160: A Functional Pediatric How-To-Guide in Collaborating Between OT and SLP with Karen McWaters

First Bite: A Speech Therapy Podcast

Guest: Erin Forward, MSP CCC-SLP, CLC and Karen McWaters, MOT, OTR/L - In today’s show, Erin and Michelle are joined by Karen McWaters to discuss the very important topic of interprofessional collaboration. Healthcare professionals generally tend to silo themselves in their own disciplines, and according to the Autism Research Journal, there are four main barriers to communication which exist. This disconnect is very unfortunate because, as you will hear in this episode, collaboration across professions has the potential to be a very powerful force. Erin, who is an SLP, and Karen, who is an OT, worked concurrently with a child who, when he first started therapy, was communicating using signs. A year into his sessions, he was asking to be dressed up like the Pixar lamp and trying to find a dark room he could “light up!” With palpable joy, Karen and Erin share the story of this boy’s progress, which highlights the benefits that arose from their commitment to working together and learning from each other, and they offer valuable advice for anyone interested in doing the same.