The Speech Language Pathology Department at Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC), in collaboration with Qatar Institute for Speech and Hearing (Qish), conducted a Level 2 training course recently. 
The participants came from HMC, Qish, Shafallah Centre, Child Development Centre and other institutions in Doha, in addition to one participant from Kuwait.  
TalkTools is an international training programme that provides training courses such as Oral Placement Therapy (OPT), which is an oral motor therapy that works on muscle function in the oral cavity. It is a type of oral-motor therapy that targets specific movements needed for speech and feeding. 
The therapy has developed tools that are child-friendly and that will help a child do the muscle movement for speech or feeding. 
Level 1 is an introductory course to OPT, which is the foundation for TalkTools training and integrated throughout all the courses. The different parts of OPT are auditory and visual sensory systems combined with tactile and proprioceptive sensory systems. 
TalkTools training applies a unique, hierarchical approach to OPT, focused on a measurable, results-driven path for both therapists and clients across all ages and diagnoses with the goal of speech clarity, improved feeding, independence, improved quality of life. 
Level 2 teaches therapists how to perform a comprehensive evaluation for clients with sensory, feeding and speech disorders following the principles of Sara Rosenfeld-Johnson’s hierarchical approach to oral motor assessment and treatment.
The development of therapeutic programme plans is designed specifically to meet each client’s oral placement needs. A live evaluation was performed on the second day, allowing participants to observe client skills, record observations on an assessment form and develop a therapeutic plan from these results.