One of the Carter Swallowing Center patients’ success story was featured on CBS Channel 4 News at Noon on Monday. Click here to watch the TV segment. Joanna started at the Carter Swallowing Center being unable to swallow any foods or liquids, including her much needed medication which she could not crush and put in [...]
A puree diet can taste GOOD
Think puree consistency foods are terrible? Well, I have to admit that most are. However, I am currently working with a woman with dysphagia that happens to be a gourmet chef, and she has completely made me re-think puree consistency food. During each therapy session she would bring in another one of her [...]
Drink water without pneumonia? It’s possible!
If you frequently choke on thin liquids, like water, here is a program that you may want to talk to your swallowing therapist about to see if you are a candidate. One of the medical risks for patients who have difficulty swallowing is the threat of aspiration pneumonia. The safest way to minimize the risk [...]
Minimizing the Risk of Aspiration Pneumonia
One of the most serious health risks to patients who have difficulty swallowing is that of developing aspiration pneumonia. “Aspiration” is the medical term for when food or liquids go into the wind pipe (trachea) and then into the lungs when swallowing. Repeated aspiration can eventually lead to pneumonia. Of course the best way to [...]
Fighting Parkinson’s with the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT®)
Many patients with Parkinson’s disease have difficulty not only with swallowing but with communicating as well. One of the most researched treatments for patients with Parkinson’s is the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT®) program, which is available at the Carter Swallowing Center. What is LSVT? The program is based on some key principles of why specifically [...]
2012: Providing Dysphagia Education for Patients and Clinicians
Happy New Year! I am eager to start the new year and launch all my new plans for the Carter Swallowing Center. For me 2012 will be all about Reaching Dysphagia Patients and Teaching Dysphagia Clinicians… Reaching dysphagia patients: Anyone who has ever heard me talk about my swallowing center for more than 5 minutes [...]
Hot Topics in Dysphagia Research
Speech pathologists from all over the world meet at the Dysphagia Research Society conference every year to present and discuss the latest and greatest in swallowing research. Many of these studies eventually go on to be published in peer-reviewed journals, but since publication can be a time-consuming process, the DRS presentations allow a sneak peek [...]
Dysphagia Documentary Now on YouTube
The first time I saw Swallow: A Documentary, it brought tears to my eyes (hokey, but true). Not tears because of how tragic dysphagia is for the 2 adults and 1 child in the movie, but tears of joy because of the HOPE that these patients have for getting better. Part of my dream in starting a [...]
Reflux and Difficulty Swallowing
Almost every patient I see for swallowing therapy has a history of “reflux”. The term reflux means “backflow” and describes the cause of the symptom of heartburn. But there is more to reflux than just heartburn. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is when reflux from the stomach leaks backward to the esophagus (food tube from the [...]
The Medicare Therapy Cap…YOU Can Make a Difference!
Medicare benefits for speech therapy are in danger of becoming limited by arbitrary financial limits unless Congress takes action. This could result in many seniors not being able to receive all the therapy they need even when they have the potential to make additional progress. Speech pathologists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists are lobbying [...]
