Speech & Swallowing Specialists, LLC

01/06/2024

15/02/2024

This picture is worth a re-post on Valentine’s Day 💕 Happy hearts day to all 💕

26/06/2023

Ortner's Syndrome is due to the heart compressing nearby nerves to impair function of the laryngeal structures, causing changes in voice and swallowing.

Although on the surface it seems that heart health and voice/swallowing aren't connected, it's fascinating to learn about all the ways that human body systems interact.

Ortner's Syndrome is similar to Dysphagia Lusoria or Dysphagia Megalatriensis (see our Quick Facts from September 2020 and February 2021), where changes in heart structures cause compression of the esophagus to impair swallowing.

17/06/2023

Let us know how we can help you evaluate, treat, and manage dysphagia!
502-938-3337 (FEES)

22/05/2023

This rare elongation of the styloid process can lead to a variety of symptoms associated with dysphagia. If you are treating a patient with some of these symptoms Eagle's Syndrome may be the cause.
If you've worked with a patient with Eagle's syndrome before, how did it present? Was the patient aware of it before you started working with them?

16/05/2023

Carbonated liquids can, for some patients, decrease pharyngeal transit times for earlier swallow reflex initiation. This small research study from Japan shows similar changes for people drinking thickened carbonated beverages, as well as some reduction in vallecular stasis compared with thickened non-carbonated drinks.

Of course, more research and larger sample sizes are needed, but this is an interesting line of study.

Do you test carbonated drinks (thin or thickened) during your swallow evaluations? We are always happy to include them when we perform FEES!

Carbonated beverages initiate the swallowing reflex earlier than water and have a shorter pharyngeal transit time. However, the effects of carbonation in thickened beverages of the same flavor on swallowing dynamics have not been reported. Therefore, we investigated the effects of thickened carbonat...

13/05/2023

For speech therapy month, ASHA wants to know what you love about the field, what makes you excited to be a speech-language pathologist?
We'd love to hear your thoughts too, as there are so many fascinating areas of this field!

09/05/2023

Updated research (from 2023) continues to show the safety and efficacy of a free water protocol, in this case at a long-term acute care hospital.
Study participants were known to aspirate thin liquids but drank thin water as part of this trial, with no adverse outcomes. Participants also reported improved quality of life. Improved fluid intake and improvements in swallow function were also documented.

Citation: Gaidos, S., Hrdlicka, H.C. & Corbett, J. Implementation of a free water protocol at a long term acute care hospital. Sci Rep 13, 2626 (2023).

This feasibility study aimed to trial a Free Water Protocol (FWP) for patients with thin liquid dysphagia in the Long-Term Acute Care Hospital (LTACH) setting. Patients with dysphagia are often prescribed thickened liquids to avoid or mitigate aspiration. While this clinical intervention can minimiz...

03/05/2023

May is Better Hearing and Speech Month!
As SLPs we may work in a variety of settings, treating a host of concerns, and it can be difficult to explain the many benefits our profession can provide.
This article is a great introduction for potential clients, their families, and other professionals to learn more about the wonderful field of Speech-Language Pathology!

Speech-language pathologists (SLP) are communication experts that guide patients with communication and swallowing disorders via speech therapy.

01/05/2023

Happy Better Hearing and Speech Month!
We appreciate all the wonderful SLPs we work with, and wish you all the best!
Check out ASHA.org for information, resources, and merchandise to celebrate!

18/04/2023

Aspiration of barium can have severe, though rare, side-effects, including anaphylaxis, airway obstruction, clinical decompensation, and respiratory failure.
Fortunately, the patient in this case study experienced only coughing productive of white expectorant after this significant barium aspiration event.
If you're concerned that your patient may be aspirating significantly, a FEES may be a safer option for an instrumental swallow evaluation as no barium is used.

Barium studies are essential to the diagnostic work-up, especially in dysphagia, heartburn (dyspepsia), or gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). The barium swallow test, or esophagram, is essential in investigating patients with abnormalities within the esophagus. The barium sulfate used is inert to the g...

14/04/2023

Vanderbilt University is researching an implantable device to regulate the opening and closing of the vocal folds to treat patients with bilateral vocal fold paralysis. This implant helps people with VF paralysis achieve greater VF opening than other surgical options, but without impairing voice function.

Vanderbilt Voice Center patient Judit Kiss, 40, who lives about 25 minutes outside of Denver, enjoyed hiking in the mountains, running, and singing ‘You Are M

01/02/2023

This young patient with a TE fistula had a difficult start to her life, but is looking toward a much brighter future thanks to her team at the Kentucky Children's Hospital!
Have you ever worked with a patient who had a TE fistula?

