Down the Hatch - The Swallowing Podcast

Physicians play a critical role in dysphagia management, even though swallowing may not have been included in their medical training. This installment of Down the Hatch features a conversation with Dr. Michael Okun, Department Chair of Neurology and Co-Director of the Movement Disorders Center of the University of Florida. We discuss the lack of training across medical disciplines in dysphagia as well as suggestions for how swallowing clinicians and researchers can advocate for improvements in dysphagia management. Get up! Stand up!

Swallowing clinicians made it clear that they want more CEUs on normal swallowing at the March 2016 Critical Thinking in Dysphagia Management meeting. In this podcast, Alicia and Ianessa bust a few myths regarding normal characteristics of swallowing and unnecessary dysphagia diagnoses. They also discuss how a clear understanding of normal swallowing can improve dysphagia management.

Not all swallowing clinicians have access to instrumental examinations, such as videofluoroscopy or fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, but almost all swallowing clinicians can do clinical examinations. In this episode of Down the Hatch, Ianessa and Alicia weigh in on the merits of leaning too heavily on either clinical examinations or instrumental examinations to diagnose swallowing impairments.