Serving Students With Dysphagia in the Schools? Educational Preparation Is Essential!

Abstract

Speech-language pathologists employed in public schools are increasingly being faced with serving students with dysphagia because schools are serving students who may have previously been served in health care or institutional facilities. Students with significant health problems, severe disabilities, or orthopedic impairments may require the services of a school team-a team that may not include any person with adequate training in swallowing evaluation and treatment. Speechlanguage pathologists should not provide services to students with dysphagia without pursuing continuing education to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills. To do so would compromise the speech-language pathologist's ethical standards, jeopardize the student's health, and create undue liability for the school division.