Speech, Love, and Caffeine

Avatar is from the amazing Speaking of Samantics. (Please support her, she does awesome advocacy for AAC, neurodiverse folx, and BIPOC in the field and in the caseload.) Y'all have spoken and here you go - welcome to my speech-language pathology focused sideblog where I give (hopefully helpful) advice, drink absolutely terrifying amounts of caffeine, and revel in the love of speech-language pathology and communication as a whole with all of y'all.

[speech-love-and-caffeine]

About me - UPDATED!

So a little about me, or as much as I feel comfy giving out on Tumblr.

I'm a speech-language pathologist, newly minted as of Spring 2024 (finished CFY). I had been chronicling little bits of my grad school journey on my main blog in-between random silly stuff and Star Trek geekery.

I graduated in May of 2023 from my alma mater (went there for both bachelor's and master's). However, this was after being rejected by them and the other school I applied to my first cycle. I regrouped, rebuilt myself, reapplied, and got in off a waiting list. (I say this to give all my young future grad school applicants hope.)

I worked in pediatric private practice, what I thought was my dream setting, for CFY and for several months after. My clinic downsized and was generally not a good fit for me, so I went back to work in pediatric home health, which isn't bad but is challenging in maintaining cash flow. However, it fits my brain better and I prefer my team in my current company. Someday, I hope to be an SLP supervisor.

I am medically diagnosed AuDHD as of this year, after having long suspected I was (since at least my late teens if not earlier). I am a level 1 Autistic and am currently trying to get on medication to manage my ADHD. If I find solutions for the problem that is Documentation Hell, I will happily share strategies for my fellow neurodiverse speechies.

I am a non-traditional grad; I began undergrad later than most and was the second oldest student in my cohort.

I'm extremely geeky and goofy

I identify as a demigirl, which is a non-binary gender identity. I'm not publicly out as I live in an area that is not always the kindest to LGBTQIA, but I find it wise to let y'all know this here. I am barely learning about what it means to embrace who I am.

I'm of Mexican descent and extremely passionate about bilingual advocacy.

My favorite areas of the field are AAC, autism and ADHD, pediatric feeding, and early intervention. Ask me about these and I'll talk your ear off.

I started this sideblog as I began to run into more and more aspiring SLPs on Tumblr, many of them looking at grad school, many neurodiverse. I wanted to share my experiences as like a practical guide to help others.

[sm-baby]

making thibgs... to send people

[sm-baby]

have these treasures that I made on mspaint

[sm-baby]

moAR

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Have some bounderies!

[sm-baby]

Yes, i made these, pfehehe!

[suzypfonne]

Before January 2025:

If you are a USAmerican in a relationship that might be affected by legislation that dissolves same-sex marriages, who may no longer be recognized as next-of-kin, especially if you have children, get your rights in writing!

Your marriage certificate may not be enough to prove you have rights to make medical decisions for non-biological children or for a same-sex spouse or partner.

Go to a lawyer, get it spelled out as clearly as possible that you have a voice in emergency medical and legal situations.

[irisbleufic]

For those of us who aren’t lawyers or well-versed in law generally, can someone clarify what kind of document, by name, people should be drafting with their lawyers? Is it a type of letter, or is there a name for this classification of document? I’m aware that it probably varies by US state, but a lot of people are likely feeling extremely lost right now and don’t know where to start on this. I definitely don’t. I live in a state that isn’t likely to nullify existing marriages or prevent new ones from taking place, but who knows what they’re going to try at the national level and enforce from the top down.

[suzypfonne]

Power of Attorney should cover most partners and spouses to ensure that they will be making each other's health care decisions in cases of serious illness. LGBTQ+ spouses and domestic partners must execute proper Health Care Power of Attorney documents listing each other as the highest priority agents for making each other's health care decisions in case of incapacity.

Here's a resource from GLAD.

