Understanding Dysphagia

Guest: Jessica Lasky, MS, CCC-SLP

For this episode of the Understanding Dysphagia Podcast, we are joined by Jessica Lasky to talk about trauma and ARF (not to be confused with adult ARFID)! Jessica is a medical SLP who specializes in dysphagia in the adult geriatric population. She is the founder of Mobile Scope and Evolutionary Education Solutions, and also co-founded the Dysphagia Outreach Project. We talk about the issue of patients having no access to resources after discharge and how this led to the founding of the Dysphagia Outreach Project. Our conversation then takes a deep dive into the many misconceptions and outlying cases that Jessica has experienced in her time working in outpatient neuro-rehabilitation, stroke, and trauma one hospitals, acute rehab facilities, and more. We hear about the discovery of foreign objects as well as atypical presentations from stab wounds and withdrawal, hardware in the cervical spine, and more. Jessica talks about a few times she has been in public and noticed someone presenting with symptoms, and how she took action. In the last part of our conversation, we get into the important issue of the utilization of interprofessional practice in our patients’ care, hearing Jessica weigh in on the other clinicians who help her bolster her practice and understanding of the respiratory system every day. Tune in for a brilliant conversation about the wide scope of Jessica’s experiences with dysphagia patients today!

Guests: Maggie Donaker, MS CCC-SLP & Katie Gollin, MS CCC-SLP

To honor Dysphagia Awareness Month, we have partnered with the Dysphagia Outreach Project to speak with some of their amazing leaders and share their expertise and knowledge as widely as possible! We are bringing you this ten-part podcast series, and today's focus is on neurodegenerative dysphagia. To help us understand these important subjects, we are joined by Maggie Donaker and Katie Gollin, who offer valuable insights, focusing on three of the main conditions under this umbrella: ALS, Parkinson's disease, and Guillain-Barré syndrome. Maggie is a medical speech-language pathologist who has been awarded seven ASHA ACE awards! As a young medical speech-language pathologist, Katie currently works full-time in the acute care setting and has experience in inpatient rehab and skilled nursing as well.

In today's exploration, we get some great high-level, as well as specific information on these three topics, with our guests introducing each and also sharing some personal experiences and advice on diagnoses, treatments, and education. It is particularly illuminating to hear how these conditions affect adults, given that so much of what we usually do focuses on younger people! So, for a great show, packed with useful information, helpful tips, and thoughts, be sure to join us!

Guest: Casey Lewis, MS CCC-SLP, CNT, NTMTC

June is Dysphagia Awareness Month, and to honor this time, we have decided to create a 10-part mini-series with the Dysphagia Outreach Project. They have brought together some incredible leaders to share their knowledge and raise awareness about dysphagia across the lifespan. Casey Lewis, MS, CCC-SLP, CNT, CLC, NTMTC, works in the NICU, in the world of swallowing and swallowing breakdown, which is right where it all starts. In today’s episode, Casey sheds light on the development process of suck, swallow, and breathe, and the work that she does. Importantly, Casey understands that her role is to educate and empower parents, staff, and families so that they can all help the babies in the best way possible. We talk about the steps Casey takes in her interventions, the tools she uses, such as bottles and pacifiers, and the outcomes she hopes to see. Another vital part of working in a NICU is collaborating with other practitioners, and Casey talks about the hard work she has put in to ensure that her voice is heard and respected. Sometimes we get caught up in our own bubbles and forget that we all simply want the best for our patients. Casey reminds us of just how important it is to reconnect with our why.