Science-based practice and the speech-language pathologist.

Evidence-based practice (EBP) is a well established concept in the field of speech-language pathology. However, evidence from research may not be the primary information that practitioners use to guide their treatment selection from the many potential options. There are various alternative therapy procedures that are strongly promoted, so clinicians must become skilled at identifying pseudoscience from science in order to determine if a treatment is legitimate or actually quackery.

Evidence-based systematic review: effects of nonspeech oral motor exercises on speech.

Purpose: The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the current evidence for the use of oral motor exercises (OMEs) on speech (i.e., speech physiology, speech production, and functional speech outcomes) as a means of supporting further research and clinicians' use of evidence-based practice.

A survey of university professors teaching speech sound disorders: nonspeech oral motor exercises and other topics.

Purpose: The purpose of this article was to obtain and organize information from instructors who teach course work on the subject of children's speech sound disorders (SSD) regarding their use of teaching resources, involvement in students' clinical practica, and intervention approaches presented to students. Instructors also reported if they taught students to use nonspeech oral motor exercises (NSOMEs) to remediate children's SSD.

Method: A questionnaire was mailed to 236 speech-language pathology preprofessional programs in the United States that are accredited by the Council of Academic Accreditation.

Epilogue: what we know about nonspeech oral motor exercises.

A great deal of information is available to help clinicians understand the principles of motor speech learning and control, and how to apply those principles to clinical practice. In addition, the results of many investigations have documented the differences between the motor movements for speech and nonspeech tasks. Finally, supporting evidence for using nonspeech tasks to improve speech is virtually nonexistent.

A nationwide survey of nonspeech oral motor exercise use: implications for evidence-based practice.

Purpose: A nationwide survey was conducted to determine if speech-language pathologists (SLPs) use nonspeech oral motor exercises (NSOMEs) to address children's speech sound problems. For those SLPs who used NSOMEs, the survey also identified (a) the types of NSOMEs used by the SLPs, (b) the SLPs' underlying beliefs about why they use NSOMEs, (c) clinicians' training for these exercises, (d) the application of NSOMEs across various clinical populations, and (e) specific tasks/procedures/tools that are used for intervention.

Method: A total of 2,000 surveys were mailed to a randomly selected subgroup of SLPs, obtained from the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) membership roster, who self-identified that they worked in various settings with children who have speech sound problems.

Speech-language pathologists' assessment practices for children with suspected speech sound disorders: results of a national survey.

Purpose: This study examined assessment procedures used by speech-language pathologists (SLPs) when assessing children suspected of having speech sound disorders (SSD). This national survey also determined the information participants obtained from clients' speech samples, evaluation of non-native English speakers, and time spent on assessment.

Method: One thousand surveys were mailed to a randomly selected group of SLPs, self-identified as having worked with children with SSD.