We catch up with researchers Jeff Holt and Karen Avraham about the state of gene therapy for addressing hearing loss and deafness. Both are part of the Research Symposium on Hearing at the 2024 ASHA Convention.

Our guests explain what recent breakthroughs, including successful clinical trials, mean for the future of gene therapy. They comment on audiologists' potential role in treatment and assessment related to gene therapy.

You can learn more about gene therapy and hearing loss at the Research Symposium on Hearing at the 2024 ASHA Convention in Seattle this December.

Learn More:

Research Symposium on Hearing

ASHA Voices: Revisiting Conversations on Gene Therapy and Hearing Loss

First Deaf Gene Therapy Recipient in U.S. Gains Hearing

In its most severe forms, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) was once thought to be unavoidably terminal. But recent developments are allowing those with the disorder to live longer, healthier lives, and today’s guest says this means a greater need for speech-language pathologists' services.

SLP Katlyn McGrattan (University of Minnesota; Masonic Children's Hospital) says advances in treating SMA essentially created a new condition. She explains the role SLPs play in treating feeding and swallowing issues, dysarthria, and other such conditions seen in this emerging patient population.

Later in the episode, hear from the mother of a son with SMA. She shares her family’s experience.

Learn More:

ASHA Voices: Exploring Caregiver-Provider Interactions

Dysphagia Phenotypes in Spinal Muscular Atrophy: The Past, Present, and Promise for the Future

ASHA Evidence Map: Spinal Muscular Atrophy

Transcript

In this panel discussion, guests address how SLPs can empower themselves to effectively provide their services cross-linguistically. The guests share stories of their personal and professional connections to multilingualism, demonstrating the link between language, identity, and their work.

Transcript

On this episode of ASHA Voices, Lindsay Riegler, an innovation specialist and research SLP with the Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical Center, shares her perspective on telepractice from inside the VA, where she’s seen many barriers to telepractice removed.

At the center of the conversation are questions about access. What can the VA teach us about what’s possible through telepractice? And how is their use of telepractice different than what we see from other health care providers?

Plus, hear our guest run through a list of six common misconceptions about telepractice, correcting myths and sharing experiences from her career.

In health care, clinicians’ productivity is measured closely via requirements intended to manage labor costs and ensure patients are receiving care. Simply put, these expectations often have tremendous influence on SLPs as they treat clients every day.

On the podcast, we’re joined by a panel of health care administrators who represent a wide range of settings to discuss this subject. We talk about what to do when you feel your productivity requirements are too high and look at the ethical obligations of administrators. Plus, our panel shares their thoughts on how to find time for interprofessional practice in a demanding work environment.

The productivity discussion will continue at the upcoming ASHA online conference, “Empowered SLPs in Health Care: Breaking Barriers and Shaping Solutions,” with our guests participating in a panel on this subject.

After a traumatic brain injury, someone may experience wide-ranging difficulties related to their emotions, cognition, and their ability to communicate. When it comes to cognitive rehabilitation, it takes a team to help patients meet their goals.

Neuropsychologist Brigid Waldron-Perrine and SLP McKay Moore Sohlberg help us take a patient-centered look at where psychology and speech-language pathology overlap and interact.

The duo highlights what is possible when psychologists and SLPs work together and, they deliver recommendations for what to do when patients ask about the potential for COVID-19-related cognitive effects.

In just a split second, a traumatic brain injury can turn your life upside-down.SLP Alaina Davis takes us from the basketball court to the boxing ring to talk about traumatic brain injury (TBI) and rehabilitation. Through her podcast and thoughtfully crafted social media posts, Davis brings attention to TBIs and what they mean for cognition.Davis is faculty member at Howard University where she also works as a part of the concussion management team. She shares her experience treating student athletes and what she’s learned from the experience.

When the pandemic sent much of higher education into the virtual world last spring, Siva priya Santhanam wondered whether the autism support program she runs at Metropolitan State University of Denver could continue. The peer-support program brings students studying speech, language, and hearing sciences together with university students with autism.

