[Dysphagia] Cross Training

[SuzMorris at aol.com (SuzMorris@aol.com)]

In the area of Pediatrics there are nearly as many well-qualified 
occupational therapists who are doing feeding and swallowing assessment and treatment 
programs as there are SLPs.   In many cases where OTs in a program are taking the 
lead in doing feeding/swallowing programs, their training and background is 
better than that of the SLPs in their facility.   Even though oral anatomy is 
more covered in education programs for speech-language pathologists, an 
understanding of overall body anatomy and movement dynamics (especially of the upper 
body) is much more completely addressed in the professional training of an 
occupational therapist.    In the workshops I teach at least 50% of the 
participants are occupational therapists working with children with feeding/swallowing 
problems.  If   speech-language pathologists are to do a competent job in 
working with feeding/swallowing disorders, they absolutely must learn the content 
on dynamic positioning and movement that is not covered in our training 
programs.   In the same way, occupational therapists learn from us the more detailed 
dynamics of oral -pharyngeal-esophageal anatomy and function that is 
less-well covered in their training and education.

Is ASHA honestly saying that we are to provide no input to our colleagues 
when they enroll in a course?    That is the height of absurdity!!!   I feel that 
it is important to stand up for what we believe and challenge ASHA on their 
position.

Suzanne



Suzanne Evans Morris, Ph.D.
New Visions
1124 Roberts Mountain Rd.
Faber, VA 22938
(434) 361-2285 ext. 5
www.new-vis.com


In a message dated 10/8/04 4:08:13 PM, JMeyer@mail.twu.edu writes:

> As someone beginning to teach more and more workshops, I am very concerned 
> about this "FYI" from ASHA.? I called and spoke with ASHA (Janet Brown's 
> office)? They were very nice and helpful, but told me that it is their stance 
> that you are committing an Ethics Violation if you allow other disciplines in 
> your course and you are teaching specific tx techniques.? However, someone has 
> to be reported for doing it (by someone attending the course, charged with 
> the violation, and have an Ethics Committe hearing to see if it is going to 
> hold up.? So who would like to go first?
> I am personally extremely appalled by this.? I have learned more from OT's 
> in the field than many SLP's.? And if we think that we as a profession have 
> all the answers to Dysphagia, we are grossly arrogant and dangerously 
> ignorant.? What do we do to stop this insanity??
> 
> I know that may of us on the listserv are teaching workshops.? What do YOU 
> do?
> 
> Jennifer Meyer, SLP
> Assistant Clinical Professor
> Texas Woman's University
>