Guests: Juliet Ochura, MS CCC-SLP, CLC, Kerry Pearl, MS CCC-SLP, CLC, & Jennifer Perez, MS CCC-SLP, CLC - In this episode, Michelle is joined by Juliet, Kerry, and Jennifer, a fabulous trio of colleagues from Boston Medical Center, to discuss all things “Breaking Down Barriers to PFD Care." These brilliant leaders have witnessed first-hand the health equity barriers that numerous patients have encountered in their attempts for evaluation and treatment of pediatric feeding disorders. They...

Guests: Rebekah Wada, ABD, CCC-SLP and Megan Israelsen-Augenstein, PhD, CCC-SLP - In the last few years, the field of speech-language pathology has increased its attention on the understanding and use of implementation science. But what is implementation science? And how is it useful for practicing speech-language pathologists? In this hour, Michelle hosts Dr. Rebekah Wada and Dr. Megan IIsraelsen-Augenstein to discuss all of the above and how an implementation science framework can be...

Guest: Jerrold Jackson, MA, CCC-SLP - In this episode, Michelle is joined by Jerrold Jackson, who embodies the meaning of servant-led leadership. His compassion for colleagues and students is abundant. This heartfelt conversation, which definitely exceeds our hour-long average, gets to the core of what it means to serve one another and our field as advocates, mentors, and sponsors and how to do so with joy and hope. Jerrold shares his personal walk as a black male speech-language...

In this episode, Michelle and Erin are back together to discuss one of Erin’s favorite topics, “Neurodiversity Affirming Feeding Therapy.” The term “Neurodiversity Affirming” has grown in frequency of usage; as such, it should. However, many of us went through graduate school before this phrase became part of our everyday lexicon. We probably did not have explicit instruction on how to embrace and implement it in therapy sessions, especially regarding feeding therapy. Evidence-based practice...

Guest: Valerie James Abbott - If you work as a pediatric speech-language pathologist with the birth through 8-year-old population on speech sound disorders and/or language acquisition, this is the hour for you. Valerie is here to educate us all on potential risk factors for late childhood onset hearing loss, including the dangers of the cytomegalovirus. Did you know that this virus can appear as a common cold for the mother during pregnancy, can only be tested for shortly after birth, but...

Guest: Lauren Hastings, MS, CCC-SLP - For this passionate conversation, Lauren addresses common myths and roadblocks to setting up a private practice and then empowers us all to overcome them. So, if you need help with credentialing and have never heard of a “CAQH” or a “clearing house,” then don’t worry! Lauren will cover all these questions and more in this episode.

Guests: Caroline Brindo, MA, CCC-SLP, BCS-S & Steven Sireci, MD - Not all of us will have the professional opportunity to conduct video fluoroscopic instrumental swallow evaluations; however, most of us will encounter pediatric patients, clients, or students who are in need of one. When that happens, it is common for the caregiver to ask, “What’s going to happen?”, “Will the barium hurt?”, “Will they be radioactive?”. These questions can feel overwhelming for those of us in home health,...

Guest: R. Danielle Scott, PhD, CCC-SLP - Dr. Dani shares the definitions of diversity, equity, and inclusion in this hour and how they pertain to the CSD community as clinical practitioners and faculty. The conversation lays out specific steps that faculty members can utilize to engage in anti-racism instruction, as well as steps clinicians can take to center diversity, equity, and inclusion into their clinical speech-language pathology practice. Remember, cultural competency is never the...

Guest: Karen McWaters, MOT, OTR/L - This course will integrate theories and ideas from the previous three courses to dive deep into what we are actually asking our patients to do in sessions. How do we truly analyze the task and work to find the just right challenge to help them grow within their zone of proximal development while also helping them feel successful? Karen and Erin will explore the beautiful tool of joy and play, which can uncover true learning in a child.

Guest: Karen McWater, MOT, OTR/L - As SLPs, we can often look at speech and language development in isolation, as our formal assessments encourage us to do; however, it is imperative that we learn from our occupational and physical therapy colleagues regarding motor learning principles and how they parallel those of language development. When we get out of our box, we can further understand the children we work with and their capacities. Erin and Karen will discuss their journey of...

Guest: Karen McWaters, MOT, OTR/L - With all the therapy tools we have access to, all the worksheets, toys, and bubbles, it is important to understand that you are your own best tool. Karen and Erin discuss the role of effect and attunement to truly connect with children and their caregivers in sessions. They discuss the intentional relationship model and how we clinicians can use it to truly identify and improve our relationships with our clients and their caregivers to further build our...

Guest: Karen McWaters, MOT, OTR/L - As SLPs, we have, in the past, passed all of our questions regarding sensory systems and regulation off to our OT counterparts due to their expansive education on the subject. However, it is time that we sit at the same table and have a conversation about sensory and its role in communication. A child needs to be regulated to grow their communication skills, and as such, we as SLPs need to learn from those around us how to support a child’s sensory system...