Now, a year later, Santhanam joins ASHA Voices to talk about the ways she’s sustained – and grown – the program. Santhanam discusses supporting students with autism during the pandemic, the benefits to the speech-language students, and the program’s non-hierarchical structure.

The Academy Award nominations are in, and one of this year’s contenders examines the emotional toll of sudden hearing loss. On this episode of ASHA Voices, we discuss how the movie “Sound of Metal” fits into a long history of hearing loss and tinnitus portrayals on the silver screen -- and what this can tell us about societal views.

Joining our panel are audiologists Peter Ivory and Michelle Hu, and author and media scholar Mack Hagood. The trio discuss past films and performances featuring people with hearing loss, and a sudden increase in on-screen tinnitus portrayals in the early 2000s. And we dig into Oscar-nominated “Sound of Metal” from the perspectives of audiologists and people who have hearing loss, as Hu does.

SLP Joshuaa Allison-Burbank began working for the Indian Health Service in his Navajo Nation home in February of 2020. What happened next changed how he thought about his community and his profession. When the pandemic began, Allison-Burbank found himself working in an outdoor triage center at Northern Navajo Medical Center, witnessing the devastating effects of Dikos Ntsaaígíí, or COVID-19.

Faced with many challenges, including limited access to running water and high poverty rates, the Navajo Nation faced a higher rate of mortality by COVID-19 than any state in the U.S. at one point last year. But now, Navajo Nation is sharing a success story—of plummeting COVID numbers and exemplary rates of vaccination.

On this episode, Allison-Burbank joins the podcast to shares his story, what he’s learned in this difficult year, and the specific Navajo story he uses to find inspiration during the pandemic.

Friends since high school, audiologist Nicholas Stanley and social worker Samuel Bradley never expected they'd be working together. But here they are, collaborating on a series of presentations on disrupting racial bias after the idea came up during causal breakfast conversation

The duo joins ASHA Voices to discuss their work to bolster culturally responsive care in audiology. Listen in as they share what audiologists can do to attract and effectively serve a more diverse clientele.

Also, Reed draws a line from a difficult event in his personal life to the research he’s producing today—research about hearing aid access and patient health outcomes. Hear the personal story that fuels Reed’s research and what Reed is learning about the connections between health care outcomes and unaddressed hearing loss.

SLP Jerry Hoepner discusses the ways SLPs can help patients address barriers to care and connection following a traumatic brain injury.

A professor at the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Hoepner studies the experiences of people with TBIs and their interactions with health care providers. As a part of his research, he’s gathered and published observations from people who have experienced brain injuries. He shares what he’s learned from that research, highlighting the chronic phase of care and the powerful role of conversation groups for those with TBIs.

Transcript

You may have seen stuttering in the headlines over the past year—due, in part, to the election of President Joe Biden, who has spoken openly about his experience as a person who stutters.

Stuttering is having a moment, and we’re taking this occasion to talk about it.

We hear from speech-language pathologist Chris Constantino, a faculty member at Florida State University who studies the experiences of people who stutter. He talks about what he’s heard from his clients and shares what this moment means for him personally—as he, too, is a person who stutters.

Then, a panel of SLPs—Derek Daniels, Courtney Byrd, and Katie Gore—join the show for a conversation about representation and visibility for those who stutter. We discuss the importance of acceptance in assessing and treating stuttering, and we talk about how the experience of stuttering differs from person to person.

SLP Alicia Fleming Hamilton joins the podcast to discuss the new book "Exploring Cultural Responsiveness: Guided Scenarios for Communication Sciences and Disorders Professionals." Hamilton worked as an editor on the book from ASHA Press, which features stories and examples curated for, and from, audiologists and speech-language pathologists.

Hamilton describes the book as a tool for self-reflection and growth, and says she hopes professionals will find it accessible and relevant throughout their careers. The book covers and explores issues such as family separation at the border, gender identity, unconscious bias, African American English and more.

On the podcast, Hamilton shares two stories from the book, including one pulled from her own life.

After a harrowing year in which COVID-19 wreaked havoc, we're bringing you a show about your colleagues' outlook on the new year.

Many are hoping for fresh starts and meaningful change.

