Latest News from the ICP: A Plan for Global Advocacy
A Plan for Global Advocacy
In our last update, we reported that the International Communication Project (ICP) was turning its attention to global advocacy. We are now developing a plan for advocating to global health policy-makers on behalf of persons with communication disorders. We expect to finalize our plan mid-year and intend for it to be a major focus for ICP in 2016. This is timely given that the International Association of Logopedics and Phoniatrics (IALP)—the worldwide organization of professionals and scientists in communication, voice, speech-language pathology, audiology, and swallowing—is hosting its 30th World Congress in Dublin, Ireland, this August. The ICP is planning to exhibit. The IALP is also an ICP partner organization. Learn more about the IALP Congress in Dublin in 2016.
New ICP Stories
We regularly feature international stories about communication health on the ICP website. If you have a story you’d like to see featured, contact us. Here are some of the newest additions.
Speech and Language Therapy in Cambodia
Lauren Cooper and Kristin AmRhein, two recently qualified speech and language therapists from City University London, made the decision to fly to Cambodia for three months to work with children with cleft lip and palate in various hospitals around the city of Phnom Penh. Their efforts are part of the City-Cambodia project, which is now in its ninth year! Read about their experiences in Cambodia or follow their story on their blog.
Making a Difference in a Little Boy’s Life
OIC: The Cambodia Project works to bring speech therapy to Cambodia. The project recently spent time near Siem Reap where they met up with Phearom, one of its disability workers, and Sokim, one of the children she assists with speech therapy. With the help of Phearom, Sokim is overcoming the challenges presented by his Down syndrome and cleft palate, and is also increasing his vocabulary and communication skills. Phearom and Sokim’s parents hope that Sokim may even be able to start school in September for the beginning of the new school year.
Did You Know?
Communication disabilities affect people around the world, no matter what they do, where they live or how old they are.
- According to the World Health Organization (WHO), 32 million children live with disabling hearing loss. 60% of childhood hearing loss is preventable.
- The WHO also reports that autism spectrum disorder affects roughly 1 person in every 160.
- The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders in the United States estimates that more than 15 million people around the world stutter, meaning that there is a disruption in the flow of their speech.
Upcoming Awareness Days Related to Communication
- World Down Syndrome Day—March 21
- World Autism Day—April 2
- World Health Day—April 2
- World Parkinson’s Day—April 11
- World Voice Day—April 16