CIAO Seminars - VitalStim® Plus - NMES and sEMG Biofeedback

COURSE MENU

Course Description

Exercise is the key ingredient to rehabilitation and dysphagia rehabilitation is no different. The skilled clinician must have a variety of treatment tools available to facilitate an effective exercise program. Ten years ago, VitalStim Therapy introduced NMES as such a tool and it has proven very effective. This course will take the VitalStim Provider to a new level using NMES for dysphagia therapy. The course will review the core concepts underpinning successful use of NMES in the dysphagic patient. Current research will be reviewed to explore how the NMES parameters such as frequency, phase duration and duty cycle can be changed to maximize impact. Participants will learn about the benefit of using up to 4 channels of stimulation and will learn how to sequence the stimulation between channels to mimic a normal swallowing sequence. In addition, two new modalities will be reviewed and practiced: sEMG Biofeedback and sEMG triggered electrical stimulation. This dynamic course will focus on hands on skills. The participants will work with the latest technology combining VitalStim, NMES, sEMG and sEMG triggered stimulation.

Disclosure: This course covers information that pertains to the effective and safe use of VitalStim Plus equipment. Participant must be a VitalStim Therapy Provider prior to attending this advanced level course.

ATTENDANCE:

Attend as part of the LIVE STUDIO AUDIENCE in Gulf Breeze, Florida - Studio audience seats are limited - so register today!
Attend via LIVE STREAM from anywhere around the world. Live stream participants will login to access the event from their computer.

NOTE:

This live event is streamed in real time.
Course agenda is in Central time, please adjust for your time zone
Registrants who attend the live broadcast will be able to interact with instructor.
All registrants will have access to the broadcast recording for 14 days.
A group may view the course together, however each attendee must be individually registered in order to receive CE credit.

COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS:

Attend/view entire course
Pass multiple choice quiz (80% min score)
Complete online course evaluation

CEUs:

SLPs - this course is registered with ASHA as Blended Learning. ASHA CEUs may be earned by attending live, viewing the recording, or a combination of both.
OTs - Participants who need live hours for state license renewal must attend in real time yet, will still have access to the recording for 14 days.

It is strongly recommended (although not required) for streaming participants to have the following:

VitalStim Plus device
Two packs of electrodes
Wrap to secure electrodes
A partner or family member if available
One reference electrode (this will have a pigtail and can be round or square)

Looking for a VitalStim Renewal course?

ONLINE RENEWAL Click Here for VitalStim Therapy DINES Renewal eCourse
LIVE RENEWAL Click Here for Adult Focus or Click Here for Pediatric Focus

Course Objectives

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Verbalize the key neurophysiological and practical principles relevant to the use of VitalStim Therapy in the treatment of dysphagia
Summarize the key findings of recent publications on the topic of NMES in the treatment of dysphagia
Demonstrate appropriate selection and execution of NMES protocols with parameter settings that differ from the VitalStim protocol and verbalize their rationale
Modifying the pulse frequency
Modifying the phase duration
Modifying the duty cycle (e.g., 4 seconds ON, 12 seconds OFF)
Using up to 4 channels of stimulation
Sequencing the stimulation between channels (for example, start stimulation on the oropharyngeal sling and follow with stimulation of the submandibular muscles)
Describe the mechanism of action of sEMG Biofeedback in the treatment of dysphagia
Demonstrate the correct execution of sEMG Biofeedback used for common neuromuscular impairments present in dysphagia
Describe the mechanism of action of sEMG triggered stimulation in the treatment of dysphagia
Demonstrate the correct execution of sEMG triggered stimulation used for common neuromuscular impairments present in dysphagia
Demonstrate the replication of protocols described in key publications utilizing the VitalStim Plus technology

John Kelly

M.P.T.

A graduate of the University of St. Augustine’s graduate Physical Therapy Program. John has over 17 years’ experience with acute inpatient and hospital-based outpatient rehabilitation and currently an outpatient clinical director for Siskin Rehabilitation Hospital in Chattanooga, Tennessee. John continues to balance full time patient care with administrative responsibilities. John is NDT certified and an experienced manual orthopedic therapist working toward his clinical doctorate and manual therapy certification. John is a certified VitalStim® Instructor and has taught orthopaedic and electrotherapy courses across the country. John is an accomplished clinical instructor and consistently is recognized for his exceptional patient rapport and strong evaluations from course participants.

Financial Disclosure: John is a salaried employee for his position at Siskin Rehabilitation Hospital. John Kelly receives honoraria from CIAO Seminars for the presentation of his live courses. He also receives royalties for the purchase of his recorded course(s)
Non-financial Disclosure: No relevant non-financial relationship exists.

