Guest guest Posted October 27, 2008 Report Share Posted October 27, 2008 Oral Motor and PROMPT Treatment for Apraxia: Schools vs. Private Practice Robyn Merkel-Walsh MA, CCC-SLP Welcome parents! Tonight I am here to answer your questions about the following topics: 1.. The variations of Oral Motor and PROMPT therapy and why they are both critical for Apraxia children. 2.. Parental Rights in Special Education. 3.. Obtaining independent evaluations, for children with Apraxia. 4.. School based therapy for Apraxia children. 5.. Private based therapy for Apraxia children. In summary here is a comparative chart to understand the variations, and the pros and cons of school based, and private speech therapy: SCHOOL PRIVATE Frequency and duration 2-4 times weekly 20-30 minutes 1x month-3x week, 30-60 minute intervals Speech certification Speech correction or speech language specialist certification. Possible CCC from ASHA, possible state license Must be licensed and have the CCC from ASHA. May or may not have school certification. Post graduate training Schools demand 100 hours every 5 years of Continuing education, but not specifically those courses with ASHA CE approval. Not necessarily in oral motor or PROMPT, it can be in any area of interest to the SLP. Must achieve 20 hours every 2 years of ASHA approved CE training. Not necessarily in oral motor or PROMPT, it can be in any area of interest to the SLP. Liability issues Some school districts have a clause in place that therapist can not work inside the mouth because if the therapist is not individually licensed, they do not have to carry liability insurance. Therapist must have liability insurance to be in private practice. Certifications specifically to Apraxia None required working in a school. Most courses on Apraxia can be proven through CE paperwork, if the therapist has any training. Most therapists would be willing to provide copies of this paperwork if asked. None required. Sara and PROMPT both offer certification tiers. Most courses on Apraxia can be proven through CE paperwork. Most therapists who have these certificates advertise as such. Parent training Parents may be invited during the school day to engage in therapy and learn techniques to help at home. Parents may and should be invited into sessions in order to work with the child at home. homework Up to the individual therapist though highly recommended. Up to the individual therapist though highly recommended. Collaboration with other professionals Highly ideal in a school. Team teaching, training of staff and OT/PT/St collaboration is highly likely. Difficult because the therapist usually has contact via phone or a communication book. Coursework/Certifications to look for in a therapist who will be working with an Apraxia child: a.. Certificate of Clinical Competence , ASHA b.. NJ State Speech Pathology License c.. PROMPT Certification d.. Talk Tools /ITI Classes (S. Rosenfeld-, L. Overland, R. Roy Hill, R. Merkel-Walsh) e.. Hammer f.. Pam Marshalla g.. Kaufman h.. Faye i.. Edith Strand j.. Vellman k.. l.. Debra Beckman m.. Diane Chapman Bahr n.. NDT Training handout oct meeting > > > Hi All- > > Attached is my handout from the October Meeting. > > In summary, I discussed the various levels of training we receive as > speech > pathologists, and how in undergraduate and graduate programs there is very > little training provided on the topic of Childhood Apraxia. In fact this > terminology was not even widely accepted when I was a student , and > according to recent graduates, there is still very little training about > this disorder in graduate programs. > > As SLP's in training, we are taught techniques for dealing with apraxia of > speech as a result of a stroke or brain injury in adults; therefore, to be > trained in working with apraxic children, we must electively take classes > on > this topic on a post graduate level. There is still much debate in the > field > if in fact oral motor therapy is validated, though there are more and more > research studies being conducting. PROMPT is a more widely accepted form > of > therapy for apraxia, though it is the belief of this therapist that most > children with apraxia benefit from a combination of approaches (Talk > Tools, > PROMPT, Beckman, Kaufman Praxis, Moving Across Syllables, Hammer > methodology etc.) I discussed the levels of PROMPT certification as well > as > the new Talk Tools certification and what these certificates imply. > > I also discussed that various certificates that SLP's can hold such as NJ > licensure, the Certificate of Clinical Competence, Speech -Language > Specialist (schools) and Speech Correctionist (schools), as well as > liability insurance. I compared the various levels of education and > experience each credential entails, and explained why in a school system , > there could be liability issues working in the mouth. (Some schools will > not > allow oral motor and feeding due to liability and contract outside the > school.) In reverse, a private therapist may not be school certified, and > therefore can not be hired by a school to provide therapies. Both > professionals have excellent credentials, the variation of these two > groups > with apraxic children is that a private therapist is able to advertise and > specialize in techniques that apraxic children may need. It is easy to > call > a therpist you are interested in working with and ask if they have > training > in PROMPT, oral motor , Kaufman etc. It is easier to find out if a > private > therapist has been trained because you can select the therapist you choose > based on post graduate training in apraxia methods. A school therapist may > also have these credentials (such as PROMPT certification) but you do not > need PROMPT certification to work in a school etc. I encouraged parents to > work closely with the school and the therapist to foster a positive > working > relationship, and be actively involved in communication, goals and > objectives and training to carryover at home. Some schools are even > willing > to send their therapists for training in these areas. Others agree to > independent evaluations and their therapists follow the goals set forth by > the private therapist. Each situation varies. > > I also discussed the pros and cons of both therapy locations, such as , in > the school there is great opportunity for co-treatment of OT/PT/ST , but > it > is sometimes difficult for parents who work to observe, or it may disrupt > the child routine.In private practice there is great opportunity for > parent > observation on a weekly basis; however communication with other > professionals is often limited to notebooks or emails because time is > limited. > > Parents brought up some questions, such as how to include the strategies > and > techniques into an IEP, or how to make sure a 3 year child with apraxia > will > get pre school services even if apraxia is the only disorder the child > faces. We discussed these topics according to Parental Rights in Special > Education, which I brought with me to the meeting in case questions such > as > these were asked. Parents can ask for a copy at their local school, or > download it online from the State Dept. Of Education. > > In conclusion, I discussed the importance of homework, carryover and > parent > involvement in communication with the therapist whether it be in a school > or > a private practice. I explained that parents should observe therapy > sessions > when working on oral motor and PROMPT in order to help the child at home. > I > also provided parents with a list (attached) of the current methodologies > in > the field for apraxia, and suggested that the therapist working with their > child be trained in one of more of these philosophies, since once again, > apraxia of speech in children, is not a course that we receive in our > collegiate training. > > > > > Robyn Merkel-Walsh MA, CCC-SLP > Certified SRJ/Talk Tools Therapist /Instructor-Level 6 > PROMPT certified > Beckman Trained > Myofunctional, Feeding and Oral Motor Therapy > 111 Galway Place > Teaneck, NJ 07666 > 201-837-8367 > www.talktools.net > robynslp95@... > > > > > > > Play online games for FREE at Games.com! 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