Presenter
Hanneke Kalf, PhD
Financial Relationship: Travel expenses were reimbursed by Parkinson Voice Project. In addition, a donation was made to ParkinsonNet in honor of Dr. Kalf’s participation in this lecture.
Nonfinancial Relationship: None
Hanneke Kalf, PhD is a speech-swallow therapist, clinical epidemiologist, assistant professor, and lecturer at Radboud University Medical Centre in Nijmegen, the Netherlands. A clinician and lecturer since 1982, Dr. Kalf received her PhD in 2011 from the Radboud University Nijmegen where she researched drooling and dysphagia in persons diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. In 2007, Dr. Kalf helped develop ParkinsonNet, the Netherlands’ network of healthcare providers specializing in the treatment and management of patients with Parkinson’s disease and Parkinsonisms. Dr. Kalf is past president of the Standing Liaison Committee of Speech and Language Therapists/Logopedists in the European Union (CPLOL), the European organization with more than 80,000 members. She has authored several peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters and is the lead author of three books on swallowing disorders, evidence-based practice, and Parkinson’s.
Lecture Description
Parkinson’s disease may cause severe oral motor problems, including difficulty with chewing and saliva control. Swallowing disorders (medically referred to as “dysphagia”) in Parkinson’s can slow down the speed of drinking and eating. Fatigue while eating, as well as difficulty swallowing medications, can also be experienced in individuals diagnosed with Parkinson’s and atypical Parkinsonism. If left untreated, dysphagia can cause choking on food or liquids that can lead to life-threatening aspiration-induced pneumonia. Speech-language pathologists can help those with Parkinson’s and their families improve the safety and efficiency of the swallowing mechanism.