Gina Gallo

M.S. CCC-SLP, NDC

Gina E. Gallo was educated at the University of Rhode Island where she received her B.S. in Communication Disorders and her M.S. in Speech-Language Pathology. Gina has worked as a medical Speech-Language Pathologist since 1998 across various levels of care, concentrating in swallowing and voice disorders. She is a Certified VitalStim Instructor and uses Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation in her clinical practice at Spaulding Outpatient Center. Gina recently became one of the first SLPs to earn the NDC credential (NMES for Dysphagia Certified). She has worked extensively with patients diagnosed with head and neck cancer, and previously served on Head and Neck Tumor Board at Rhode Island Hospital. She has also served as a guest lecturer for the Southern New England Rehab Center annual conference, and as Adjunct Faculty at the University of Rhode Island in the area of Voice Disorders.

Financial Disclosure: Gina receives honoraria from CIAO Seminars for the presentation of this course. She also receives royalties for the purchase of her recorded course(s)
Non-Financial Disclosure: Gina uses VitalStim Therapy in her practice.

Jodie Dacy

M.S. CCC-SLP, NDC

Jodie graduated from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL with a Master of Science degree in Communication Disorders. She has been a practicing speech language pathologist since 1995 with extensive experience in the private sector, school settings and clinical experience in hospital settings which include long term care and outpatient rehab. Jodie became a VitalStim® Provider in 2005. Since then she has utilized this modality in the treatment of dysphagia with both her pediatric and adult patients. Jodie is also a licensed NOMAS® practitioner and certified in NDC (NMES for Dysphagia), MDTP (McNeil Dysphagia Therapy Program) and Myofascial Release. She has presented locally and nationally on various topics such as Best Practices, The Benefits of Oral Motor/Feeding Therapy on Articulation/Speech Clarity amongst others. Currently, Jodie serves the Speech Language Pathology profession as a therapist at Val Verde Regional Hospital in TX and as a certified instructor of the VitalStim® Therapy and DINES Specialty Certificate Program for CIAO Seminars.

Financial Disclosure: Jodie receives honoraria from CIAO Seminars for the presentation of this course. She also receives royalties for the purchase of her recorded course(s)
Non-Financial Disclosure: Jodie uses VitalStim Therapy in her practice.

Kelly Salmon

SLPD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, CLT-LANA, NDC

Kelly is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) specializing in the treatment of adults with communication and swallowing disorders across the continuum of care. She has been a Board Certified Specialist in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (BCS-S) since 2011 and is one of the only SLPs in the U.S. to earn designation in 2014 as a Lymphology Association of North America Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT-LANA) specializing in the treatment of head and neck lymphedema. Over the past several years of her career, Kelly has focused on becoming an expert in the treatment of swallowing disorders resulting from many medical conditions including head and neck cancer, stroke, and progressive disease and recently became one of the first SLPs to earn the NDC credential (NMES for dysphagia certified). She also works with individuals following total laryngectomy to rehabilitate and restore communication and swallowing function. Kelly was awarded her bachelors degree in speech pathology and audiology at Stockton University in New Jersey, her masters degree in speech pathology at New York University, and is currently completing her clinical doctorate in speech pathology at Nova Southeastern University. Kelly takes pride in contributing to the field of speech-language pathology through teaching a graduate-level dysphagia course at Temple University in Philadelphia, supervising speech-pathology students, presenting posters and lectures at national conferences, publishing articles on various topics related to swallowing and communication disorders, and engaging in multidisciplinary research initiatives. She is currently in the process of completing a clinical research study examining swallowing-related outcomes for individuals undergoing specialized robotic surgery for head and neck cancer. Kelly works in an otolaryngology practice at a large academic medical center in Philadelphia, PA and is dedicated to providing the highest level of evidence-based care for all of her patients.

Financial Disclosure: Kelly receives honoraria from CIAO Seminars for the presentation of this course. She also receives royalties for the purchase of her recorded course(s)
Non-Financial Disclosure: Kelly uses VitalStim Therapy in her practice.

Tom Holland

PhD, PT

Dr. Tom Holland received his physical therapy education and his PhD degree from the Physical Therapy Program of NYU. He is an Assistant Professor at the City University of New York - Hunter College/Program in Physical Therapy. In addition, he is an Adjunct Instructor at New York University, Columbia University, and Dominican College. His practice includes per diem work at Kessler Institute (Saddle Brook NJ). Tom's physical therapist practice and specialty areas include physical modalities and kinesiology. Tom has been a Certified VitalStim Instructor since 2002 and has co-taught dozens of VitalStim Certification Courses across the country.

