The Organic Swallow with DPNS and E-Stim Certifications  Goals    Schedule

This three day workshop is for Speech Language Pathologists who have their CCC and/or CFY, and for DPNS certified SLPs. This course is designed to provide the attendee with a knowledge base for organic dysphagia evaluation and treatment. All attendees receive 2.7 ASHA CEUs.

Traditionally, speech language pathologists have been trained on a "symptomatic" rather than an "etiologically" based analysis process to describe the patient's dysphagic condition. However, analysis of a patient's symptoms i.e., "valleculae pooling", "pyriform sinus pooling", and "pharyngeal residues" does not allow the clinician to understand which organic sensory or motor mechanisms to treat in therapy. The clinician is left to "guess" as to whether they are to treat a sensory deficit, motor deficit, a reflex mechanism, or an autonomic function such as salivation. Skilled organic analysis allows the SLP to specifically determine the neurophysiological components creating dysphagia i.e., specific thermal receptors, specific muscles, specific reflexes, deficit parotid generation of salivation, etc., which then can be targeted in the patient's plan of care. Consequently, organic dysphagia analysis "leads" the clinician to understand the dysfunctional neurophysiological components which "create the symptoms". Organic analysis is a true and empowering step forward for the practicing SLP.

The workshop will concentrate on the organic foundations of the swallow - salivation, sensory systems, motor systems, reflex mechanisms, with additional information on drugs, and pathological
disease patterns. Extensive attention will be given to current medicare and OBRA Guidelines laws and documentation required to obtain maximal reimbursement. The participant will participate in interactive classrooms on specifric topics.

DPNS dysphagia treatment is a systematized therapeutic method for pharyngeal dysphagia which utilizes eleven specific stimulation techniques within the oral/pharyngeal areas. DPNS study results indicate DPNS dysphagia treatment improves and/or restores oral/pharyngeal muscle strength, endurance, and pharyngeal reflex functions which are necessary in the total swallow function. Overwhelming anecdotal evidence in combination with previous clinical studies indicate a high efficacy rate for patients with varying neurological etiologies.

Speech Language Pathologists will be instructed via classroom demonstration in Deep Pharyngeal Neuromuscular Stimulation (DPNS) dysphagia treatment and in the use of a 9 volt electrical stimulator for the separate certification for the Facial Muscle Exercise Program (FMEP). The EMS-2C electrical stimulator is an FDA approved over -the-counter product which is described as the gold standard for electrical stimulators.

The Workshop will also concentrate on salivation management (pharmacological & prosthetic), cranial nerve lesion sites and their impact on the oral-pharyngeal swallow function, reflex competency assessment, CN sensory tract assessment, Medicare law HCFA/CMS clinical indicators, and documentation-- evaluation through discharge. Six classrooms with one-on-one instruction will be provided to enable participants to apply lecture information in their clinical settings.

To register please view our Upcoming Workshops.

Course Goals

Course Schedule