This journal self-study course explores best practices for dysphasia assessment and recent innovations in dysphagia treatment. The articles – from an American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology special issue “Select Papers From the 2018 Charleston Swallowing Conference at Northwestern University” – will help SLPs develop a deeper understanding of how to select appropriate treatment techniques, as well as why those techniques can be impactful in improving swallowing function. The articles delve deeply into past, current, and future treatment approaches for dysphagia and will be helpful for established clinicians as well as those who are new to the field of dysphagia assessment and treatment.

Learning Outcomes
You will be able to:

• Explain the different neuromodulation techniques and their current evidence related to treatment of dysphagia
• Explore how lesion location can impact patients with post-stroke dysphagia and how lesion location can help predict benefits of different treatments
• Review best practice recommendations for commonly used dysphagia assessments
• Evaluate new evidence to support treatment approaches for dysphagia

Contents

The following articles are included in this course:

• Motor Learning, Neuroplasticity, and Strength and Skill Training: Moving From Compensation to Retraining in Behavioral Management of Dysphagia, by Emily Zimmerman, Giselle Carnaby, Cathy L. Lazarus, and Georgia A. Malandraki
• Frontline Interventions: Considerations for Modifying Fluids and Foods for Management of Feeding and Swallowing Disorders Across the Life Span, by Memorie M. Gosa, Pamela Dodrill, and JoAnne Robbins
• Cortical and Subcortical Control of Swallowing—Can We Use Information From Lesion Locations to Improve Diagnosis and Treatment for Patients With Stroke? by Janina Wilmskoetter, Stephanie K. Daniels, and Arthur J. Miller
• Advances in the Use of Neuromodulation for Neurogenic Dysphagia: Mechanisms and Therapeutic Application of Pharyngeal Electrical Stimulation, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation, and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation, by Ayodele Sasegbon, Ivy Cheng, Mengqing Zhang, and Shaheen Hamdy
• Best Practices in Modified Barium Swallow Studies, by Bonnie Martin-Harris, Cheri L. Canon, Heather Shaw Bonilha, Joseph Murray, Kate Davidson, and Maureen A. Lefton-Greif

Assessment Type

Self-assessment—Think about what you learned and report on the Completion Form how you will use your new knowledge.