From the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia (JO, SP, KD); and Department of Therapy Services, Children's Hospital of Richmond Brook Road Pavilion, Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center, Richmond, Virginia (BL).
Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2023 Oct 1;102(10):919-922. doi: 10.1097/PHM.0000000000002293. Epub 2023 May 18.
Speech language pathologists have the training to treat pediatric concussion issues in communication; however, they have traditionally not been included in initial concussion treatment. Despite physician understanding of speech language pathologist engagement in traumatic brain injury, speech language pathologist referrals happen only after significant issues in returning to school occurred. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate predictors of physician referral to speech language pathologist using a speech language pathologist screening checklist. This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study from an academic outpatient clinic. Our study included 60 concussion patients (57% female, 67% White, age: 18.3 ± 4.0 years) who were evaluated by specialist physicians. The independent variables include age, sex, and the speech screening checklist domains (attention, memory/organization, social interactions, word finding, executive function) and their associated subcategories. The primary study outcome was referral to speech language pathologists after concussion. Twenty-six patients (43%) were referred to speech language pathologist. The speech checklist domains significantly associated with a referral to speech language pathologist were attention and memory/organization. Individuals who reported trouble with attention or memory/organization on the speech language checklist were most likely to be referred in a concussion treatment plan. The use of a speech language pathologist checklist during patient visits may expedite referrals to SLP, achieve earlier therapeutic intervention, and facilitate recovery.
言语治疗师接受过治疗儿科脑震荡相关沟通问题的专业培训；然而，他们传统上并未被纳入脑震荡初始治疗中。尽管医生了解言语治疗师参与创伤性脑损伤的情况，但只有在重返学校出现严重问题后，才会向言语治疗师转介。因此，本研究旨在使用言语治疗师筛查清单来调查医生向言语治疗师转介的预测因素。这是一项来自学术门诊的回顾性、横断面研究。我们的研究纳入了 60 名脑震荡患者（57%为女性，67%为白人，年龄：18.3±4.0 岁），这些患者均由专科医生进行了评估。自变量包括年龄、性别以及言语筛查清单的各个领域（注意力、记忆/组织、社会互动、词语搜索、执行功能）及其相关子类别。主要研究结果是脑震荡后向言语治疗师的转介。有 26 名患者（43%）被转介到言语治疗师处。与向言语治疗师转介显著相关的言语清单领域是注意力和记忆/组织。在言语清单上报告注意力或记忆/组织有问题的患者最有可能在脑震荡治疗计划中被转介。在患者就诊期间使用言语治疗师清单可能会加快向言语治疗师的转介，实现更早的治疗干预，并促进康复。
