Multiple Sclerosis and the SLP: Clinical Presentation and Best Practices in Evaluation

Outline:

Description of Multiple Sclerosis

Symptoms

Diagnosis and Treatment

Community Resources and Support

Test Your Knowledge

Key Takeaways

Section 2: Evaluation of Dysarthria

Dysarthria

Dysarthria Assessment

Test Your Knowledge

Key Takeaways

Section 3: Evaluation of Language and Cognitive Deficits

Language Deficits

Language Assessment

Cognitive-Communicative Deficits

Cognitive-Communicative Assessment

Test Your Knowledge

Key Takeaways

Section 4: Evaluation of Dysphagia

Dysphagia

PROMs

Dysphagia Assessment

Test Your Knowledge

Key Takeaways

Section 6: Conclusion

Summary

Course Contributors

Resources

References

Susan Almon-Matangos, MS, CCC-SLP, is a certified and licensed speech-language pathologist with over 30 years of experience. She obtained her bachelor's degree in psychology from Jacksonville State University and her Master of Science degree in speech-language pathology from The University of Alabama. She worked with clients of all ages and a variety of diagnostic conditions in school, hospital, skilled nursing facility, outpatient clinic, and home health settings. In her previous role as a national clinical director for Aegis Therapies, she created training programs for physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech-language pathology related to the clinical rehabilitation needs of older adults in post-acute care. She currently draws upon her expertise in her role at Relias as Lead Subject Matter Expert Writer for Speech-Language Pathology. She is a certified member of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Pennsylvania Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

Lori Ann Witt-Kostich, M.S., CCC-SLP, earned her M.S. degree from Southern Connecticut State University. She is a speech-language pathologist and certified multiple sclerosis specialist with over 12 years of experience at the Mount Sinai Rehabilitation Hospital/Mandela Center for Multiple Sclerosis Treatment and Research in Hartford, Connecticut. She promoted early identification and evaluated and treated dysarthria, language, cognitive-communication, and dysphagia deficits for persons living with MS from age 18 through their 90s. She has authored articles, spoken on podcasts, and presented at numerous professional organization conferences regarding the role of the speech-language pathologist for persons living with MS