222. The Executive Function Research That Changes How SLPs See Every Client

If you think executive function challenges only affect your ADHD and autism clients, this episode will change how you see your entire caseload.In this episode, we break down the latest 2025 research, revealing that executive function difficulties are far more widespread than previously recognized, including in populations SLPs have historically underestimated.You'll learn:Adele Diamond's 3-part framework for understanding executive function (attention and inhibitory control, verbal working memory, and cognitive flexibility)Why do children with developmental language disorder almost universally show verbal working memory deficits across all ages and native languagesThe surprising finding that even children with mild articulation errors, like distorted R's and S's, show statistically significant executive function riskNew 2025 data linking stuttering to verbal and visual working memory difficultiesHow Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles can help you build one powerful, inclusive activity that targets executive function across your whole caseloadThe bottom line: We need to stop treating a mouth and start treating the whole child.Next week: Part 2 covers what the research says actually works to improve executive function and how to bring it into your sessions starting Monday.Keywords: executive function, speech language pathology, developmental language disorder, speech sound disorders, apraxia of speech, stuttering, verbal working memory, UDL, SLP caseload, 2025 research