Abstract
Few studies report unified assessment of children with Apraxia of Speech and comorbid Sensory Processing Disorder. This study examined a unified assessment protocol by a team of speech language pathology and occupational therapy students and faculty.
Primary Author and Speaker: Zainab Saher Naqvi
Additional Authors and Speakers: Zahava Friedman
Contributing Authors: Zainab Saher Naqvi, Arielena Duran, Marie Khalil, Sang-Ting Lintakoon, Brianna Amorin, Zahava Friedman, Kate Nealon, Lydia Martinez
The purpose of this study was to assess interprofessional assessment of children with suspected Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD) and Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS). Although speech language pathologists (SLPs) typically support individuals with CAS and occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) work with individuals with SPD, these conditions rarely occur idiopathically, and people with each condition may receive services from both professionals (Chilosi et al., 2022; Friedman & Nealon, 2023; Iuzzini–Seigel et al., 2022). Few studies describe interprofessionally unified assessment sequences to serve individuals with comorbid CAS and SPD. Three pediatric participants (n = 3) included a 27 month old male, 4 year old male, and 7 year old female, all of whom met pre-screening criteria symptomatic of comorbid CAS and SPD. Each child received a unified assessment from a team of SLP and OTP faculty and students. Assessment sequence consisted of SLP elements, such as Kaufman Speech Praxis Test and oral-motor observations, and OTP elements such as Sensory Profile-2 and standardized motor assessments (Jorquera-Cabrera et al., 2017). Qualitative measures consisted of structured field notes completed by researchers during evaluations, alongside recorded transcripts of the assessments, later analyzed via reflexive thematic analysis. Quantitative measures included standardized assessment scores of the three participants. Standardized assessment resulted in two children meeting criteria consistent with comorbid CAS and SPD, with the third child presenting with SPD and global coordination challenges. Qualitative analysis resulted in three themes of interprofessionalism: holistic assessment reveals the whole clinical story, the need to create a safe shared space, and the value of preparation for cohesive knowledge sharing. Initiating unified assessment represented an increased effort for improved interprofessional competencies and therapeutic outcomes for clients.
Chilosi, A. M., Podda, I., Ricca, I., Comparini, A., Franchi, B., Fiori, S., Pasquariello, R., Casalini, C., Cipriani, P., & Santorelli, F. M. (2022). Differences and commonalities in children with childhood apraxia of speech and comorbid neurodevelopmental disorders: A multidimensional perspective. Journal of Personalized Medicine, 12(2), 313. https://doi.org/10.3390/jpm12020313
Friedman, Z. L., & Nealon, K. (2023). Siloed vs. Interprofessional approach: Speech language pathologists’ and occupational therapists’ perspectives on comorbidity of childhood apraxia of speech and sensory processing disorder. Journal of Interprofessional Education & Practice, 31, 100611.
Iuzzini–Seigel, J., Moorer, L., & Tamplain, P. (2022). An Investigation of Developmental Coordination Disorder Characteristics in Children With Childhood Apraxia of Speech. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 53(4), 1006–1021. https://doi.org/10.1044/2022_lshss-21-00163
Jorquera-Cabrera, S., Romero-Ayuso, D., Rodriguez-Gil, G., & Triviño-Ju´rez, J. M. (2017). Assessment of Sensory Processing Characteristics in Children between 3 and 11 Years Old: A Systematic Review. Frontiers in pediatrics, 5, 57. https://doi.org/10.3389/fped.2017.00057