In May 2021, Kaitlin and Troy Clem were overjoyed to bring home their fourth child, Maisyn, and begin the journey of raising their newborn. Everything seemed normal for the first several months of her life. But, slowly, Maisyn’s parents began noticing that something was not quite right.

25/01/2023

Can voice predict aspiration risk? This research study involved digital voice recordings which were analyzed for a variety of specific features of voice to see if any vocal characteristics could be predictors of aspiration risk.
A specific shimmer frequency found in a recording of /i/ was linked to a higher risk of aspiration. The researchers theorize that poor glottic closure may be the cause of that vocal change and the increased aspiration risk.

Abnormal voice may identify those at risk of post-stroke aspiration. This study was aimed to determine whether machine learning algorithms with voice recorded via a mobile device can accurately classify those with dysphagia at risk of tube feeding and post-stroke aspiration pneumonia and be used as....

04/01/2023

Typically, treating esophageal dysfunction involves stimulation of the vagus nerve, which impacts the esophagus but also many other bodily functions.
Researchers at the University of Virginia have found a neuron subtype which controls a set of axons that directly target esophageal muscle contractions.
Hopefully this research will continue and provide new insight to improve therapy for esophageal motility disorders!

Health experts say as many as one in five individuals over the age of 50 may be affected by issues swallowing.

28/12/2022

fMRI studies show changes in which brain regions are activated during swallowing for patients with Parkinson's disease as compared with a control group. The PD patients then underwent treatment with rTMS, and repeat fMRI indicated that the PD patients brains were activating more similarly to the control subjects during swallowing tasks.

We've shared an article about repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in August, and this research adds to an exciting emerging knowledge base!

Researchers sought to examine the effect on corresponding regions of the brain after patients with Parkinson disease (PD) and swallowing problems underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) after receiving 10 sessions of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation.

24/12/2022

Looking for IDDSI-friendly recipes for favorite holiday foods? Find some here, as well as links for pastry recipes, managing dysphagia diets at home, and more!

November 17, 2021 November 22, 20216 Holiday Recipes for Dysphagia Diets Recipes | Tags: Thick & Easy® This holiday season, expand your dysphagia-friendly menu with some creative dishes that are packed with seasonal flavor and safe for those on a variety of IDDSI levels. Caramel Apple Hot Toddy War...

21/12/2022

Patients with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) are more likely to have oral phase swallowing dysfunction than patients with Parkinson's disease, according to this research which used a specific FEES protocol for assessing the swallow function.
This new information was correlated with the Swallowing Disturbance Questionnaire and has helped determine a new subscore that might aid in early identification of dysphagia in MSA patients.

Background Dysphagia is a major clinical concern in multiple system atrophy (MSA). A detailed evaluation of its major endoscopic features compared with Parkinson's disease (PD) is lacking. Objecti...

14/12/2022

Are you looking for some clear and basic information for patients and families newly managing COPD and swallowing problems? This article may be helpful for people who are just learning about these conditions.

If you have COPD, you may experience changes in the coordination of breathing and swallowing.

07/12/2022

From 2012 to 2019 the rates of esophageal cancer nearly doubled in middle-aged people and rates of Barrett's Esophagus also rose in that population. Although EC and BE more commonly impact geriatric patients, this increase in prevalence for a younger population is concerning.

01/11/2022

Have you ever treated a patient with a lipoma in the pharynx or larynx?

31/10/2022

We hope everyone gets to enjoy a sweet treat this Halloween!
Have questions about what candy or snacks suit altered diet textures? Feel free to comment and ask!

28/10/2022

Happy Hallo-weekend! We hope your Friday isn't one of these... 😄

05/10/2022

We all know that radiologists and SLPs differ in their goals during a modified barium swallow study!
This article (with a link to the research discussed) considers what the purpose and procedure should be for VFSS/MBSS, as well as encouraging national organizations for both fields to work together to create a more standard protocol.

Radiologists and speech-language pathologists have vastly different opinions and practice patterns for performing fluoroscopic studies in patients with swallowing problems, research published Wednesday suggests.

28/09/2022

Most patients in this study conducted in China did not receive a dyspahgia screen after having a subarachnoid hemorrhage, but about 1/5 did develop pneumonia.
Researchers point to the importance of screening for dysphagia and indicate that dysphagia screens reduce likelihood of pneumonia as patients at risk are identified earlier.

Dysphagia is common and is associated with aspiration pneumonia. However, little is known about the prevalence of and factors influencing dysphagia screening (DS) and pneumonia after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH).We used data on SAH patients admitted ...