Dysphagia Management in Pediatric Oncology Populations: From Diagnosis to Survivorship

Presented by Kristin Szymanek, MA, CCC-SLP & Ellen Bursi, MA, CCC-SLP

Audience: Undergraduate, graduate students, Clinical Fellows, experienced clinicians

Webinar Description: This webinar will introduce the role of the swallowing specialist in the care of pediatric oncology patients, both during and after their cancer-directed treatment. Through a series of case-based discussions, the presenters will describe evidence-informed assessment and management strategies and highlight collaborations with the medical team and caregivers to optimize patient outcomes from diagnosis to survivorship.

Learning Objectives:

1) Describe 3 feeding/swallowing challenges that pediatric oncology patients may experience because of their cancer-directed treatment.

2) Discuss the role of the feeding/swallowing specialist in the evaluation and management of dysphagia from cancer diagnosis into survivorship.

3) Identify opportunities for collaboration with the multidisciplinary team and caregivers to optimize patient outcomes.

This webinar is approximately 60 minutes in length. This is a recording of a live webinar.

This webinar is offered for Professional Development Hours (PDHs), previously Certification Maintenance Hours (CMHs). For more info: https://www.asha.org/certification/factdef/.

Certificate of completion available upon request once completed.

Presenters:

Ellen Bursi, MA, CCC-SLP, is the Manager of the Speech and Language Pathology Department at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Ellen has nine years of clinical experience as a speech language pathologist delivering specialized, direct patient care within the pediatric oncology population. She is dedicated to supporting children and families throughout diagnosis, treatment, and survivorship, with expertise in evaluating and treating communication, cognitive, and swallowing disorders related to cancer and its treatments. Ellen collaborates closely with interdisciplinary teams to develop
individualized, family-centered care plans and is passionate about advancing rehabilitation services through both clinical innovation and education. Ellen’s work is driven by a commitment to improving quality of life for her patients and empowering
caregivers with strategies for ongoing support.

Kristin Szymanek, MA, CCC-SLP, is the Director of Rehabilitation Services at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where she has spent more than a decade as a speech- language pathologist serving children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases. Her clinical research explores speech and language development in infants and young children with medulloblastoma, as well as motor speech and swallowing rehabilitation in children with posterior fossa syndrome. A self-described pediatric palliative care champion and budding improvement scientist, Kristin is deeply committed to optimizing quality of life for children with serious illness and their families, and to equipping rehabilitation professionals with the knowledge and tools to deliver evidence-informed, compassionate care. In addition to her work at St. Jude, she is an adjunct faculty member in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders at the University of Memphis and serves on the Executive Board of the Posterior Fossa Society.