Guest: Meg Simione, Ph.D., CCC-SLP - In this episode, Michelle is joined by Meg Simione, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, a clinician-scientist focusing on infant and child feeding and growth and implementing innovations to improve care delivery. One of the hardest aspects of the “Pediatric Feeding Disorder” diagnosis to grasp can be the “psychosocial" domain. Why? As clinicians, we were trained to focus on the “feeding skill” domain, typically addressing the caregiver’s psychosocial impact falls by the...

Guest: Hallie Sherman, MS, CCC-SLP - In this episode, Hallie Sherman discusses all things about working with older elementary-age students. If you’re a “First Bite” listener but work with older elementary-age students or are considering leaving the world of early intervention and jumping to the school setting, this is the motivational hour for you. Hallie shares her tips on the trade in how to establish buy-in from older children in taking ownership of their goals and speech-therapy destiny....

Guest: Amy Miller Sonntag, SLPD, CCC-SLP - In this episode, Michelle is joined by Amy Miller Sonntag, SLPD, CCC-SLP, a faculty member in the OSU Assistive and Rehabilitative Technology Certificate Program and the current secretary of the USSAAC (United States Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication) Board. The ability to say “No!”, the ability to say “Yes!”, the ability to name reproductive body parts, the ability to request tattoos, or a quick “Hey, how are you?” these are...

In this episode, Michelle and Erin tackle the joy of episodic care for the treatment of Pediatric Feeding Disorder. For those who are used to productivity requirements, understand that those percentages are probably substandard during the summer months. But what if those weekly sessions for a year-long plan of care that adhere to tight productivity regimens may not be optimal for your patient or client? Let Michelle and Erin share the power of episodic care with you. The who, what, where,...

Guest: Amanda Pericles, MS, CCC-SLP - In this episode, Michelle is joined by Amanda Pericles, MS, CCC-SLP (She/Her/Ella), a bilingual speech-language pathologist working in Charlotte, NC. Amanda, a Black Dominican-American daughter of immigrant parents and a simultaneous Spanish-English language learner engages in a crucial conversation today regarding her personal experiences as a member of the BIPOC speech-language pathology community. Our lived experiences in this profession, starting...

Guest: Cheri Dodge Chin, ClinScD, CCC-SLP - In this episode, Michelle is joined by Dr. Cheri Dodge Chin, an Assistive Technology consultant, adjunct professor, published researcher, and one of the original SLP bloggers known as “Super Power Speech.” Cheri shares her professional lows and highs, the barriers that her students encounter, and how to work through the “storming, forming, and norming” stages of teams, to fully equip high-tech AAC users for success.

Guest: Kendra T. Allison, MS CCC-SLP - Kendra is a founding owner of Speechology communication services and founder/host of "8% Summit for Speech Pathologists and Audiologists of Color." By the end of this hour, which starts with a fair bit of astrology-driven laughter, you will be able to describe the heartfelt mentorship mission that drives Kendra and the 8% Summit, describe common barriers to members of the BIPOC community for entering the fields of speech-language pathology and...

Guest: Kayla Duncan - Kayla, the Director of Communications and Outreach with the Sexual Assault Resource Center, will discuss a topic that we all need to learn about, assault. The statistics for sexual assault, domestic abuse, and sexual harassment in this country are staggering. One in four will have personal experience, which means the other three will know a colleague, a student, a family member, and/or a patient whose life has been impacted by the assault. Therefore, it is our...

Guests: Julie Barkmeier-Kraemer, PhD, CCC-SLP, Julie Feuerstein, PhD, CCC-SLP, Shirley Huang, PhD, CCC-SLP, Jennifer Tucker PhD, PT, DPT, PCS - In this episode, Michelle is delighted to be joined by an all-star lineup of colleagues to share how the ASHFoundation is leading the way in expediting research to practice. Dr. Julie Barkmeir-Kraemer, who currently serves as an ASHFoundation Board Member, is also a professor in the Dept of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Director of the Voice,...

In this episode, Michelle and Erin are back to discuss pediatric feeding disorder clinical case studies for “Dysphagia Awareness Month." With the addition of the new ICD-10 codes for Pediatric Feeding Disorder, there have been questions on the role and responsibilities of the SLP in diagnosing a PFD and how pediatric dysphagia fits into the diagnostic criteria. Michelle and Erin share resources to answer this question and how to guide allied health and medical health partners in their roles...

Special Guests: Goose Danger Dawson, Boo Bear Extreme Dawson, and a cameo by Mr. Dawson. Y'all, in this oh-so-special and definitely not-for-CEs episode, Erin and Michelle are joined by the rest of Pack Dawson to celebrate "First Bite" reaching 1.5 million downloads! So, you've been warned, there are probably 5 minutes cumulatively of fart jokes, a few tearful moments for the big fears and changes that the last five years have brought, belly laughter and smiles to accompany dreams for the...

Guest: Kristin King, Ph.D., CCC-SLP - Michelle is joined by Kristin King, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, Vice President of Clinical Education and Research for Passy Muir. To continue “Dysphagia Awareness Month,” First Bite is overjoyed to have Dr. King for a conversation on the impact of tracheostomies and dysphagia. Dr. King debunks common myths, then sets the facts straight with how a Passy Muir Speaking valve recreates a closed pressure system, thereby improving opportunities for phonation, cough...