ASHA Convention 2013

Every year, the American Speech-Language Hearing Association (ASHA) has a convention and thousands of speech language pathologists (SLPs), audiologists, graduate students, parents, vendors and more descend upon a chosen city. This year’s convention was in Chicago. ASHA broke a record for attendance having close to 15,000 attendees! It’s pretty funny to see so many women in one place. The men’s bathrooms were actually converted into women’s!

Photo take by: Janet McNichol

Since I’ve earned my master’s, I’ve chosen to attend smaller and more intensive workshops that focus on specific topics or disorders. But, this year I decided to spend the money and fly west to the Windy City. This was my 3^rd ASHA conference. In the past, I attended, San Diego in 2005 and Boston 2007.

In just 3 days, I attended eleven different sessions, one short course and met several SLPs that I know from academia and the blogging world. Here’s a picture of me on the left with my good friend and fellow SLP, Jolene Lawton.

I was also able to donate a copy of My Toddler Talks to the non profit, 
Small Steps in Speech  as well as Dr. Celeste Roseberry-McKibbin’s Sacramental Book Drive: Love-Talk-Read . In all, I earned 17 continuing education credits which puts me on track to earn my 3^rd consecutive ACE award from ASHA.

Here’s a list of the sessions I attended:

Natural Language Development in Autism: Echolalia to Self-Generated Language

• Presenters: Marge Blanc, Barry Prizant, Megan Snow, Kristen Lee

Early Achievements: Early Intervention to Enhance Language Learning and Interpersonal Synchrony in Toddlers with Autism

• Presenter: Rebecca Landa

The Unexpected Culprit in Pediatric Dysphagia: Food Allergies

• Presenters: Angela Melkonian, Michelle DiMattia, Marta Kazandijan, Kathleen Adinolfi

Improving Your Bottom Line and Expanding Your Business Options in Today’s Changing Health Care Environment

• Presenters: Vic Gladstone, Lawrence Higdon

Teaching Communication in Natural Environments: Supporting Parents and Peers as Partners

• Presenters: Ann Kaiser and Tina Stanton-Chapman

Incorporating Research into a Busy Clinical Practice

• Presenters: Emerald Doll, Stevie Martin, Katherine McConville, Susan Thibeault

AAC Assessment: Merging Personal and Clinical Evidence to Support Quality Outcomes

• Presenters: Elizabeth Rush and Celeste Helling

Using Visual Supports to Facilitate Verbal Language in Preschoolers with ASD

• Presenters: Shelley Booker, Sarah Ray, Shauna Flynn

A Social Approach to Feeding for Toddlers

• Presenters: Jacqueline Klein and Elizabeth Baird

Mindfulness and Its Relevance to Speech and Language Therapies

• Presenter: Carolyn Cheasman

Normal Oral-Motor Feeding Skill Development: Performance at 8, 10, and 12 Months of Age

• Presenter: Amy Delaney

Promoting Early Literacy: Playful Practice Approaches

• Presenters: Barbara Culatta and Carol Westby

If you went to ASHA, what did you attend? Did you have a favorite session? Please share your experience and comment below:

 
Kimberly Scanlon, M.A. CCC-SLP is a speech language pathologist, an author and a mother. As the owner of Scanlon Speech Therapy, LLC, a unique boutique practice in Bergen County, Kimberly embraces individuality and treats the whole person. Her goal is to spread compassion, hope, and some speech, language and literacy tips one moment, one person at a time.  Her first book, My Toddler Talks: Strategies and Activities to Promote Your Child’s Language Development and her her second book, Learning to Read is a Ball are available for purchase at online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.