The episode connects emerging research with clinical practice, offering SLPs and audiologists a deeper understanding of the factors that shape development in children who are deaf or hard of hearing and how this knowledge can inform more individualized, evidence-based support.

Guests: Ryan McCreery, PhD, Beth Walker, PhD, CCC-A/SLP & Beth Heinrichs-Graham, PhD

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In this episode of School of Speech, Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, is joined by Ryan McCreery, PhD, Beth Walker, PhD, CCC-A/SLP, and Beth Heinrichs-Graham, PhD, to discuss why language and cognitive development can vary so widely among children who are deaf or hard of hearing, even with access to early hearing detection and intervention. Drawing from recent research, the guests examine factors that may contribute to these individual differences, including auditory experience and variability in the neural patterns that support language and cognitive processes. They discuss what researchers are learning about the relationship between hearing, brain development, language, and cognition, and why looking beyond hearing access alone may help clinicians better understand each child's developmental trajectory.

About the Guests: Ryan McCreery, PhD, is the Vice President of Research at Boys Town National Research Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska. He also serves as a Senior Scientist and Director of the Audibility, Perception, and Cognition (APC) Lab.

Beth Walker, PhD, CCC-A/SLP, is a Professor at the University of Iowa where she directs the Pediatric Audiology Lab. She investigates how limited access to sound affects the development of children with hearing loss by examining the consistency of auditory-linguistic input for children who are deaf or hard of hearing.

Choosing the right language assessment tools takes more than reaching for a familiar test.

Guest: Michelle Ivey, PhD, CCC-SLP

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Using the RIOT framework—review, interview, observe, and test—as a guide, Carolyn and Michelle look at how information from multiple sources can inform the assessment process. They discuss thoughtful selection and interpretation of norm-referenced assessments, the importance of considering communication across settings and partners, and ways to ensure the family’s perspective has a meaningful role in the evaluation. From preschool through the school-age years, this episode encourages SLPs to look beyond individual test scores and consider how each piece of assessment information contributes to the bigger picture.

About the Guest: Michelle L. Ivey, PhD, CCC-SLP, is an instructional faculty member in the Communication Sciences and Disorders Department of the University of Houston. There she teaches graduate and undergraduate classes in child language development and disorders. She also teaches the clinical methods capstone class and serves as a clinical educator for on-and off- campus clients.

Supporting feeding and swallowing in schools requires more than identifying what a student needs.

Full Episode Title: From Recommendations to Reality: Feeding and Swallowing Support

Guest: Elisa Thurman, MS, CCC-SLP

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Carolyn and Elisa explore common challenges that arise when feeding and swallowing recommendations are carried over into the school setting, including building shared understanding among families, SLPs, teachers, paraprofessionals, and other school staff. They discuss the roles of key team members, strategies for communicating recommendations clearly, and ways to support consistency across people and environments. The episode also addresses when collaboration with medical providers may be needed and how school teams can coordinate care while keeping the student’s needs at the center. SLPs will come away with a clearer understanding of how to move feeding and swallowing recommendations from paper into everyday practice at school.

About the Guest: Elisa Thurman, MS, CCC-SLP, is a co-founder of The Feeding Link and a member of the Feeding and Swallowing Team at at the Multnomah Education Service District (MESD). Specializing in pediatric feeding disorders, she has extensive experience managing complex feeding and swallowing profiles in the school setting. Today, Elisa focuses on clinical mentorship, empowering fellow practitioners through advanced coaching and knowledge exchange.

Show Notes:

Carolyn Dolby Article

The Feeding Link Website