Category: Bolivia

Cleft Palate Speech Therapy Books in Spanish

Kristin
Mira Sammy Sosa
Click for details: Este libro forma parte de una serie de libros hechos para niños con el paladar hendido reparado. This book is part of a series of books written for children with repaired cleft palate.

Cate Crowley took a group of students and professionals to provide therapy and professional development with the Healing the Children cleft palate surgical mission in Neiva, Colombia. The Healing the Children mission differs from traditional cleft palate missions because the team returns every year to provide ongoing surgery, treatment and therapy to the same patients each year. During this last mission, 166 hours of therapy were provided in group and individual sessions to patients working with Healing the Children. This year Cate developed an idea to create books in Spanish that would help children with repaired cleft palates to improve their speech. Cate oversaw development and supported the books that were written by Angela Giraldo and illustrated by Tina Yeung. These books, in Spanish, focus on specific high pressure sounds that are at the same place of articulation. For example some books focus on  t, d and n  while others focus on p, b and m. These books were given to all the surgeons and fonoaudiologists (speech therapists) working with patients from the Healing the Children mission. In addition, small format versions of the books were given to all the patients so that they would have fun and interesting materials that they could use to practice their sounds.

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Centro Effeta Inclusión in La Paz, Bolivia- May 2014

Kristin

Cate Crowley took this year’s students traveling to Bolivia to a new school for the deaf, Centro Effeta Inclusión. The school is directed by Paula Pao Pastor, who was previously director at Camino, another school for the deaf in La Paz. This year’s TC grad students were there just in time for Día de los Madres (Mother’s Day) in Bolivia. TC students provided speech and language therapy in Spanish alongside other teachers and professionals working at the center. Since Centro Effeta is a school for the deaf, much of the therapy occurs in individual or group sessions performing hearing evaluations, fitting and adjusting hearing aids and aural habilitation for students with hearing aids to acquire spoken language. However, students were also able to push into classrooms and support learning and access to the curriculum in that setting as well. Melissa Innis was there as the audiologist to supervise fitting and cleaning of hearing aids for children at Effeta. Check out the pictures below to get a better idea of the student clinicians’ experiences!

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Lynda Campbell Memorial Lecture at St. Louis University in Missouri

Cate

Lynda Campbell Memorial LectureI was honored to speak at the 2013 Lynda Campbell Memorial Lecture at St. Louis, MO. My talk was “International Service that Really Serves.” It was the first time that I had done a full day on my international work. I used the videos from Ghana, Bolivia, Guatemala, and South Africa, but I also brought in the TEDtalks and other pieces that made me think deeper and continue to question myself to make sure the work is beneficial, sustainable, and capacity building.  I was so impressed by the faculty there, the past presenters, and the people who came. Special thanks to Dr. Travis Threats, Pat Miller, and Danille Deitz, for making it happen. Thanks especially to Dr. Threats who can give up his day job as Professor and Chair to become a professional photographer. He took some amazing photos.

2013 Lynda R. Campbell Lecture: International Service that Really Serves: Experiences in Latin American and Africa

Cate

Lynda R. CampbellThe lecture series, “Topics in Diversity,” is a tribute to Lynda R. Campbell, Ph.D., who passed away in 2001. Dr. Campbell was an associate professor and the past chair of the department of communication sciences and disorders at Saint Louis University. Campbell was nationally recognized for her publications, research in multicultural issues and dedication to her students.

I was invited to give a talk at the 2013 Lynda R. Campbell lecture in St. Louis Missouri on April 12, 2013. Here is how I described my talk:

“Dr. Cate Crowley has significant international experience in Ghana, Bolivia, and Guatemala. On most trips, she brings a team of graduate students and clinical supervisors who provide services and offer professional development in schools and hospitals, across practice areas including aural habilitation, intellectual disabilities, cleft palate, aphasia, and autism. With the goal of developing sustainable programs and building in-country capacity, Cate works throughout the year on these programs including using available technology. In this talk Cate shares proven approaches and strategies, and offers reflections on challenges and unsuccessful initiatives. She also focuses on long- and short-term benefits to her team, and to her university SLP program. Attendees are encouraged to ask questions and raise concerns related to their own interests in international work.”

I am truly honored to be invited to speak at this lecture. The prior speakers for this lecture series are the leaders in the field, and I am humbled to be part of that group.