. They also learned how to communicate effectively with patients and victims.
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An IPP Team Helps 6-Year-Old with Down Syndrome Improve Communication Skills
Summary
The parents of a 6-year-old girl with Down syndrome consulted an IPP team to get help with their daughter’s communication skills. The IPP team evaluated the girl, made recommendations, and helped the family purchase an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) device to use at home. After 4 months, the family reported that the device was helping with communication.
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International Team Gives Caregiver Education in Democratic Republic of the Congo
Summary
When visiting a village school and outpatient rehabilitation clinic in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), a team of professionals from the United States worked with their local counterparts to provide training and help patients. One patient was a 6-year-old boy with a complaint of severely reduced expressive language. The team – comprising both US and DRC medical professionals – worked together to create an assessment and treatment plan for the boy. They also provided education and strategies to the boy’s mother.
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Team Helps Patient Regain Hearing, Balance, and Autonomy After Cochlear Implant
Summary
After recovering from meningitis, 72-year-old Jon continued to suffer from hearing loss, severe dizziness, and imbalance. Struggling with daily activities, he sought information from a team of professionals about a cochlear implant (CI) and help improving his daily life. After the implant surgery, the interprofessional practice team helped Jon navigate life with the CI and regain his balance.
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Team Develops Plan to Treat a Music Major’s Muscle Tension Dysphonia
Summary
An interprofessional team collaborated across specialties to diagnose a 20-year-old college student with muscle tension dysphonia and paradoxical vocal cord dysfunction. After the student returned to college, the initial team worked with a local speech-language pathologist (SLP) and with a college voice coach to continue her treatment. After 6 weeks, the student’s speaking voice returned to normal limits, and her singing voice and vocal endurance returned to baseline levels.
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IPP Team Develops Rehabilitation Plan for Patient Recovering from Stroke
Summary
A team of professionals collaborated across specialties to help a 78-year-old woman recovering from a stroke. The team developed and implemented a plan to (a) help the woman increase participation in activities of daily living (ADLs) and (b) improve her ability to communicate by using an augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) board.
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Team Helps Head Injury Patient Address Hearing and Memory Issues
Summary
An interprofessional practice (IPP) rehabilitation team developed a treatment plan for a 55-year-old man with memory and hearing loss, tinnitus, episodic vertigo, and headaches following a closed head injury. By working across specialties, the team created and executed a plan that helped resolve the man’s dizziness and address his hearing and memory problems.
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Collaboration Helps Clinical Team Diagnose Genetic Disorder
Summary
An interprofessional practice (IPP) team at a cleft lip and palate clinic developed a treatment plan for a 4-year-old girl with hypernasal speech and dysmorphic features. By working across specialties, the team diagnosed the girl with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) and executed a treatment plan that included speech-language therapy and surgery to create a pharyngeal flap.
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