In this episode, we’re joined by Prof. Kathryn Steadman, who gave an excellent presentation at last year’s European Society for Swallowing Disorders conference in Münster, Germany. Her talk explored the question: Does swallowing tablets with an IDDSI Level 4 gel impact drug absorption?

Because this topic isn’t discussed much – and Kathryn brings a lot of expertise as a pharmacist – we’re happy to have her with us to talk about safe and effective medication intake for people with dysphagia.

Topics we discuss:

Links & Literature:

There are many rare diseases, where dysphagia can manifest. In this episode, we are joined by Dr. Bendix Labeit, neurology physician and clinical scientist at University Hospital Düsseldorf in Germany to talk about dysphagia in one of these rare diseases: myositis.

Together, we discuss:

Literature that we discuss:

In this episode, we speak with Prof. Shaun Treweek about why so much health research still falls short. Shaun argues that big parts of health research is “bad” and does not bring the value to the evidence-base we need. As a leading expert in trials methodology he explains how we can change that and how we can conduct “good” research for our patients.

Other topics we cover

Literature we discuss

Curious about one of the gold standards in swallowing assessment? Join us for an insightful discussion about Flexible Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES) with our guest Prof. Heather Starmer. This episode offers valuable perspectives for both those new to FEES and those looking to enhance their current practice, as Heather shares practical knowledge gained from years in the field.

We explore the sometimes overlooked aspects of FEES preparation, consider how FEES and videofluoroscopy can complement each other rather than compete, and discuss common challenges in interpretation that many clinicians face. Heather also reflects on emerging developments that might shape dysphagia assessment in the coming years. Whether you’re just beginning your journey with FEES or use it regularly in your practice, we hope this conversation provides some helpful insights for your work with people with dysphagia.

Literature that we discuss in this episode

This is not a regular episode, but we are just as excited to share it with you. We were contacted by Tabby, the science editor of Science at One, a program on IC Radio at Imperial College London. She invited us for an interview as part of a radio feature on dysphagia. It was our pleasure to be part of this project alongside David, who is living with dysphagia, and Prof. Alexandros Stratakos, who, together with his team, is developing 3D-printed food for people with dysphagia.

Huge thanks to Tabby for giving us the permission to share her wonderful work on our podcast! You can follow Tabby on Instagram @tabbytaylorbuck and @isciencemedia.

Here you can find the published study on 3D printed food: Εkonomou et al. (2024). Advancing dysphagia-oriented multi-ingredient meal development: Optimising hydrocolloid incorporation in 3D printed nutritious meals.

How do ENT specialists balance life-saving treatments with preserving essential functions like swallowing? In this episode we are joined by Prof. Laura Baijens, a leading expert in the field of laryngology and head and neck oncology surgery from the Netherlands. Laura has dedicated her career to improving the lives of people with dysphagia. We talk about the challenges ENT specialists face when treating head and neck cancer, the collaboration between ENT specialists and dysphagia clinicians, and how this partnership leads to better patient outcomes.

Dysphagia impacts countless individuals, and whether you’re a clinician, a student, or a researcher, you’re part of the collective effort to understand and address this complex condition. But are we all speaking the same language when it comes to defining dysphagia? Surprisingly, the field still lacks a unified definition.

In this episode, we welcome three leading experts, Prof. Debra Suiter, Prof. Giselle Carnaby, and Dr. Martin Brodsky, who are working to establish a clear and consensus-based definition of dysphagia. They share the current progress of their research, including insights from a comprehensive scoping review and a Delphi survey. 

Defining dysphagia isn’t just an academic exercise—it’s a critical step in improving communication across disciplines, enhancing diagnostic accuracy, and ultimately providing better care for patients. Join us as we discuss the challenges and opportunities in creating a definition that can guide research, clinical practice, and education.

Huge thanks to NFOSD for letting us share the song “Won’t go down”.

In this episode, we build on our previous one by exploring the practical, clinical side of pharyngeal electrical stimulation (PES) as a treatment for people with dysphagia. This time we spoke to Rachel Coates, an experienced dysphagia clinician from Ireland who incorporates PES into her daily practice.

Rachel shares her insights into how PES works, the benefits and challenges of using this treatment, and her advice for clinicians considering incorporating PES into their practice. If you are not familiar with PES, we recommend you listen to our previous episode with Shaheen Hamdy first.

Literature and resources from this episode

We are excited to share this episode about pharyngeal electrical stimulation with you. Our guest is Shaheen Hamdy, Professor of Neurogastroenterology at the University of Manchester in the UK. In addition to his academic role, he is the co-founder and chief scientific officer of Phagenesis, the company behind Phagenyx – a treatment for dysphagia using pharyngeal electrical stimulation. This approach is one of the most promising advancements in the field of dysphagia treatment today. Join us as Shaheen explains the science behind this innovative treatment and what makes it a game-changer in the field of dysphagia therapy.

Recommended studies for further reading

This is part two of our conversation with Prof. Joan Arvedson. In our last episode, we laid the foundation for understanding feeding and swallowing. In this episode, Joan will share her insights on the treatment approaches for infants with feeding and swallowing difficulties, and we explore the essential role that parents play in the therapeutic process.

We also talk about some fundamental principles that we as clinicians should consider—principles that apply not just to the pediatric population, but to adults as well—making this episode valuable for anyone in the field.

Literature and resources that we discuss: