SwallowStudy.com

21/01/2026

Register Now for the "2026 US IDDSI Virtual Conference!"
This is a 6-part webinar series to help you and your facilities with Implementation.

Conference Mission Statement:
Tired of confusing questions about implementation? ​
Ready to arm yourself with better ways to advocate for the IDDSI framework across the continuum of care?​
Join IDDSI experts virtually throughout 2026 as they demystify all things
IDDSI. ​
Get clear answers to your most frequently asked questions and ensure
safer, more consistent care for the people you serve & their loved ones ​ across the lifespan.

***

We look forward to hearing your successes, challenges, and questions. Thank you for helping to make IDDSI standardization stronger around the nation and the world!

, ,

needs of the to provide clear labels, definitions, and testing methods! This gives you the foundation for great goals of care conversations and good informed decision making!

I will be speaking first on the January 28th, noon conference (EST). Speakers:
Karen Sheffler, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S ​ & Mary Rybicki, MS, RDN, LDN, with Moderator Rene Ruzicka Kanadet, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

REGISTER NOW:
AT IDDSI.ORG (link in bio for IG)
https://www.iddsi.org/events/2026-us-iddsi-virtual-conference-6-part-webinar-series

CEUs available through ASHA (attend Live event), AND, ANFP for SLPs, RDN, CDMs (certified dietary managers) and food service professionals.

19/01/2026

09/01/2026

Register Now for the "2026 US IDDSI Virtual Conference!"
This is a 6-part webinar series to help you and your facilities with Implementation.

Conference Mission Statement:
Tired of confusing questions about implementation? ​
Ready to arm yourself with better ways to advocate for the IDDSI framework across the continuum of care?​
Join IDDSI experts virtually throughout 2026 as they demystify all things
IDDSI. ​
Get clear answers to your most frequently asked questions and ensure
safer, more consistent care for the people you serve & their loved ones ​ across the lifespan.

***

We look forward to hearing your successes, challenges, and questions. Thank you for helping to make IDDSI standardization stronger around the nation and the world!

, ,

needs of the to provide clear labels, definitions, and testing methods! This gives you the foundation for great goals of care conversations and good informed decision making!

I will be speaking first on the January 28th, noon conference (EST). Speakers:
Karen Sheffler, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S ​ & Mary Rybicki, MS, RDN, LDN, with Moderator Rene Ruzicka Kanadet, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S

REGISTER NOW:
AT IDDSI.ORG (link in bio for IG)
https://www.iddsi.org/events/2026-us-iddsi-virtual-conference-6-part-webinar-series

CEUs available through ASHA, AND, ANFP for SLPs, RDN, CDMs (certified dietary managers) and food service professionals.

31/12/2025

Happy New Year!
We hope 2026 brings you an abundance of resources and assistance for all your goals and needs around ( ) in yourself and/or in loved ones!

Here are terrific organizations that provide this assistance in many forms:

1. Foods/drinks and devices for adults with difficulty swallowing & infants/pediatrics with -- with the (https://www.dysphagiaoutreach.org/).
Donate here: https://www.dysphagiaoutreach.org/donate

2. Support groups, informative webinars for people with dysphagia and --with The National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders (https://swallowingdisorderfoundation.com/).
Donate here: https://nfosd.networkforgood.com/projects/84367-nfosd-donations

3. Supporting and investing in and to advance the science of swallowing across the lifespan -- with The Dysphagia Research Society (https://www.dysphagiaresearch.org/).
Donate here: https://www.dysphagiaresearch.org/page/research-edu-fund

Thank you & Happy New Year to all!

National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders
Dysphagia Outreach Project
Dysphagia Research Society

13/12/2025

I am so excited to talk about this amazing cookbook. Diane Wolff had invited me and others to be contributing writers. Theresa Richard & I addressed coping with dysphagia and knowing options for what next! I also created a chapter summarizing IDDSI with an easy to use chart and linking to resources on IDDSI.org and USIRG (https://www.iddsi.org/around-the-world/united-states).

This presentation will provide you with our powerpoint pdf full of links and resources. Then, you will get 3 Handouts created by Diane and myself to review Diane's System to transform your kitchen into a dysphagia kitchen! She has so many great ideas to make delicious and easy to swallow foods that are not boring at all.

Can't wait to share more on Monday, Dec 15, 2025, 11am EST. It will be recorded and on NFOSD site for future viewing. Thanks NFOSD!!
Register for FREE at NFOSD:
https://swallowingdisorderfoundation.com/transforming-your-kitchen/

Here is a link to our cookbook:
https://mcpress.mayoclinic.org/product/cooking-for-dysphagia-and-other-swallowing-disorders/

(IG: sharing links in bio)

26/11/2025

Happy Thanksgiving & Safe Travels this week!
I am grateful for all the support for SwallowStudy.com: Resource for professionals and for people with . You may be especially struggling during this time of festive food & drink with family / friends.

