Concussion practice patterns among Speech-Language Pathologists

Abstract

To identify current SLP practice patterns in concussion care, clarify definitions of common cognitive retraining terminology, and establish areas of growth in clinical practice and research. METHOD: An online 10 question survey to collect data on assessment and practice components. Total 79 respondents from ASHA Special Interest Group 2 Neurogenic Communi- cation Disorders website participated. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. RESULTS: Patient education and symptom management were regular components of cognitive retraining with concussion. Smaller per- centage included cognitive endurance building. Further analysis identified variation in how clinicians defined terms: patient education, symptom management, and cognitive endurance building. Discrepancies noted with diagnostic tools, with one quarter using screening tools as primary assess- ment. CONCLUSION: Strong knowledge base to support differential diagnosis and therapeutic plan is critical to optimize outcomes in concussion care. Con- sistency with terminology use can reduce the risk of confusion but also support the value of what SLPs contribute to an interdisciplinary concussion team.