Stories from Professors

Michelle (Shelly) Thomas:

Has more experience with children in school settings, but that experience has been a lot more uplifting and has required more energy. I love both groups, however adults are more motivated and more willing to work with you than children are. Most children require an incentive in order to cooperate while adults do not.

CASE EXAMPLE: I worked with a child who had down syndrome, he had severe speech and language needs. I started off with sign language trying to get him to communicate. It was a long term case, and it is important to me because he was there K-8th grade and I worked with him throughout those years. We also worked on Language, vocabulary, multi-syllables, understanding, comprehension. (13 years at location) Worked at a skilled nursing facility in Seattle, WA. With adults. A certain case involved working with a man who had severe Parkinson’s Disease. He needed an incentive to cooperate so I would let him smoke after sessions (because he was not able to hold his own cigarette, I had to hold it for him). It was mainly about the quality of life, most patients in facilities like these never leave.

William (Bill) Culbertson:

Has worked mostly with adults but enjoyed working with children more. It gave him a perspective on life from beginning to end. Working with adults he sees where they’ve been and how they have developed, and with children he sees where they are going in life. The main difference is that children have the rest of their lives in front of them, they always have room to improve, and adults just go back to where they were before.

CASE EXAMPLE: 16-year-old girl who lived in the country was born with a blocked ventricle (hydrocephalus). She could not smile or frown, when they removed her shunt, they had paralyzed her facial nerves. Worked on trying to recover facial nerve functions and reaching maximum potential of these functions, gave her tens (transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation). It did not work but they decided to give it a try anyways in hopes that it would, also worked on facial exercises such as vowels. Visited once a week and worked with her for about 6 months, but then had to discontinue treatment.