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    The Anatomical Study of Swallow Dynamics

    Online

  • RESOURCES & DISCIPLINES  

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    Appropriate Disciplines

    • APPROPRIATE DISCIPLINES
    • Occupational Therapist
    • Speech Language Pathologist
COURSE MENU

Course Description

If you’re looking to deepen your understanding of the swallowing mechanism, this comprehensive online course provides the perfect foundation. Led by expert instructors Yorick Wijting, PT, DPT, and Jan Pryor, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, this course dives into the anatomy and stages of swallowing, helping you build the knowledge and skills necessary to treat dysphagia with confidence.

The course features a fresh, modern design that enhances your learning experience, making it intuitive and engaging. Participants have praised the helpful videos and real-life case studies that bring the material to life and solidify key concepts. Plus, you’ll have access to 10 hours of in-depth instruction at your own pace, making this a flexible and valuable resource for dysphagia professionals.


The swallow is a complex neuromuscular event.

A symphony of nerve impulses travels back and forth between the cortex, brainstem, and muscles to prepare the bolus and guide it safely down toward the esophagus. Clinicians treating swallowing disorders aim to engage this system for therapeutic purposes by facilitating specific muscle groups, inhibiting others, and enhancing feedback to retrain movement patterns. The skillful application of these interventions requires a thorough understanding of the anatomy involved in swallowing movements.

This course is designed to provide dysphagia professionals with the foundational knowledge necessary to participate in advanced courses that require a detailed understanding of swallowing anatomy. It will build the therapist’s knowledge and skills in treating swallowing disorders, offering a stronger foundation for comprehensive examinations of dysphagic patients. Additionally, the course will enhance professional communication between swallowing professionals and other healthcare providers involved in dysphagia treatment.

  • This course focuses on adult swallowing anatomy.
  • For pediatric focus (under 5 years of age), see MBS: The Clear Picture Pediatric.
  • This course may be taken as a stand-alone online course.
  • This course is also a pre-course to the VitalStim/DINES Specialty Certificate Program.
  • If you are registering for the VitalStim/DINES Specialty Certificate Program, this course is already included. (No need to register for this course separately.)

Course Requirements:

  • A computer with internet and working speakers/sound are required.
  • The course must be completed within 30 days of activation (activate within 6 months of purchase).
  • An online multiple-choice quiz (80% passing score) and submission of an online evaluation form are required for successful completion.
  • A certificate of completion will be available to print immediately after successful course completion.
  • SLPs: ASHA CEUs may be obtained by completing the online ASHA form and selecting the "Report to ASHA" box.

Course Objectives

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

  • List and describe the key movements of the musculoskeletal swallowing system and their interaction.
  • Name and describe the anatomy of the swallowing system, including musculature, skeletal structures, and neurological tissues.
  • Describe and contrast the oral, pharyngeal and esophageal stages of the swallow from an anatomical perspective.
  • Appraise and categorize the topography of key swallowing anatomy in relation to surface anatomy landmarks and in relation to other structures at different depths.
  • Summarize key neurological innervation patterns pertaining to normal swallow function.

Jan Pryor

Jan Pryor, PhD, CCC-SLP, BCS-S - Jan is a Speech Pathologist with over 30 years of clinical experience across the medical setting spectrum. She has traveled throughout the USA and Europe training speech pathologists and physicians in dysphagia evaluation and treatment. Jan earned her MA in Speech Pathology from the University of Northern Colorado in 1984 and completed her PhD at the University of Washington in 2022. She became a Board Certified Specialist in Swallowing & Swallowing Disorders in 2009.

Financial Disclosure: Jan receives remuneration from CIAO seminars for the creation and maintenance of this course material.
Non-Financial Disclosure: no relevant relationships exist

Yorick Wijting

PT, DPT

Yorick received his Physical Therapy degree in the Netherlands and his DPT at the University of St. Augustine, Florida. He has extensive training and practical experience in biophysical agents and teaches nationally and internationally to medical professionals on their therapeutic use. Yorick has been instrumental in developing the use of electrical stimulation by Speech Language Pathologists in the treatment of dysphagia. Yorick currently lives in California and runs his private practice in Gilroy, CA.

