What is Dysphagia?
Dysphagia is the medical term for difficulty swallowing. It is when people have trouble moving food, liquid, pills or even saliva out of the mouth, through the throat and esophagus (food tube), and into the stomach.
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Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) & Dysphagia
Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) & Dysphagia Guest Writers & Researchers in Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Dysphagia: Ankita M. Bhutada, PhD; Emma Wallace, PhD and Kendrea L. Focht (Garand), PhD,...
It is Party Time: Recipes for People with Dysphagia
Tips & Recipes For People With Dysphagia It's that time of the year, and there are gatherings from Thanksgiving through the New Year! Typically, parties in the United...
Time for IDDSI Updates
7 IDDSI Updates by Karen Sheffler, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S of SwallowStudy.com Did you know that well over 40 nations around the world have started to implement the International Dysphagia Diet...
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About Karen Sheffler, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S
I graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1995 with a master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. There, I was influenced by great mentors in the field of swallowing and swallowing disorders (dysphagia) like Jay Rosenbek, JoAnne Robbins, and James Coyle. Once the “dysphagia-bug” bit, I have never looked back.
Initially, I worked in skilled nursing facilities and rehabilitation centers, but since 1999 I have been in acute care. I obtained my Board Certification as a Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (BCS-S) in August of 2012. I am committed to life-long-learning. I was awarded my 8th ASHA Award for Continuing Education (ACE Award) in January 2022. I am committed to increasing public awareness in dysphagia. I am a member of the Dysphagia Research Society (DRS), the American Speech-Language Hearing Association’s Special Interest Group 13: Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders, and the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders (NFOSD), and the US IDDSI Reference Group (USIRG). I am co-chair of the Public Relations Committee of the American Board of Swallowing & Swallowing Disorders. I was awarded the Hormel Health Hero Award in 2019.
I started SwallowStudy.com in May 2014 to create a valuable evidence-based dysphagia resource for professionals and people with difficulty swallowing (dysphagia).
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With her clinical expertise, connections with researchers around the world and witty humor, bring Karen on to enrich your next conference, lecture series or webinar.
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