Summary: Diet modifications and swallowing exercises are a mainstay in dysphagia rehabilitation, but do they truly prevent aspiration pneumonia or rehabilitate impaired swallowing? Do researchers have a responsibility to conduct studies that justify or refute frequent SLP use of thickened liquids, swallowing compensatory strategies and/or maneuvers? In this Down the Hatch episode, Dr. Ianessa Humbert and Alicia Vose (doctoral candidate) discuss the clinical decision to not prescribe thickened liquids as well as literature that addresses whether there is evidence to support swallowing exercises to rehabilitate dysphagia.
