Supporting Students with Long COVID-19 with Cassandra Natali & Abigail Sprague

Guests: Cassandra Natali, MS, CCC-SLP, and Abigail Sprague, graduate student researcher

Earn 0.1 ASHA CEU for this episode with Speech Therapy PD: https://www.speechtherapypd.com/courses/supporting-students-with-long-covid

Long COVID-19 can have ongoing effects on children’s communication, learning, and participation in school. In this episode of School of Speech, host Carolyn Dolby, MS, CCC-SLP, welcomes Cassandra Natali, MS, CCC-SLP, Clinical Instructor, and Abigail Sprague, graduate student researcher, to unpack what Long COVID-19 looks like in pediatric populations, drawing from both research and real-world case studies.

Together, they’ll explore how to identify key symptoms, support students through effective accommodations, and collaborate with teachers to foster understanding and success. This episode blends evidence-based insights with practical tools for advocacy and classroom impact.

About the Guests:

Cassandra Natali, MS, CCC-SLP, is a Clinical Instructor at Binghamton University. She has over ten years of experience working with the pediatric population. Her areas of interest include the school-based services, social-emotional learning, and language and emergent literacy development in preschool children. She has presented at numerous state and national conventions. Cassandra has been the recipient of several awards for her work in the schools, including the New York State Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s (NYSSLHA) Distinguished Clinician Award in 2024 and ASHA’s Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Contributions in Preschool-Grade 12 Education Settings in 2025.

Abigail Sprague, B.Mus., is a graduate student in Speech-Language Pathology at MGH Institute of Health Professions. She earned her Bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University in 2025, studying Vocal Performance and Speech & Hearing Science. In collaboration with Cassandra Natali, M.S., CCC-SLP, Abigail co-developed a video intervention to educate school professionals on the effects of pediatric Long COVID-19. She has presented related research at Binghamton University’s Research Days.