Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups connects ASHA members to clinically relevant research. The latest issue of Perspectives contains two forums: “Case Studies in Fluency” and “An International Perspective on Clinical Research in Speech-Language Pathology Cleft Care.” These forums contain helpful resources for speech-language pathologists (SLPs) working with patients who stutter or have a cleft lip or palate. Learn more about each of the forums below!
Case Studies in Fluency
First, SIG 4 Editor John Tetnowski and Guest Editor Charles D. Hughes showcase a collection of four case studies in fluency, or stuttering. In the introduction to the forum, the editors and Jennifer T. Tetnowski emphasize that case studies have played an important role in in the history of communication sciences and disorders. “The value of case studies is that they can show you ‘how’ to address problems and allow for dissemination of information that can help in our understanding of stuttering and other fluency disorders,” they write (Tetnowski et al., 2023, p. 884).
Next, Singer and Martin show how a direct, motor-based approach can be better than a language-based approach in treating a child with a stutter and a lateral lisp. Then, Medina and colleagues present five case studies of a remote mindfulness program for adults who stutter.
Sutkowski and colleagues feature three case studies of individuals with word-final disfluencies. In the final article of the forum, Santayana showcases real-life problem-solving in the clinic in the case of a 4-year-old girl who stutters.
An International Perspective on Clinical Research in Speech-Language Pathology Cleft Care
In the next forum, SIG 5 Editor Brenda Louw presents three articles highlighting cleft lip and palate care around the world. In her introduction, Louw writes that cleft lip and palate affects 1 in 700 children, and treatment often includes multiple interventions—surgical and otherwise—from birth into adulthood.
Araújo et al. present a study of cleft palate re-repair in Brazil, showing that this technique reduced or eliminated hypernasality in children but not in adults. Next, Sell and colleagues show that parents who received training could lead speech sound interventions for children with cleft palate.
Finally, Klintö and Lohmander provide a tutorial showing how the gap between research and clinical practice was bridged in cleft care in Sweden. These three international perspectives highlight the importance of quality cleft and craniofacial care across the world—and the potential for international collaboration.
About Perspectives
These articles, plus thousands more, are free for affiliates of any of ASHA’s 20 Special Interest Groups. Perspectives gives readers content on a wide range of topics covering every area in which ASHA members work—all focused on bridging the gap between research and practice.
We hope that these case studies and international perspectives can help clinicians provide care to their clients. We’d like to thank Drs. Hughes, Tetnowski, and Louw for providing these forums for readers of Perspectives.
Explore the Forum
Case Studies in Fluency
Medina, A. M., Mead, J. S., Comas, K., Perez, G., Prieto, J., & Valencia, I. (2023). Outcomes of a remote mindfulness program for adults who stutter: Five case studies. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8(5), 897–912. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_PERSP-22-00076
Santayana, G. (2023). Problem-solving in the Lidcombe Program: A single case report. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8(5), 925–931. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_PERSP-22-00184
Singer, C., & Martin, E. (2023). Treating a young child who stutters’ lateral lisp: A case study. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8(5), 886–896. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_PERSP-22-00133
Sutkowski, S., Scaler Scott, K., & Kisenwether, J. (2023). Comparative analysis of the temporal aspects of word-final disfluencies, stuttering-like disfluencies, and nonstuttering-like disfluencies. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8(5), 913–924. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_PERSP-22-00209
Tetnowski, J. A., Hughes, C. D., & Tetnowski, J. T. (2023). Making the case for case studies. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8(5), 881–885. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_PERSP-23-00121
An International Perspective on Clinical Research in Speech-Language Pathology Cleft Care
Araújo, B. M. A. M., da Silva, A. S. C., Bertier, C. E., de Sousa Brosco, T. V., Yamashita, R. P., Sampaio-Teixeira, A. C. M., & Trindade, I. E. K. (2023). Palate re-repair for velopharyngeal insufficiency treatment: A long-term auditory-perceptual assessment of speech. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8(5), 959–968. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_PERSP-22-00079
Klintö, K., & Lohmander, A. (2023). Perceptual assessment of cleft palate speech—Bridging the gap from research to clinical practice—the Swedish perspective. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8(5), 986–1002. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_PERSP-22-00271
Louw, B. (2023). Introduction: An international perspective on clinical research in speech-language pathology cleft care. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8(5), 955–958. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_PERSP-23-00089
Sell, D., O’Rourke, C., & Sweeney, T. (2023). Parent experiences of undertaking therapy for cleft palate speech disorders following in-depth training. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Groups, 8(5), 969–985. https://doi.org/10.1044/2023_PERSP-22-00253
