Dysphagia Management Across Patient Populations

About this Certificate Program

Dysphagia is a symptom, not a disease unto itself. Difficulty swallowing can be a symptom of a wide variety of medical diagnoses, and the underlying diagnosis is a critical factor to consider when developing a treatment approach. Dysphagia clinicians must guard against a one-size-fits-all approach and instead develop an understanding of the causative factors and pathophysiology of swallowing disorders in each disease process. This series of courses will discuss dysphagia related to a variety of medical diagnoses, including cervical spine disorders, COPD, dementia, stroke, head and neck cancer, neuromuscular disorders, Parkinson’s disease, and end of life. The characteristics of dysphagia in each diagnosis will be reviewed. Specific considerations for assessment of patients according to their diagnosis will be reviewed, and the evidence base for treatment strategies will be provided. Participants will be provided with an opportunity for problem-solving through case review.

Target audience

Speech-Language Pathologists

Goals & objectives

• Identify three characteristics of dysphagia as it manifests itself in a variety of patient populations

• Discuss two areas of clinical assessment specific to the patient’s medical diagnosis

• Describe the evidence base for treatment of dysphagia specific to cervical spine disorders, COPD, stroke, dementia, head and neck cancer, neuromuscular diseases, Parkinson’s disease, and end of life