In the first segment, audiologists and SLPs share what they're looking forward to in 2021--including increased cultural responsiveness and improved physical and mental health.

Then audiologist Carrie Spangler recounts her experience of receiving a cochlear implant (CI) after working in the field for more than 20 years. Spangler describes her CI journey and how the device affects how she thinks about her work. You can read more about her CI experiences on her blog, Hearing Spanglish.

We bring you the story of how discussions of race between Ingrid Desormes and her rehabilitation unit's supervisor Christie Miller led to new learning--and friendship.

Their talks began when Desormes joined the unit at Bethesda Hospital in 2019. In the time since, Miller says she’s changed the way she approaches racial issues in and outside the workplace.

The two SLPs join the podcast for a conversation about race, the workplace, and the role of their friendship in how they discuss this important subject.

Today we look at  ways   SLPs can work with families to cultivate a strong sense of self in children with autism.

Of course, SLPs know the importance of  helping a child with autism  become empowered and  believe in themselves, and today’s guests make that a priority.

SLPs Rachel Dorsey and Jessie Ginsburg share  strategies and examples of ways to help foster  this positive  outlook with a strengths-based approach. They discuss the importance of word-choice and language when working with parents and how they address goal creation.

SLPs Meg Lico and Kaitlin Hanley from NYU Langone Health share their story of working with Aaron James, the recipient of what’s being billed as the first ever full-eye and partial-face transplant. They describe how they worked with James to reach his goals, such as eating solid foods with his family.

Central to the story is their collaboration and the interdepartmental communication that made success possible. The SLPs provide details about approaching this unique case, as well as their victories, memorable moments, and the emotions they had along the way.

At the end of the conversation, hear from James and his wife Meagan.

Transcript

School is back in session. And it looks nothing like it normally does.

After a summer of uncertainty about what to expect this fall, school-based SLPs are navigating back-to-back telepractice sessions, hybrid online/in-person models, and myriad infection-control measures.

In this episode, we hear about how it's going. We asked five school-based SLPs: What has the start of the new academic year been like for you? And, how is it different from last spring?

We talk about what they're doing to keep themselves and their students safe, what they're learning about telepractice, and more.

Join us next episode for a conversation with educational audiologists.

When referring to autism, some people use person-first language (a person with autism), while others prefer identity-first language (an autistic person).

On this episode, we talk to ASHA members and autistic SLPs about their differing language choices, and excerpt a spirited discussion of the issue on the Autism Speaks podcast Autism POVs.

Plus, acclaimed autism book author Barry Prizant returns to the podcast.

Spurred by this summer's turbulent news, SLP Pam Wiley facilitated a series of town hall conversations on community policing, race, and voting. The 2020 ASHA Honors recipient talks with us about what was challenging, and what she heard. Wiley, president of the LA Speech and Language Therapy Center, joins us a year after she first spoke to us about her efforts to build understanding between law enforcement and young adults with autism.

We also discuss Wiley's workforce-preparation program that helps young adults with communication disorders transition from high school into meaningful employment.

We mark last September’s podcast launch with a timely return to our first episode on law enforcement, de-escalation, and communication disorders. There’s been a growing public outcry against police-perpetrated violence against unarmed civilians, who disproportionately are people of color and/or people with mental health or developmental issues like autism.

Experts discuss how to help young adults with communication disorders stay safe during police encounters. And a Howard University professor describes her awareness-raising work to keep Black youth with autism from being misunderstood and routed to the juvenile justice system.

(1:00) Driving between appointments, SLP Samantha Koncak talks about how COVID-19 has changed her job. See how new realities like stepped-up infection control measures and unruly masks affect the daily operations of an SLP in the field.

(15:25) Later in the show, SLP Lauren Sharpe shares stories of COVID-19's emotional impact on both patients and SLPs in home health, with social isolation as a major factor.

(21:51) And home-health expert Jenny Loehr returns to the podcast to discuss caseloads and how the recently implemented Patient-Driven Groupings Model fits into this puzzle

On this episode of the podcast, higher education takes on the moment in two distinct ways.