Financial Disclosure: Tom receives honoraria from CIAO Seminars for the presentation of this course. He also receives royalties for the purchase of his recorded course(s)
Non-Financial Disclosure: no relevant relationships

Julie DeVahl

PT, DPT, OCS

Julie DeVahl, PT, DPT, OCS was an Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Education in the Physical Therapy Department at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX from 2002 until she retired Dec 2022. A physical therapist since 1979, Julie brought her experience with electrical stimulation in clinical practice to the classroom. In addition to teaching, she maintained a clinical practice, working primarily with patients with temporomandibular dysfunction and facial paralysis. Julie is board-certified in orthopaedic physical therapy and an active member of the APTA and TPTA. She has been an instructor for CIAO since 2003 and adds an inviting style of teaching to the VitalStim Therapy Specialty Program. “I see my role as an instructor to enable the SLPs and OTs to feel as comfortable using electrical stimulation as they do giving verbal instructions for swallowing.”

Financial Disclosure: Julie receives honoraria from CIAO Seminars for the presentation of this course. She also receives royalties for the purchase of her recorded course(s)
Non-Financial Disclosure: No relevant disclosures.

JONATHAN ROSE

MS, PT, SCS, ATC

Jon received his Master of Science from Eastern Illinois University in 1992 and his Certificate of Physical Therapy from Ohio State in 1997. Jon currently holds an academic appointment as an Assistant Professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, TN. He teaches courses in anatomy, pathology, orthopedics, and sports medicine. He continues to treat patients and conduct research at Campbell Clinic. He is pursuing a Ph.D. in educational research at the University of Memphis. Formerly the director of rehabilitation for Samaritan Regional Health System in Ashland, Ohio, Jon has also worked as the Director of Physical Therapy and Sports Medicine Coordinator for Campbell Clinic in Memphis, TN. Jon is currently a Certified Instructor for the VitalStim® Certification Course teaching NMES for the treatment of dysphagia. Jon’s professional appointments include Team Physical Therapist and Rehab Consultant for several semi-professional and professional sports teams. He is an NATABOC certified Athletic Trainer and a member of the APTA, Ohio PT Association, and Tennessee Athletic Trainers Association.

Financial Disclosure: Jon receives honoraria from CIAO Seminars for the presentation of this course. He also receives royalties for the purchase of his recorded course(s).
Non-financial Disclosure: There are no financial relationships to disclose.

Day 1

08:00 - 03:15

Live Stream 8:00 AM Central (9:00 Eastern; 7:00 AM Mountain; 6:00 Pacific)

08:00 - 08:15

Knowledge inventory

08:15 - 09:15

NMES core concepts

09:15 - 10:00

Review of the literature – What do we know?

10:00 - 10:15

Break

10:15 - 12:00

sEMG biofeedback – lecture & lab

12:00 - 12:30

Lunch

12:30 - 01:30

sEMG triggered stimulation – lecture & lab

01:30 - 02:30

Advanced NMES application – lecture & lab

02:30 - 02:45

Q&A, Close

Delivery VIA:

Live On Tour - This course is now being offered live on locations throughout the United States.
Live Stream - This course is offered from our Live Stream studio. Watch and interact with the instructor from wherever you are or join us as part of the studio audience in sunny Gulf Breeze, FL. Included with each Live Stream registration is access to the course recording for the 14 days immediately following the broadcast.

Contact hours pre-approved for:

6 Hours
CIAO is an ASHA Approved Provider #AAWA (0.6 ASHA CEUs) bubble sheet submission required
ASHA CE Provider Approval and use of the Brand Block does not imply endorsement of course content, specific products, or clinical procedures.
CIAO is an Approved Provider for AOTA #4119 (0.6 AOTA CEUs)
This course meets PDU requirements for NBCOT (6.0 PDUs)
CIAO is an Approved Provider for the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy
Approved for:
7.0 Hrs OTs in FL (CE Broker #20-550157)
6.0 Hours Registered with CEBroker for OT/COTAs in AL, AZ, GA, LA, MS, SC, TN

Course meets requirements for:

OT/COTAs in AL, AK, AZ, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, DC, GA, HI, ID, IL, IN, IA, LA, KS, KY, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, MT,

OT/COTAs in NE, NV, NH, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY

Advanced level
0.6 ASHA CEUs

The assignment of AOTA CEUs does not imply endorsement of specific course content, products, or clinical procedures by AOTA.

CIAO is recognized on the NBCOT Provider Registry (meets PDU requirements for NBCOT)

CIAO Automatically reports to CE Broker for Florida Occupational and Physical Therapists and Assistants. Florida SLPs can either use the ASHA CE Participant Form (Bubble Sheet) or self-submit through CE Broker.

Reviews

More case studies for specific diagnoses, we commented on the types of patients we treat (e.g.., PD, dementia, CVA) but did not discuss much how treatment could differ across these diagnoses. I would have also liked more specific guidelines for setting modifications based on specific exercises; I liked learning how to set the parameters for the Mendelsohn and would have enjoyed more examples.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Sep 2024

I enjoyed the labs!

