In this episode, Chantelle sits down with Tiffani Wallace, a dysphagia specialist with a passion for rehabilitation, to break down a 2016 case series study on the Intensive Dysphagia Rehabilitation Approach (IDRA) ™ in patients with neurogenic dysphagia.

In this episode they cover:

• What the IDR approach actually involves and why it's more accessible than it sounds
• The three core components of the program: oropharyngeal exercises, high intensity targeted swallowing practice and adherence-inducing features
• The principles of neuroplasticity underpinning the approach — and how to apply them in everyday practice
• Why focused, targeted exercises beat a long list of unproven techniques every time
• Why 60 bolus swallows per day is less daunting than it sounds — and why it matters

Be sure to check out Tiffani's work at www.dysphagiaramblings.net or find her on Instagram at @dysphagia_ramblings.

The publication this episode is based on: Malandraki GA, Rajappa A, Kantarcigil C, Wagner E, Ivey C, Youse K. The Intensive Dysphagia Rehabilitation Approach Applied to Patients With Neurogenic Dysphagia: A Case Series Design Study. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2016 Apr;97(4):567-574. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2015.11.019

Note: DPNS stands for Deep Pharyngeal Neuromuscular Stimulation