June 2021 Newsletter
Happy Father’s Day to all the DADs!
Do not forget to fly your American flag on the 14th in honor of our country, our troops and our freedom!
Flag Day falls within National Flag Week, a time when Americans reflect on the foundations of the nation’s freedom. The flag of the United States represents freedom and has been an enduring symbol of the country’s ideals since its early days. During both events, Americans also remember their loyalty to the nation, reaffirm their belief in liberty and justice, and observe the nation’s unity. Although Flag Day is a nationwide observance, it is not a public holiday in many parts of the United States. It is a legal holiday in a few areas in the USA, such as Montour County in Pennsylvania.
June is Dysphagia Awareness Month
How are you helping recognize dysphagia awareness month? The best way to celebrate this month is to educate and advocate! Don’t forget to spread the news throughout social media and use #dysphagiaawareness so all can be aware of this debilitating disorder. Educational products below can be found at DiagnosTEX online shop at www.dysphagiadiagnostex.com.
ABOVE and BEYONDBy: Ronda Polansky M.S. CCC-SLP
Patient, Caregiver, and Healthcare Professional Educational Reference Sheets and Handouts for Effective Dysphagia Rehabilitation. Over 30 handouts on specific disorders in dysphagia in ONE location to use in your practice, plus a resource section for SLP’s on cranial nerve testing, pharyngeal exercises, and treatment techniques. A need to have booklet in your therapy bag!! Cost: $40.00. (plus S&H). Discounted to $30.00 for MBSH Month. Order online today!
Copies of MBSS studies for education of staff and families on various disorders and clear episodes of penetrations and aspirations. Cost - $40.00 (plus S & H). Discounted to $30.00 for MBSH Month. Great educational tool for anyone! This is the same videos we presented at TSHA. Order online today!
Advocate for Proper Dysphagia Evaluations
Material to assist in educating Physicians, Administrators, Nurses and other Medical Professionals on Dysphagia and MBSS. Cost $30.00. Order online today!
Ampcare CE Training Locations & Dates
Ampcare Virtual CEs
- June 22 & 23
Live CEs
- June 4 Fort Worth, Texas
For all licensed SLPs, (8 hours of advanced ASHA CE).
https://www.swallowtherapy.com/product/online-course/
Discount code: Ampcare Cares for $50 off
Be the first 25 to sign up for a course in June and get an Ampcare Tumbler Cup, and the new “It’s Science Y’all” T-Shirt and Pen!
Rehab Synergies, does an amazing job at supporting and providing continued education for their employees. I was so excited to speak in person at their Dysphagia and Dining night and they also hosted an Ampcare course with Rick and Russ the following week! DiagnosTEX and Ampcare are so honored to partner with them on the ongoing education in dysphagia.
DiagnosTEX summer schedule
DiagnosTEX has decided to run vans Monday through most Fridays through the mid-summer months into early Fall (September – October). This will be for a season and not a long-term change in our schedule, in order to meet the upcoming needs of our referrals and patients.
Esophageal Cancer
Esophageal cancer is a relatively rare cancer, with 18,440 cases expected to be diagnosed in the United States this year, according to the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. While those cases account for only about 1 percent of U.S. cancer diagnoses, esophageal cancer has poor survival outcomes, with a five-year survival rate of only 19.9 percent. Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is one of the most common types of esophageal cancer. It is a lethal cancer with rising incidence. In a study, Iyer and colleagues sought to assess trends in incidence, stage, and survival outcomes in patients diagnosed with EAC before age 50 compared with those diagnosed at later ages. The researchers used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database to identify 34,443 cases of EAC diagnosed between 1975 and 2015. They calculated age-standardized incidence across three age groups: under 50; 50-69; and 70 and over. Incidence of EAC increased across all age groups, with the rate of incidence for patients under age 50 increasing an average of 2.9 percent per year between 1975 and 2015. Younger patients were more likely to be diagnosed at advanced stages of the disease, with 84.9 percent of those under 50 diagnosed at regional or distant stages, compared with 67.3 percent of those 50 or older. The authors added that patients should be aware of risk factors and symptoms of esophageal cancer. Symptoms typically include difficulty swallowing, chest discomfort, or unintended weight loss. They added that certain high-risk groups, such as those with long-term reflux and those with a family history of esophageal cancer, should discuss screening with their health care providers.
American Association for Cancer Research Journal reference:
Codipilly, D.C., et al. (2020) Epidemiology and Outcomes of Young-Onset Esophageal Adenocarcinoma: An Analysis from a Population-Based Database. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention. doi.org/10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-20-0944.
Don’t ignore the esophageal phase when evaluating for dysphagia. MBSS is the only instrumental evaluation that can assess this adequately to make appropriate referrals.