Danielle Santucci
Clinical Fellow of Speech Language Pathology
347-527-0445
Treatment & Intervention
ASHA Objective #4: Enhance service delivery across the continuum of care to increase value and access to services
Throughout my graduate experience I have had the opportunity to study and practice evidence-based treatment approaches and apply those approaches to my clinical settings. These approaches have allowed me to increase the value of care and create better outcomes for clients of mine.
Clinical Evaluation for Dysphagia
My clinical experience at Staten Island University Hospital was a tremendous learning opportunity and truly allowed me to grow into an independent speech-language pathologist. It was there that I received individual training on non-instrumental and instrumental assessment to diagnose dysphagia. I was able to incorporate the information and skills taught in the classroom and apply that to the acute and outpatient setting with patients in critical care who may have suffered from stroke, a traumatic brain injury, respiratory failure and other diagnoses.
During a non-instrumental beside assessment I evaluate the patient’s cognitive-linguistic skills, oral motor function, observe for signs and symptoms of aspiration, determine an appropriate diet and conclude if they are appropriate for further instrumental assessment. During an instrumental clinical assessment, Modified Barium Swallow Study, I evaluated the swallow mechanism as a whole and looked for abnormalities within the swallow.
The observations were formed into a diagnosis and a treatment plan individualized to support the needs of this patient to provide safe and efficient degulition.
​
Early Intervention Progress Report
Thursday’s Child is an ABA early intervention daycare program for children diagnosed with Autism. Many of these children have not met their chronological age milestones and require intensive therapy from speech therapists, ABA therapists and other medical professionals. This progress summary is reflection of the information that I learned from our numerous language development and early intervention courses and how I applied that knowledge into a clinical setting. This progress summary includes evaluating the child and the milestones in which he/she is currently at this time, the milestones where the child should be at according to her/his chronological age and the therapy, an emphasis on the INREAL Techniques, I implemented to achieve those milestones and goals set forth by the family.