FEEDING AND SWALLOWING IN THE FIRST TWO YEARS OF LIFE: WHAT ROLE FOR THE SLP

[摘要] BackgroundInfant feeding and swallowing disorders are increasing in prevalence due to medical advances and improved outcomes. Many professionals may work with these infants; however, professional roles in infant feeding remain undefined. Should speech-language pathologists be members of infant feeding and/or swallowing teams? What influences opinions and knowledge: formal education and/or increased experience in the field?Aims1. What do undergraduate students, graduate students, and certified clinicians think about the SLPs as members of infant feeding and swallowing teams?2.Where do undergraduate students, graduate students, and certified clinicians report learning about the role of the SLP in infant feeding and swallowing disorders? 3.When would undergraduate students, graduate students, and certified clinicians choose to learn about infant feeding and swallowing disorders?MethodAn anonymous survey was created and distributed to students (n = 98) and certified clinicians (n = 90) via the secure Qualtrics Survey System. ResultsA majority of students and clinicians agreed that it is extremely important to use a team based approach to care for infants with feeding and/or swallowing disorders (undergraduate students 50%, graduate students 77%, clinicians 87%). The participants reported learning about infant feeding and/or swallowing disorders in a variety of settings. The percent of participants who reported never having learned about this topic varied (undergraduate students 42%, graduate students 27%, and clinicians 2%). More undergraduate students would choose to learn about this topic as a part of their undergraduate education (83%), while graduate students (78%) and clinicians (51%) would choose to learn as a part of their graduate education. Conclusion Regardless of experience, speech-language pathology students and clinicians believe that SLPs do have a role on an infant feeding and/or swallowing team. The training that is provided for SLPs who wish to work in this highly specialized area is inconsistent and dependent upon available academic resources. Providing education during formal class and/or clinic is important to the participants in this study. It is necessary to understand that this education may provide a false sense of competency and may potentially influence the likelihood of students to continue seeking out educational and hands-on learning opportunities.

[发布机构] the University of Pittsburgh