Say YES to NMES for Dysphagia

Send a text In this episode of Say Yes to NMES , Craig is joined by Jo Grayson , Speech Pathologist at Cerebral Palsy Alliance in Australia, who shares one of the most powerful pediatric dysphagia cases she has ever treated. Jo describes working with an infant who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest, resulting in severe dysphagia, profound oral aversion, constant secretion management issues, and even...

Send a text In this episode of Say Yes to NMES , Craig is joined by Joanna Fyffe , Speech Pathologist at Cerebral Palsy Alliance in Australia, to explore how neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES / VitalStim) is changing outcomes for children with complex disabilities and severe dysphagia. Joanna shares real clinical cases demonstrating how intensive NMES therapy can dramatically improve secr...

Send a text In this episode of Say Yes to NMES , I sit down with Dr. Elizabeth Harvey, a pediatric physical therapist and movement analysis expert with more than 20 years of experience working with medically complex children and their families. Elizabeth shares how her path led her into oral motor therapy and how she now combines NMES with sensory taping strategies to make a lasting difference in...

Send a text Welcome to another enlightening episode of "Say Yes to NMES"! In this episode, we dive deep into the world of pediatric dysphagia and the incredible impact of NMES (Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation) therapy on children's feeding challenges. Joining me today is Jane Moore, a veteran pediatric occupational therapist at Beach Kids Therapy Center, who has transformed the...

Send a text On this episode, I am joined by Nikki Howell.  Nikki is an SLP currently at a small rural hospital but has worked in just about every patient setting.  She talks about several of her patients - one with a more traditional dysphagia challenge and a unique one caused by oral aparaxia.  In both, she talks about the benefit of VitalStim treatment in getting that extra buy in that is so cri...

Send a text On this episode, I am joined by Jessica Barron.  Jessica is an SLP at a Level IV (4) neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).   Jessica has used NMES extensively on the kiddos in her unit since getting trained several years ago.  She estimates that 80% of the patients could benefit from NMES use for their swallowing and eating challenges.  Jessica talks about one the many successes she has...

Send a text On this episode I’m joined by Janice Osborne Dowdy, MS/CCC-SLP, CBIS - an SLP with NeuroRestorative/Sevita in Ashland, Kentucky.   We discuss a stroke patient of hers who was not progressing with traditional therapy.  He was a practicing attorney who now had a trach, peg tube, and was drowning on his own secretions.  Hear how adding VitalStim therapy first changes his outlook on life a...

Send a text Kimberly Gomez is an SLP and Rehab Director for a SNF/LTC facility in Amarillo, Texas.  Kimberly discusses the success she had with her VERY FIRST VitalStim patient.  A retired chef who had months of traditional therapy but could still not initiate a swallow.  With both he and his wife dealing with serious depression and even saying he would rather die than not be able to eat, Kimberly...

Send a text On this episode I’m joined by Lubna Nabulsi an SLP with FutureCare in Baltimore Maryland. We initially talk about a success she had with one of her stroke patients, but I am soon drawn to her story about a young man with muscular dystrophy. At 16, he is institutionalized and told he would would never eat again. However, when he was 21, Lubna helps him to eat his favorite thing - Chef B...

Send a text On This episode I talk to Lesley Mateer, owner of CIAO SEMINARS and the owner of the VitalStim/Dines training program. She talks about how she almost went to jail and why that has crystalized her mission ever since.  Listen as she talks about ethics and NMES for dysphagia and why protecting her fellow therapists is such a critical part of everything she does. 

Send a text Tina Mastrangelo - an SLP at an Encompass Health inpatient facility talks about one of her early patients. A gentlemen who just wants to have a "little bit" with his golfing buddies has been told he would never eat again. But for Tina, his treatment with VitalStim therapy becomes her inspiration to say to future patients -  “I don’t care what you have been told before, let’s...

Send a text Yorick Wijting is the author of the VitalStim and Beyond: DINES Specialty Certificate Course. Yorick  has taught all around the world in multiple languages. Yorick is the perfect person to discuss the success of NMES in the treatment of dysphagia as well as its past, present, and future. 

Send a text Today I talk to John Kelly MPT.  John is one of the VitalStim/DINES course instructors.  We discuss a range of NMES topics including the PT instuctor role in the VitalStim DINES course.  We also discuss several courses that John has developed for the SLPs (using typically PT techniques and practices) to help them treat their dysphagia patients - including Myofascial Releas and K Taping...

Send a text Stacey Brill talks about her success treating dysphagia in her Head and Neck Cancer Patients using NMES.