By Will Bower 

Faculty and graduate students from the University of Iowa Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders (CSD) in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences provided free speech, language, and hearing screenings at local preschools and daycares last month. The group was led by CSD faculty members Kellsie Busho and Nancy Almasi. 

Busho, a clinical assistant professor, said organizing the screenings requires collaboration with the childcare centers and gathering the proper equipment for testing young children. 

“Preschoolers are energetic,” Busho said. “I hope the students learned to interact with a variety of kids and see how serving the community is an important part of both speech-language pathology and audiology.” 

Almasi, a visiting assistant professor, said early screenings can help identify potential delays or disorders that would otherwise go unnoticed. 

“Early childhood is a critical period for speech and language development,” Almasi said. “By catching concerns early, we can connect families with resources and referrals for comprehensive evaluations or services.” 

Karsyn Rush, an audiology graduate student who participated in the screenings, said the practical experience of working with children is valuable to her future in the field. 

“I can see myself working with both children and adults and [I] am eager to explore opportunities in pediatric audiology,” Rush said. “Additionally, I hope to be a clinical instructor and share my knowledge and experience with future clinicians.” 

Almasi said she hopes the experience strengthened the participating graduate students’ appreciation for the role that early identification plays in the field of communication sciences and disorders. 

“I hope they left with a sense of purpose, recognizing how their work can positively impact a child’s trajectory,” she said.