Financial Disclosure: Yorick receives honoraria from CIAO Seminars for the presentation of his live course(s) and royalties for the sale of his recorded course(s). Yorick is the author and an instructor for the VitalStim Therapy Specialty Program.
Non-Financial Disclosure: no relevant relationships exist

14 Minutes
Introduction
106 Minutes
Lesson 1: Swallowing Movements
101 Minutes
Lesson 2: Oral Stage Anatomy
109 Minutes
Lesson 3: Pharyngeal Stage Anatomy
93 Minutes
Lesson 4: Esophageal Stage Anatomy
125 Minutes
Lesson 5: Anatomical Topography
37 Minutes
Lesson 6: Challenge Cases
4 Minutes
Support
20 Minutes
Final Exam
10.2 Hours
Total

Delivery VIA:

  • Online - This course is offered in an online, on demand format.

Contact hours pre-approved for:

  • 10 Hours
  • CIAO is an ASHA Approved Provider #AAWA (1.0 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.
  • As an IACET Accredited Provider, CIAO offers CEUs for its programs that qualify under the ANSI/IACET Standard
  • CIAO is authorized by IACET to offer 1.0 CEUs for this program
  • This course meets PDU requirements for NBCOT (1.0 PDUs)
  • CIAO is an Approved Provider for the Florida Board of Occupational Therapy
  • Approved for:
  • 1.2 Hrs. OT/COTAs in FL (CE Broker #20-1189492)
  • 1.0 Hrs. 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, GA, HI, ID, IA, IN, KS, 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, VA, WA, WV, WY

    • Introductory Level
    1.0 ASHA CEUs


    CIAO is accredited by the International Association for Continuing Education and Training (IACET). CIAO complies with the ANSI/IACET Standard, which is recognized internationally as a standard of excellence in instructional practices. As a result of this accreditation, CIAO is accredited to issue the IACET CEU.


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


    Reviews

    Thank you for the resources at the end!

    - Phippsburg, CO / Jan 2025

    I would preder if there an optional voice over that read off everything as your going through the slides. I do best with auditory teaching methods

    - Shreveport, LA / Dec 2024

    I enjoyed all of the material presented. I believe I am better prepared for the DINES conference.

    - Shreveport, LA / Dec 2024

    Overall great course, very educational! Flash cards and image diagrams were great.

    - Manhasset, NY / Dec 2024

    I feel more comfortable with understanding the anatomy and physiology of the swallow.

    - White Plains, NY / Dec 2024

    Loved the graphics. Wish I could save all information as a document to reference later on. It was so very helpful and organized well. I would be really nice to have it as a reference for the future.

    - Philadelphia , PA / Nov 2024

    Great course!

    - Hahira, GA / Nov 2024

    the topography videos/diagrams which showed the different layers were especially helpful in helping me see the individual muscles in relation to the whole. I also appreciated the images with cadavers to help me see this.

    - Irvine, CA / Oct 2024

    Good course! If I had one suggestion it would be to add more videos.

    - Edinboro, PA / Sep 2024

    Some of the quiz questions related to the articles seemed to be overly specific at times, e.g. not focused on the primary messaging of the article. The videos were particularly helpful and engaging and I would recommend more, as many clinicians are likely completing this course with limited time and after work hours (for instance our cohort had ~1 week total to complete this prep work outside of our regular full time work hours). Thanks very much!

    - Louisville, KY / Aug 2024

    This course was very helpful and provided a lot of great videos to help solidify the material.

    - Johnson City , TN / Aug 2024

    The content was very thorough and very humbling. There were moments I had wished there was a more broken-down version of the content in layman terms or with real-life examples to illustrate the content in action.

    - Jacksonville, FL / Aug 2024

    good course

    - Royal Palm Beach, FL / Aug 2024

    Truly enjoyed this review. Thank you!

    - Knoxville, TN / Jul 2024