Have you been retested recently?
I want to share research to help you advocate for yourself to receive appropriate care and evaluations (e.g., repeat instrumental / imaging swallow studies of Modified Barium Swallow Study/MBSS, aka videofluoroscopic swallow study OR FEES/Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing). My friend and colleague, Ed Bice and team did a study in 2024 to show how important it is to receive repeat imaging studies once you are at the next level of care -- in a rehab or skilled nursing facilities. You may have had your FIRST imaging at the hospital when you were really sick (i.e., maybe right after an ICU stay, a critical illness, and/or a stroke, for example, that made your swallow less safe and efficient). However, now that you are recovering your strength and doing good rehab, do you still have difficulty swallowing/dysphagia? Do you still need that modified diet and thickened liquids? It is so important to advocate for yourself to get REPEAT testing to upgrade your diet. Ask these questions.

Bice and team in this 2024 study found that 67% of the people in skilled nursing facilities receiving a modified diet and/or thickened liquids did NOT actually still have dysphagia.
67% could have been upgraded and enjoying eating/drinking again! This study and these numbers can be used to advocate. Tell the rehab or skilled nursing administration and medical team that withholding these repeat imaging studies affects:
- quality of life,
- patient safety (thickened liquids can lead to dehydration and UTIs if not drinking enough, and also
- increasing medical costs.

See:
Bice, E. M., Galek, K. E., & Ward, M. (2024). Dysphagia and Diets in Skilled Nursing Facilities When Patient's Health Status Changes: The Role of Imaging. Journal of the American Medical Directors Association, 25(2), 381–386. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jamda.2023.11.008

24/11/2025

Thank you for a great convention . We still learn something new every day after my 30 years in the field, and after 100 years of ASHA!!
Top learnings:
(really so many ideas and connections, but here are top three to consider on the Monday at work after ASHA)
1. We have much work to do in , as the public's dysphagia literacy and awareness of dysphagia is low and lagging behind other health topics such as insomnia and vertigo, according to Dr. Sonja Molfenter's work.
2. : There are actually 3 different types of "chin tucks," and we can no longer just advise a "chin tuck," as we must test on fluoroscopy the 3 different types: 1) chin down (a relaxed looking down that flexes the cervical spine); 2) chin retraction (pivots on the atlanto-occipital joint at top of spine to pull chin in/back); or 3) combination of both. Dr. Ryan Burdick of UW-Madison gave a great talk showing the physiological differences with each of these. Therefore, if you test one type in fluoroscopy and it does not work, then you should test others. Typically to make sure a strategy works, we need to test it a few times to make sure the benefits hold true across viscosities and volumes. Important: sometimes the changes in chin posture can make the safety and efficiency WORSE. Now we know even more how this is NOT a one-size-fits-all.
3. : Dr. Debra Suiter noted that too often the Yale Swallow Protocol is not being done accurately. This is a highly valid and reliable screen that needs further international use. Directions: "Keep drinking until it is all gone" - i.e.,. make sure the person is drinking the 3 ounces continuously without stopping.
If person pauses in between or even if they hold the last sip/bolus in mouth at end before swallow --> that is a fail.
Additionally, the sections of following commands, orientation, and range of motion of face and tongue are only info gathering -- and DO NOT lead to a person failing exam. If the person has a slight facial droop or a resolved facial droop, that does not exclude them from the exam.
Move on to the 3 ounce water screen.
However, Don't screen trach patients with 3 ounce water challenge. That is much too dangerous. Dr. Suiter noted: Trach patients require DOUBLE the amount of stimulus dumping into the airway to feel an aspiration and actually react. The swallow screen is not for them; rather, proceed with a Videofluoroscopic swallow study or FEES.

23/11/2025

How to summarize as a clinician on her tired train ride home?
With an easy gallery of photos! 🤪

Safe travels all and see u in Denver for Dysphagiaresearch.org

22/11/2025

Congrats all! Thanks for Voice & Swallowing Reception last night! See u all at !

22/11/2025

More devistating project 2025 happenings Take action to stop the loss of our professional designation, which affects student loans and licensure status and more !
https://www.asha.org/news/2025/proposed-definition-of-professional-degree-programs-would-exclude-audiology-and-speech-language-pathology/

The amount of advocacy needed these days is immense! Our asha dues are really getting put to work now.
See https://www.asha.org/advocacy/
And ASHAPAC
“We are asha” and need to continue to advocate for the people we serve!!

The U.S. Department of Education has proposed a definition of a "professional degree" program that does not include audiology or speech-language pathology. This definition determines eligibility for student loan limits under the new system created by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

21/11/2025

ASHA turned 100 years old! And this spirit week had people dressing in color of the decade when they entered the field. For me it was the 90’s! And purple was the chosen color! Yay! Found a few other purple people!
Tomorrow wear your university/college spirit. I pulled out my old UW Madison sweatshirt!

20/11/2025

Congrats Dysphagia Outreach Project Hillary Cooper for being acknowledged at opening session for your IMPACT! Presented by president Bernadette Mayfield-Clarke.

https://www.dysphagiaoutreach.org