(1:13) We hear the story of a graduate student and a faculty member brought together by the need for increased support for minority students. They tell us how they used a series of seminars to raise diversity awareness among faculty and students in a CSD program.

(14:04) Then, we head south to a course that faculty hustled to pull together to address our new COVID-19 reality. Find out why the University of Central Florida created this remote health care class with a hands-on approach.

Continuing our coverage of how COVID-19 is affecting CSD professionals, we head to what was once the major U.S. hotspot. SLP Tami Altschuler shares stories of loss, recovery, sickness, and stigma as she walks us through the hallways of the NYU Langone Medical Center.

As health care SLPs around the country see COVID-19 numbers rising, Altschuler talks about her lessons learned from facing a surge.

COVID-19 is changing the way we work, but is it also changing the way SLPs bill?

With ASHA Connect 2020 just around the corner, presenter, SLP, and billing and coding expert Dee Nikjeh joins the podcast to share three of the most interesting questions she’s received since the pandemic began.

SLP and NYU faculty member George Castle says one of his mentors, the late Kenyatta Rivers, taught him to live his life helping others advance in their careers while pulling himself up at the same time. He calls this the one-hand-up and one-hand-down philosophy.

Castle joins ASHA Voices for a conversation about what mentorships mean in his life and career, and he shares memories of Rivers, who died last month.

At a time when much of the country is reflecting on race, we discuss the role mentorships can play in creating diversity in the field of speech-language pathology.

We’re delving into new research addressing the where and the who of hearing loss in the U.S.

Principal investigator David Rein, of NORC at the University of Chicago, and audiologist Nick Reed, of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, discuss the Sound Check project. This research initiative includes new estimates of bilateral hearing loss and an interactive map that presents the data by state, county, and more.

Hear the researchers observe trends and share takeaways from this comprehensive look at hearing loss in the U.S.

Transcript

In the latest episode of ASHA Voices, we talk to two audiologists making their way through unexpected experiences and circumstances--one reopening their practice during COVID-19 and the other with a new cochlear implant.

(15:48) Next we talk about what's on so many of our minds--going back to the office. Safety is the obvious concern as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Joining us is audiologist Ryan Kennard, who discusses his weighing of curbside, telepractice, and in-clinic options as he made plans to reopen the practice he directs, the San Luis Obispo Hearing Center. He shares how he adjusted his services to reopen safely.

From  telepractice to staff meetings to social commitments, we’re all interacting online in often back-to-back engagements. And  today’s guests say this can  take a toll on our  voices.(1:15) First, SLP Jennylee Diaz shares strategies for maintaining the voice health of ourselves and our clients in this new all-online world--based on her own experiences with voice strain while singing.(9:49) Then… Water aerobics for the voice? SLP Elizabeth Banaszak guides us through a series of vocal exercises to keep the voice fresh throughout the day.

Timing is critical when it comes to serving children birth to three and their families. Now, COVID-19 is making the process even more challenging for audiologists and speech-language pathologists.

(1:45) Audiologist Karen Munoz shares three common COVID-19-related EI difficulties she’s hearing about from audiologists--and strategies you can use now to handle them.

(14:06) Then speech-language pathologist Arlene Stredler Brown joins us to talk telepractice in early intervention. We discuss the good and the bad: the technical challenges but also the opportunity to promote family-centered care and coaching.

In his latest book, “Volume Control: Hearing in a Deafening World,” author and journalist David Owen (The New Yorker) writes, “Deafness is expensive. Earplugs aren’t.” ASHA Voices speaks with Owen about his recent book, and what he’s learned about our noisy world.

Then, we’re joined by audiologist Vickie Tuten to discuss occupational hearing hazards and how fit-testing hearing protection can help ensure that hearing protection is used correctly.

Plus, we’ll hear from public health expert Rick Neitzel, principal investigator in the Apple Hearing Study. As part of this research partnership between Apple and the University of Michigan, he's collecting data on noisy environments and headphone volume. The hope is this research could influence policies that one day change how our world makes noise.

