Featured Dysphagia Courses
Do you think that you’re up for the challenge of being a speech language pathologist in critical care? Once familiar, the intensive care unit (ICU) quickly becomes an intriguing, albeit demanding and fast-paced environment frequently filled the most challenging patients in the hospital. Participants in this course will compare and contrast various hospital ward and ICU patient rooms, and be provided with a broad overview of the impact and consequences of critical care on patients. Dr. Brodsky provides suggestions that will make for more efficient patient contact time and methods for improved communication with medical personnel will also be provided. In addition to directly affecting the improvement of the patient’s overall condition by addressing speech, language, voice, and swallowing issues, speech-language pathologists play an important role in communication between the patient, caregivers, and family, and friends. Learn more
Pulmonary function and pulmonary defenses are highly relevant to dysphagia assessment in adults. This course, with Deanna Britton, introduces key concepts regarding the clinical relevance of pulmonary function for speech language pathologists during dysphagia assessment, and describes key anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology of the respiratory system. Anatomy will be broken down at a high level, including the features of the thoracic region, and at a cellular level, including alveolar function and gas exchange. After establishing key anatomical features, the course concludes by describing the mechanisms of breathing and pathophysiological processes associated with aspiration pneumonia and other conditions. Learn more
Video Runtime: 63 Minutes; Learning Assessment Runtime: 18 Minutes
This course is the first of a two part series that provides the learner with the knowledge and skills to implement tongue pressure strength training as a treatment for dysphagia. The course begins with an overview of tongue anatomy and the role of the tongue in the swallowing process. This installment delves into the research behind tongue strength training and it’s effect on dysphagia as a therapy, including the prevalence of aspiration in individuals with reduced tongue strength, and reduced tongue strength in aging adults. The course concludes with an introduction to the principles and tools needed to measure tongue strength in adults, including a demonstration of key concepts with a patient. Learn more
This course will be retired and no longer available as of January 11, 2022. Please complete the course by December 31, 2021, to receive credit.
This course, with Dr. Ianessa Humbert, offers an in depth assessment of six important swallowing events: triggering the swallow, posterior lingual propulsion, velar elevation, pharyngeal constriction and elevation, laryngeal vestibule closure, and upper esophageal sphincter opening. For each swallowing event, normal and abnormal movements and/or sensation are described, and probing strategies are discussed (i.e. modifying the event with bolus volume, head position, swallowing maneuvers). The information presented is based in research literature, including full citations for further review. This course shows each swallowing event using a combination of representative video fluoroscopic studies and anatomical animations of each abnormal swallowing event. Learn more