Aquatic Therapy for the SLP (2-Day Class)

Description

An entire 16 hour course packed into 2 days designed specifically for the SLP addressing why the pool is an effective and motivating environment for working with both children and adults in an aquatic environment. Provides tips on positioning patients in water for speech therapy, use of aquatic equipment to maximize results, and progressions for improving breath control, vocalization and other speech-only goals. Shows tips for taking augmentative communication into water. Discusses which aquatic specialty techniques (e.g. Watsu®) may be usable by the speech therapist. Includes information on current research supporting performing speech tasks in the pool. Addresses why a therapy pool is an appropriate tool for the speech therapist and discusses whether or not SLPs should pursue including 97113 as a reimbursable code for speech.

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Participate in an open forum discussion on the emergence of the therapy pool as a viable treatment venue for the SLP (forum)

2. Make a 3 minute verbal “case” for providing speech therapy services in the water.

3. Locate and describe what ASHA, state laws, and payers have to say (if anything) about SLPs working in water (lecture)

4. Recite 5-6 aquatic precautions and contraindications specific to the speech patient (lecture).

5. Outline 1-2 ways to divide labor and schedule pool-time when all three disciplines are involved in a patient’s care. Describe 1-2 ways that the goals of water-based OT, PT, and speech should differ (lecture)

6. Determine under what conditions an adult should be considered for aquatic speech therapy (lecture)

7. Craft a sample home program for parents/caregivers who wish to incorporate 3-4 speech-related tasks in the shower, bathtub or community pool. Be able to share with parents where they can obtain additional training materials (lecture)

8. Describe why aquatic therapy may be the treatment of choice if (a) the patient has poor respiratory support and control for speech, (b) the patient is difficult to position for therapy; or (d) the patient is unwilling or unable to vocalize on land (lecture)

9. Demonstrate 2-3 effective positions to work with adult and pediatric clients in the water (lab)

10. Perform 3-4 aquatic therapeutic movements, tasks, or exercises designed to:

• increase attention to a task (a foundation for building strong language skills)
• increase strength of speech-related musculature
• improve ROM of chest and shoulder region
• improve head and trunk righting as a precursor for speech
• perform lip and mouth closure
• improve total communication
• improve verbalization, articulation, descriptive language and sentence richness
• encourage play and social interaction (lab)

11. Demonstrate 1-2 aquatic tasks or activities from each of the following specialty techniques (as each relates to the speech patient):

• Aquatic Sensory Integration (ASI)
• Aquatic manual therapy and stretching
• Oral Motor exercises
• Augmentative communication
• Watsu (lab)

12. With a partner, design and implement a 15-minute aquatic treatment plan (including equipment selection) for 1-2 of the following:

• Non-progressive neurological disorder (e.g. cerebral palsy, CVA, TBI)
• Progressive neurological disorder (e.g. Parkinson’s, multiple sclerosis)
• Pervasive developmental disorder (e.g. autism)

Schedule

Day 1

7:30-8:00 Registration

8:00-12:00 Lecture

12:00-1:00 Lunch

1:00-5:00 Pool lab

Day 2

8:00-12:00 Lecture

12:00-1:00 Lunch

1:00-5:00 Pool lab

Lecture Location

Holiday Inn and Suites Hudson, WI

181 Carmichael Road

Hudson WI 54016

Lab Location

St. Croix Therapy

742 Sterbenz Drive

Hudson, WI 54016