According to recent reports, the number of children with complex communication needs is rising. It’s findings like these from local school boards and around the world, that motivate speech-language pathologist (SLP) and Temerty Faculty of Medicine graduate, Jessie Howard, to continue her work with young patients, helping them overcome speech and swallowing disorders.
She spoke with writer Sarah McMahon about what led to her interest in paediatric speech-language pathology, how she decided this career would be a good fit for her and how she marries her clinical practice with evidence-based research.
How did you first learn about speech-language pathology? Was there a particular experience, event, or person that inspired your decision to pursue speech-language pathology?
Growing up, my brother attended speech therapy sessions with an SLP to help him articulate his speech sounds. As a teenager, I also watched my grandmother work with SLPs in a hospital setting and in an inpatient rehabilitation setting. The SLPs were assisting my grandmother with swallowing difficulties that she developed as a result of a stroke. I was captivated by the fact that SLPs can work with varying populations and in so many different settings.
The SLPs I was exposed to had such a profound and meaningful impact on the lives of my brother and grandmother. Speech therapy enabled my brother to become much more confident in his speech and in his ability to communicate with others. Having a swallowing disorder negatively impacted my grandmother’s quality of life and the SLP understood this. For my grandmother, food was an important part of her life, as it often entailed socializing with family and friends. The SLP worked hard with my grandmother to try out different strategies and swallowing modifications to help her eat and swallow safely.
Speech therapy helped to increase the overall quality of life for both my brother and grandmother. Watching these experiences unfold, inspired me to become an SLP so that I could continue giving back to the community.
How did you know that working in a clinical setting with patients, and children in particular, would be a good fit for you?
I have always been interested in health care and the various professions within this sector. During my high school and undergraduate university years, I began to participate in volunteer work with SLPs in my communities, in private clinics and in institutional environments.
After starting the SLP program at U of T, my clinical experience continued in a more intensive way. As part of the MHSc, we complete student placements in clinical settings. I had the privilege of completing two paediatric placements, one in private practice and the other in a community-based setting. I also had a placement with adults in acute care at a hospital. These placements provided direct, hands-on experience and specialized training in a variety of areas, exposing me to settings and populations that I had not worked with before.
Most of my volunteer experience prior to my clinical placements was with adults in various rehabilitation settings. After doing placements with the paediatric population, I knew that this was where my interest was. I found paediatric speech therapy to be fast paced, fun and busy. I saw the impact that speech therapy had on children and their families. I was exposed to the gratitude that parents would share when their child started showing progress in their speech and language abilities.
I knew a clinical setting would be a great fit for me, as it allows me to connect and communicate with patients and families, while also stimulating my scientific and research interests. These varied experiences exposed me to the wide world of speech-language pathology, giving me a chance to dip my toes into the profession.
In addition to your clinical practice, you also work in a research setting. What led to your interest in research and what does your research work entail?
When I was completing my undergraduate degree in linguistics, a few of my professors were conducting research and looking for research assistants on various projects. I was eager to build connections with professors and try new things, so I decided to take on a few research projects.
At the same time, I started a clinical research position at SickKids in the Cleft and Craniofacial program and became hooked! I loved being able to read journal articles, work with an interprofessional team and hone in on the research skills that I had been learning in class.
I have now been involved in research with this program at SickKids for five years. My initial role was as a summer research volunteer. This position transitioned to a summer research student, and now I work as a research student throughout the year.
I conduct patient interviews, write questionnaires, analyze data, write manuscripts and engage in presentations and conferences. I am excited to continue my growth in the research setting and hope to publish some current research work and also embark on more research studies in the near future.
Based on your experiences, how would you describe the relationship between clinical work and research?
My experiences in research have enabled me to develop evidence-based, person-centred practices when working with my clients. Research has taught me how to critically appraise articles, recognize important information and translate that information into useful clinical skills.
In the realm of speech-language pathology, there is always new research, new protocols and updated best practices for clinicians. It is critical that as SLPs, we use current research to engage in continuing education and lifelong learning, ultimately ensuring that our clinical work is evidence-based and is meeting best practice standards.
Not everyone has had exposure to the field of speech-language pathology. What do you wish the general public knew about the profession?
I wish the general public knew how broad the field of speech-language pathology is, in terms of the scope of practice and the populations we work with. As speech-language pathologists, we are involved in assessment and treatment throughout the lifespan, from working with babies to working with older populations in palliative care.
We work in a variety of settings including private practice, community-based care, rehabilitation and hospital settings. We have the knowledge and capacity to assess and treat a variety of challenges, including articulation, expressive and receptive language, social communication, voice, motor speech, fluency and swallowing. SLPs are an integral part of a multidisciplinary health care team.
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