Academic and clinical preparation in speech-language pathology and audiology: a global training consortium

ABSTRACT: Purpose: To describe a research-based global\ud curriculum in speech-language pathology and audiology that\ud is part of a funded cross-linguistic consortium among 2 U.S.\ud and 2 Brazilian universities.\ud Method: The need for a global curriculum in speechlanguage\ud pathology and audiology is outlined, and different\ud funding sources are identified to support development of a\ud global curriculum. The U.S. Department of Education’s Fund\ud for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education (FIPSE), in\ud conjunction with the Brazilian Ministry of Education (Fundacao\ud Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel\ud Superior; CAPES), funded the establishment of a shared\ud research curriculum project, “Consortium for Promoting\ud Cross-Linguistic Understanding of Communication Disabilities\ud in Children” for East Tennessee State University and the University of Northern Iowa and 2 Brazilian universities\ud (Universidade Federal de Santa Maria and Universidade de\ud São Paulo-Baurú).\ud Results: The goals and objectives of the research-based\ud global curriculum are summarized, and a description of an\ud Internet-based course, “Different Languages, One World,” is\ud provided\ud Conclusion: Partnerships such as the FIPSE–CAPES consortium\ud provide a foundation for training future generations of\ud globally and research-prepared practitioners in speechlanguage\ud pathology and audiology.U.S. Department of Education Fund for the Improvement of Post-Secondary Education P116M100014Brazilian Ministry of Education Fundacao Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior 094/1

The oral motor capacity and feeding performance of preterm newborns at the time of transition to oral feeding

The objective of the present study was to determine the oral motor capacity and the feeding performance of preterm newborn infants when they were permitted to start oral feeding. This was an observational and prospective study conducted on 43 preterm newborns admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of UFSM, RS, Brazil. Exclusion criteria were the presence of head and neck malformations, genetic disease, neonatal asphyxia, intracranial hemorrhage, and kernicterus. When the infants were permitted to start oral feeding, non-nutritive sucking was evaluated by a speech therapist regarding force (strong vs weak), rhythm (rapid vs slow), presence of adaptive oral reflexes (searching, sucking and swallowing) and coordination between sucking, swallowing and respiration. Feeding performance was evaluated on the basis of competence (defined by rate of milk intake, mL/min) and overall transfer (percent ingested volume/total volume ordered). The speech therapist's evaluation showed that 33% of the newborns presented weak sucking, 23% slow rhythm, 30% absence of at least one adaptive oral reflex, and 14% with no coordination between sucking, swallowing and respiration. Mean feeding competence was greater in infants with strong sucking fast rhythm. The presence of sucking-swallowing-respiration coordination decreased the days for an overall transfer of 100%. Evaluation by a speech therapist proved to be a useful tool for the safe indication of the beginning of oral feeding for premature infants

New U.S.-Brazil Program in Communication Disorders

Students on two continents are participating in a new, innovative program designed to promote research into communication disorders across languages and cultures. The three-year project, jointly funded by the U.S. Department of Education and the Brazilian Ministry of Education (Fundacao Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior; CAPES), supports student exchange as well as cross-cultural and cross-linguistic curriculum development for students of speech-language pathology and audiology at four universities in the United States and Brazil. The universities include East Tennessee State University (lead U.S. university, Dr. Brenda Louw, Project Director), the University of Northern Iowa (Dr. Ken Bleile, Project Director), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (lead Brazil university, Dr. Marcia Keske-Soares, Project Director,), and Universidade de São Paulo-Baurú (Dr. Inge Trindade, Project Director)