Episode 4: Head and Neck Cancer

06/11/21 • 61 min

Guest: Brooke Beilman, MS, CCC-SLP - Today’s episode is dedicated to the SLP’s role in head and neck cancer and we invite Brooke Beilman, MS, CCC-SLP, to speak about this important subject. Brooke is an SLP with experience in acute care, inpatient rehab, outpatient rehab, and skilled nursing settings. With certifications in manual interventions like myofascial release, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, NMES, and the Mcneill Dysphasia Therapy Program, Brooke is as brilliant as she is kind. We kick things off by hearing about how Brooke got the idea to become a speech pathologist and then bring this proactive intervention to patients with head and neck cancer, thereafter helping to develop a rehabilitative program for these patients during her CF. From there, we discuss the rise of the role of HPV in the development of head and neck cancer in younger patients and the implications of this. We get into the signs and symptoms of head and neck cancer, common treatment forms used by oncologists, and how this differs from those used by an SLP. Next up, we take a deep dive into the role of lymphatic impairment in head and neck cancer. Brooke helps us understand the lymphatic system and the role it plays in the body, and also weighs in on the condition of lymphedema and the role of myofascial release in treating it. We wrap things up with a conversation about functional aspiration as well as scope of practice and the role of the SLP in treating head and neck cancer patients. Tune in today!

Previous Episode

Episode 3: Dysphagia From Trauma

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 that 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 of the times she has been in public and noticed that a person was 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!

Next Episode

Episode 5: Pediatric Feeding Disorders

Guest: Kristen West, MS, CCC-SLP - Everything is connected within the realm of SLP; nutrition, education, family dynamics, environmental factors, to name but a few. Our guest today works at the intersection of all of these. Her name is Kristen West, and she is an expert on all things related to Pediatric Feeding Disorder (PFD). One in 37 children under five in the United States struggle with PFDs, and we are thrilled that there is soon to be an ICD 10 code that accurately captures PFDs for the first time. Alongside numerous other roles, Kristen is the Director of Education for the Dysphagia Outreach Project (DOP), and the work she is doing through this organization is what forms the basis of our conversation today. Kristen is passionate about equipping communities with the skills and resources they need in order to ensure the best possible outcomes for children with feeding and swallowing issues. The lack of continuity of care, overarching feeding programs, and funding, make this a difficult task, but Kristen is well prepared for the challenge. Kristen shares with us today what she has learned over many years about bridging the gap between knowledge and action, sharing resources, transition meetings, and the importance of getting everyone on board with the mission to help children who are struggling with PFD’s. Feeding is a paramount life skill, and the interventions that DOP is implementing, are changing lives!