The Inaugural Change & Impact Continuing Education Program on Stuttering was hosted by Michael Kidd-Gilchrist with Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s (CHOP) Center for Childhood Communication. Over 100 speech-language pathologists (SLPs) from the School District of Philadelphia attended this free continuing education program on stuttering led by Joseph Donaher, Ph.D., the Academic and Research Program Director of the Center for Childhood Communication at CHOP. SLPs in attendance earned continuing education units (CEUs).
The program, “School-Age Children Who Stutter: Assessing & Treating the Impact on Their World,” provided SLPs with tools to evaluate the real-life impact that stuttering has on a child and their family. Topics covered during the program included assessment protocols which lead to individualized treatment plans, research-based best-practices, and strategies to working therapeutically with children who stutter and their families. As the program’s guest speaker, our Founder, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist shared his own personal journey as a person who stutters while emphasizing the valued and trusted relationship between SLP and patient.
“The impact of stuttering is multifaceted and highly individualized. Effective speech therapy should reduce barriers that hinder one’s ability or desire to communicate,” said Dr. Donaher. “Continuing education focused on stuttering expands opportunities for SLPs to learn the latest evidence-based best practices to improve patient outcomes and support their ability to practice at the top of their license and significantly support children who stutter and their families.”
by