[speech-love-and-caffeine]

As an SLP here, to other SLPs: be alert for this when you treat, especially if you're a med SLP or a home health SLP (even pediatric).

The company for which I work has a question in our intake forms about PoA. Usually, this isn't a big deal when the child in question isn't medically fragile, etc. However, this is a good idea to be alert for, especially if you are aware the family for whom you are rendering services is LGBTQIA.

We need to start shifting a lot of procedures, y'all.

[speech-love-and-caffeine]

Can we talk about how BCBS is screwing SLPs?

The title says it all. I am a private practice SLP-Intern and I have recently become aware of some private practice owners stating that Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) is planning to cut reimbursement rates in at least one state by like at least $10. I looked into it and found this was after having a banner year in 2022 during which they made record profits. In addition, apparently in most states (except for North Carolina) they have not raised the reimbursement rates to SLPs in 13 years.

Record. Freaking. Profits.

I'm not sure what the justification is. But it's asinine that they act as if they can't pay SLP services properly while stuffing their faces (metaphorically).

The cuts are supposed to take place next year in February. There is a campaign going on over social media, as BCBS also has the audacity to turn around and publicly pat themselves on the back for "doing so much to help improve the lives of mothers and babies and promote early intervention".

Spread the word. This is horrendously unfair to SLPs and families.

Critics Say Insurance Companies Deny Medical Claims to Make Billions in Profit

Sen. Bernie Sanders, patients and advocates are calling out insurers as analysts forecast premiums to spike.

[my-autism-adhd-blog]

Examples of Sensory Joy

Neurodivergent_lou

[respect-the-kitty]

[autisticslp]

Here’s a thing I maybe shouldn’t admit to: I hate doing Pragmatic Language Therapy. For those of you don’t know, “Pragmatic Language” refers to the use of verbal and nonverbal lan…

SLPs please take note.

[speech-love-and-caffeine]

This.

Can I tell you how many times I gave the CASL to a kid and thought to myself, "these folks in the examples actually should be getting the social skills therapy?"

Some of those examples were downright rude, but are considered "normal"...

[autisticslp]

Sometimes I think about how in grad school if someone got yelled at in a coffee shop or library for looking at “inappropriate pictures” while studying vocal fold anatomy some of the professors would take them out to drinks

[speech-love-and-caffeine]

Oh, I relate HARD.

One time in Voice Disorders, our professor attempted to pull up a video of vocal folds being scoped (I forget the exact reason).

YouTube did not allow her to access it without signing in because it "had inappropriate content".

Look, YouTube, it's not her fault the vocal folds look ✨ sus ✨...

[clownrecess]

I want to talk about modeling AAC, and my thoughts on it as a nonspeaking autistic.

"Modeling" is a common practice typically done by SLP's, parents, teachers, etc. It's when you use the users AAC device along with them, to teach them how to use it.

It is important to see other people communicating the way you do, that is how babies learn to speak. By witnessing their parents speak! This is the same idea with modeling. The goal is to teach the AAC user how to use their device, and to encourage them to do so.

Buuuuuuuuuut,

I have more complex feelings than this.

Modeling is okay! It is important, and helps some AAC users learn to communicate. However, what is not okay, and personally makes me extremely uncomfortable, is when people model on the same device as you are using. It is like you are talking OUT OF MY MOUTH. That's weird, and uncomfortable, and confusing. Plus, if everyone is using it interchangeably without asking, it doesnt feel like it is yours. It feels like it is everyone's.

Not only are you talking out of my mouth, it isnt even my mouth anymore, its just the "universal mouth", apparently!

"But Notepad!! How can I model if I use a different device!? They are all set up different!!" Yeah, I know. Which is why you model on a device that is set up the same way as the users, but is still a different device.

Now, I do want to state that everyone is different. Some AAC users might be perfectly okay with people modeling on their device! But I am not, and I know other people who are not.

[speech-love-and-caffeine]

Reblogging to spread awareness. This makes sense (and I have seen it, too).