By: Karen Sheffler
Oral Health: 3 International Updates & Actions by Karen Sheffler, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S inspired by the Dysphagia Research Society (DRS) Annual Conference in Philadelphia, PA & the session on March 28, 2025 titled: "Raising the Profile of Dysphagia on the Oral...
Take the RAD out of Radiation-Associated Dysphagia (RAD): What We Know About Acute through Late Effects of Chemoradiation By Allison Bartholow, MS, MS, CCC-SLP & Karen Sheffler, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S of SwallowStudy.com April is Head and Neck Cancer Awareness Month...
This article highlights Why DRS conferences are so useful. The first reason is to make us question what we know and how we do things in the field of dysphagia. The specific example that the article dives deeply into is that of sensation, sensory mechanoreceptors, and a person’s sensory response to airway invasion (safety issue in swallowing with penetration and aspiration into the airway) and/or residue (efficiency issue with clearance of the bolus of food/liquid to the esophagus). We learned that it is the supraglottic space (above the level of the vocal cords) and the lower pharynx (throat) that have the most density of sensory mechanoreceptors and nerves (iSLN). Whereas, the vocal cords themselves have very little sensory receptors. Find out more by reading blog article and following links to original research by Dr. Thibeault & Dr. Foote.
Bread of Life? Evidence on Choking Risks with Bread by Karen Sheffler, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S of SwallowStudy.com in collaboration with Dr. Catriona M. Steele, PhD, CCC-SLP, ASHA Fellow, Dr. Julie Cichero, BA, BSpThy (Hons), PhD, and Laura Brooks, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S (on...
Path to a Dysphagia Protocol for People Post-Lung Transplant by Sarah Russell, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S Editor & Co-author: Karen Sheffler, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S of SwallowStudy.com Introduction It was early 2020. (Remember that time just before COVID-19 hit?) I sat in...
Creating a Dysphagia Cookbook IDDSI-Style: Modern Dysphagia Cooking Guest Post by John Holahan, BS, MBA Edited by Karen Sheffler, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S of SwallowStudy.com Introduction to My Path to a Dysphagia Cookbook This is a story about how you never know where...
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, CScD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, CBIS, CCRE Editor: Karen Sheffler, MS, CCC-SLP,...
Tips & Recipes For People With Dysphagia by Karen Sheffler, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S of SwallowStudy.com Introduction to Dysphagia Tips & Recipes It's that time of the year, and there are gatherings from Thanksgiving through the New Year! Typically, parties in the...
7 IDDSI Updates by Karen Sheffler, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S of SwallowStudy.com Introduction to IDDSI Updates Did you know that well over 50 nations around the world have started to implement the International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI). This has been...
After your comprehensive dysphagia evaluation with a person and finding dysphagia and aspiration, you are not done. In a person-centered care approach, the medical team needs to consider much more than just aspiration. This article and BOLUS mnemonic can guide the clinician to have meaningful conversations with the person with dysphagia, along with the rest of the medical team. Considering many variables is important in thinking about the whole person. One person with aspiration may not develop any negative health outcomes, while another person may develop aspiration pneumonia quickly. What are the different variables to know who will get sick and who will not? Read on!