Congratulations to Elisabete Giusti, SLP, PhD, for graduating from the Apraxia Kids Intensive Training Institute (Apraxia Boot Camp)!

Elisabete has been an SLP for over 25 years with clinical expertise acting in private practice, especially with CAS children and other motor speech disorders and language disorders. She has a PhD in Linguistics with an emphasis on children’s language and speech development. Elisabete is certified in Hanen Method and Prompt (advanced level), and also has knowledge in other treatment methods such as DTTC (Dynamical Temporal and Tactile Cueing, Dr. Edythe Strand) and ReST (Rapid Syllable Transition Training). Elisabete is a Technical Consultant for the Brazilian Association of Childhood Apraxia of Speech and Scientifical Coordinator to the CAS Training Program.

Elisabete offers services in São Paulo, Brazil.
Check out Elisabete’s Apraxia Kids SLP Directory Listing to learn more.

Apraxia Kids: What are the top 3 things you learned from this training experience?
Elisabete: The three main things:  1. Diagnosis and treatment for CAS is complex and requires in-depth theoretical and practical knowledge.  2. It is important to always consider the patient as a whole and always have the family involved in the treatment.  3. It is important to master the different assessment tools and the different treatment strategies and approaches. Treatment must be personalized.

Apraxia Kids: How did the boot camp experience change or expand your network of colleagues/friends?
Elisabete: Boot Camp promotes the meeting of SLPs from different states, and especially in my case, from different countries, and with different experiences, achievements, and challenges. Training goes far beyond theoretical-practical knowledge, as it enables very productive and meaningful experiences and exchanges.

Apraxia Kids: How have you implemented the knowledge you gained at boot camp?
Elisabete: The training and learning I obtained at Boot Camp helped me in several ways:

– Made me feel safer and more confident in evaluating and preparing the patient’s therapeutic plan.

– Better understanding of the objectives of the different assessment instruments/tasks and how to interpret them.

– Both the assessment and intervention planning became more complete and more detailed (as my knowledge was now more “robust”).

– Knowledge integration: it’s as if now, after Boot Camp, I can integrate and “put together” the pieces of a puzzle.

Apraxia Kids: What is an example of how you have been able to (or plan to) use your expertise as a local resource/support for other professionals and/or families since attending the intensive training?
Elisabete: I am a Technical Consultant for the Brazilian CAS Association, so I have many opportunities to collaborate and apply all the knowledge I had at Boot Camp. Here in my country, for example, collaborating with the training of other SLP colleagues, bringing together parents and family members of children with CAS to train and provide safe information about diagnosis and treatment. I can participate in CAS Awareness Day, on May 14th and throughout the year, among many other actions. I’m very happy, because today there is a little piece of Apraxia Kids here in my country.

Apraxia Kids: What would you say to someone considering applying to boot camp next round?
Elisabete: Of course I will always encourage you. This rich experience is so worth it.