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Sep 2024

It was easy to understand and follow along.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Feb 2024

Labs were very helpful.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Feb 2024

Excellent Presentation. Very informative & practical.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Feb 2024

Jon is a great trainer. Really enjoyed his approach and how he explained the material.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Feb 2024

This was very helpful. Thanks.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Dec 2023

perhaps consider giving participants more than 2 weeks to complete course as it is difficult to manage with FT work schedule/other obligations, perhaps 3-4 weeks if possible?

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Sep 2023

The early slides on explanation of dysphagia as a valve system, principles of exercise, and review of neuroanatomy were not needed in my case. I would have liked the entire session to focus on the research and use of the VitalStim Plus device.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Sep 2023

PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT LEARNERS KNOW TO HAVE THE REGULAR VITALSTIM ELECTRODES AND MORE THAN ONE PAIR TO PRACTICE ON THEMSELVES OR FAMILY MEMBERS

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Sep 2023

Wonderful presentation overall! Some of the sEMG portion went quickly (i.e., as she was changing the targets quickly I was having trouble keeping up!) but I just plan to go back and rewatch it again. Very worthwhile course, and I look forward to using the device in my clinical practice!

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Sep 2023

Good presenter. Thank you. The djo website and downloads are a bit confusing from past experience. They need to date the new versions. VS/NMES is a good tool to use in dysphagia tx in conjunction to exercises and PO intake trials. SWALLOW SWALLOW SWALLOW .

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Sep 2023

Info on SEMG was helpful

- Denver/Englewood, CO / May 2023

Jon was a great instructor. I really feel like the way he presented info and the labs really helped me learn.

- Denver/Englewood, CO / May 2023

Jon is a great teacher!! Thank you! I always enjoy the breadth of info in these courses.

- Denver/Englewood, CO / May 2023

Enjoyed it!

- Denver/Englewood, CO / May 2023

Time constraints due to size of group

- Denver/Englewood, CO / May 2023

This was a fantastic format. It is my first time doing a live course online and I loved it! No changes at all! Can’t wait to use this in real life. Glad I have notes to refer to??

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Oct 2022

I thoroughly enjoyed the information and format. Julie did a great job of presenting the topic in an accessible way. Thank you!

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Oct 2022

presenter was awesome and knowledgeable - would be more helpful to have a feeding therapist present/co-present as well to give additional examples related to what OT/SLP see in treatment versus PT examples and to be able to answer some of the more OT/SLP specific dysphagia questions that came up in Q&A

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Oct 2022

I would love to watch videos of the instructor during an actual tx session using SEMG and especially SEMG/VMS.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Aug 2022

Very informative course material.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Jun 2022

Excellent presenter - significant knowledge base - will take more courses because this one was excellent!

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Jun 2022

Overall really great! So glad live steam was an option. I really appreciate all the CIAO does to support SLPs!!

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Jun 2022

Wish there was more time focused on the lab aspect of the course and less on the background/refresher portion. Since this is an "advanced" level course, most people understand the principles behind NMES and I felt like we had to rush at the end to get through all the lab portions.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Jun 2022

Thank you so much! What a fantastic course. I learned so much!

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Jun 2022

Great course!

- Gulf Breeze, FL / Feb 2022

good sense of humor-incorporating jokes into presentation. More time for practice with each of the different modalities, less time spent on research. Despite this having to be virtual, was still easy to see device and it's functions.

- Gulf Breeze, FL / Feb 2022

Thank you for saying that about this course not being used in place of the renewal of Vital Stim. I would have been operating under that impression.

- Gulf Breeze, FL / Feb 2022

Include pediatric patients in Vital Stim plus course and reference “how to” step by step videos like in the course for future viewing. Thanks! Great presenter and good information.

- Gulf Breeze, FL / Feb 2022

Great course. Good pace of presentation.

- Gulf Breeze, FL / Feb 2022

The labs were very helpful to solidify my knowledge!

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Aug 2021

Good course, I enjoy the course.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Aug 2021

well done - smooth and informative, speaker interactive and engaging

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Aug 2021

I would encourage all attendees to use FireFox! Google Chrome did not work well.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Aug 2021

Thank you for a very thorough course.

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Jun 2021

excellent course

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Jun 2021

Overall, I enjoyed the course and will be coming back for the revamped DINES portion. I do think review of the literature is very important and should not have been skipped. I would like to hear more about NMES theory and hope there is a course on that in the future. I am excited about NMES technology, but our field has a long way to go!

- Live Streaming or Studio Audience, FL / Apr 2021

I was not aware we needed a reference electrode (or what they even were!) prior to the course so I did not have one with which to participate in the final set of labs. In the future, especially for livestreams, it would be helpful to know that ahead of time to be fully prepared and able to participate to the fullest extent.