Learning From and With Our Clients
by Judith Maginnis Kuster - Mankato State University
(kuster@mnsu.edu).
We can learn much from our clients and their support system of
parents, spouses, and other family members. Articles such as the guest editorial
in this issue by David Shields, a respected author and professor
who shares his experiences with stuttering treatment,
provide one avenue for learning. The Internet also provides an
excellent opportunity for us to listen to and learn from those we
serve. Often personal sites are among the best, as they are done with
great enthusiasm and knowledge gained from experience, as a labor
of love. Although the sites listed provide numerous resources and
important connections for many of our clients, the information
provided through these links is not meant to be used for diagnosing
or treating communication disabilities and is not a substitute for
professional care.
Three of the primary authors of On The Same Page live with autism or Asperger syndrome. Be sure to check "Hugging a cat and poetry" by David Miedzianik.
Aaron's Tracheostomy Page is maintained by Cynthia
Bissell, RN, Aaron's mother, as a guide to home care for a child with a
tracheostomy. The page contains a section on speech and also on
eating with a tracheostomy.
Velo-Cardio-Facial Syndrome (Shprintzen syndrome) is maintained
by David and Susan Marchette. Susan is the speech-language
pathologist mother of a child with this genetic disorder, often
associated with cleft palate, language delays, hearing loss, and
learning disability.
The Imagine Page maintained
by Becca and Steve Pittelko, is a collection of touching personal
stories by parents of premature infants.
Apraxia-Kids Home Page contains first-hand experience in "Negotiating the Insurance Maze," suggestions on "Things to do at home to encourage speech," a "Speech Therapy Primer" by Ellen L. Councill, M.Sc., CCC-SLP, "How to think about a speech-language evaluation" by Sharon Gretz.
Susie's Cerebral Palsy Home Page includes Susie
Lamb's personal information about living with cerebral palsy, links
to many relevant websites on cerebral palsy, and a penpal page.
Cancer of the Larynx: Information and Assistance by David L.
"Dutch" Helms has a helpful hints page, a growing email directory of
people who have had a laryngectomy, articles and humorous
anecdotes, and links to other information related to laryngectomy.
Central Auditory Processing Disorders & Other Language-Based
Learning Disabilities: Resources for Parents is by Caroline Bristol,
the mother of a 9-year old girl who has CAPD.
Wide Smiles, created by Joanne Green, provides information and networking among families of children affected with a cleft. There is also a children's section which includes a penpal page and three cleft-related online children's books online.
Where do we go from Hear?, for families
with children diagnosed with hearing loss, by Denise
V. Berg, is designed to
provide general information about hearing impairments,
terminology, how tests are administered, what to expect and where
to turn for help.
Hearnet H.E.A.R.
is a non-profit
organization founded by rock performers and dedicated to raising
awareness of the real dangers of repeated exposure to excessive
noise levels.
Some additional pages to explore:
Return to Internet Resource Page
Return to ASHA Home Page
Kuster, JM, Learning From and With Our Clients, ASHA, Summer, 1998, p. 39