This week on the podcast: We’re joined by author and SLP Barry Prizant. He’s the author of "Uniquely Human," an acclaimed book that conceptualizes autism as a difference, rather than a disability. In honor of Autism Awareness Month, Barry joins us to discuss the parent-clinician relationship, and the evolving roles families are playing in autism intervention.

In the second half of the episode, we’ll talk with Denise Underkoffler and her daughter Abby Diaz about speech-language treatment and family. Denise is an author and SLP. Her new children’s book "Everybody Needs a Turn" considers the role of siblings in speech-language treatment. Hear the personal inspiration behind her book.

This week on the podcast: What happens when health care workers are exposed to the coronavirus? We hear from two SLPs who share their experiences with potential exposure and self-quarantine.

And, we continue our look at health care with a check-up. It’s been six months since the Patient Driven Payment Model went into effect. We ask what this new payment system has meant for those in skilled nursing facilities.

COVID-19 is turning many lives upside down.

We talk with audiologists and SLPs throughout the country about the pandemic's immediate and drastic effects on their work. From the Seattle area to New York City, they are facing significant challenges, but they are also rising to those challenges.

Featuring voices of professionals in schools, private practice, academia, and health care, this late-breaking episode delivers snapshots of their current experiences during this fast-moving, unpredictable national crisis.

We all experience work stress, so let's talk about it.

Maybe you’re feeling depleted or experiencing burnout in some way. Once that cycle starts, it can get harder to step back and revitalize. On this episode of ASHA Voices, we talk with Sarah Lockhart and Sarie Wu, the hosts of the podcast SLP Happy Hour, about how to get some of that headspace back. They share what they've learned from producing a show about healthy work and personal lives for SLPs for more than two years.

Plus, we’re joined again by our featured voice on tech, Sean Sweeney. He shares how to use apps that help with mindfulness in your sessions or treatment plans.

In our second of two episodes in honor of Black History Month, today we’re addressing African American English, or AAE.

AAE is a language variation. Maybe you've heard it called a dialect. It sounds different from Mainstream American English. It has its own rules and its own grammar, and it comes from a long language tradition. But when AAE is not recognized, it can be misdiagnosed as a language disorder.

Covering everything from misdiagnosis in the classroom to the connection between language and identity, our panel of experts discusses the language variation known as African American English.

“It's really important to recognize that things are called microaggressions, but it doesn't mean the impact of them is small.” - author Ijeoma Oluo

Oluo is the author of the best-selling book "So You Want to Talk About Race." In it, she addresses complex issues—from history to intersectionality to hair—to start a conversation about race and racism in America.

At the ASHA Convention, she joined ASHA Voices host J.D. Gray and 2018 ASHA President Elise Davis-McFarland for a discussion after Oluo gave the ASHA Office of Multicultural Affairs’ 50th Anniversary Address.

An audiologist and SLP discuss working together to assist patients with mild TBI and tinnitus.

At the center of their collaboration is addressing the cognitive load in patients who have both tinnitus and the injury. Find out why and how the duo decided to join together to help these patients, and what they do differently now.

Transcript

We talk to dysphagia expert Lori Burkhead Morgan. With a background in exercise science, the speech-language pathologist brings an interdisciplinary lens to dysphagia treatment. Next, Purdue University’s Georgia Malandraki describes the new tool she’s developed so SLPs don’t have to send bulky, expensive machinery home with patients. And, consultant Emily Homer offers guidance on building strong feeding and swallowing services in school districts.

Today’s guests help us rethink what’s possible in hearing treatment.

We talk with Jeff Holt and Tina Stankovic, scientists on the forefront of hearing research. Jeff discusses an unexpected discovery that tied a specific gene to a genetic form of hearing loss. And Tina describes her investigations into ways to reverse sensorineural hearing loss—the most common type. What are the obstacles and possible solutions?

Both talked with me at the 2019 ASHA Convention, where they presented at the Research Symposium on Hearing.

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Then, we hear from Bob Hillman, recipient of the 2019 Alfred K. Kawana Award for Lifetime Achievement in Publications. We talk about the twist in his path that changed everything in his work with the voice and voice disorders.

Join us for a preview of what you'll hear on ASHA Voices in the new year!