Head and Neck Cancer: A Hard Thing to Swallow Extended Ecourse

Course overview

Head and Neck Cancer (HNC) has devastating effects on an individual's quality of life. The complexity of rehabilitation needs can leave the PT, OT, SLP and patient feeling overwhelmed. Patients require specialized, interdisciplinary rehabilitation throughout treatment and survivorship. This intermediate level course for PTs, OTs, and SLPs provides an extensive explanation of the evaluation and treatment of dysphagia, dysarthria, trismus, laryngectomy, lymphedema, radiation fibrosis, pain, shoulder dysfunction, cervical and thoracic mobility, and cancer-related fatigue with an interdisciplinary, collaborative rehabilitation approach. This course delves into treatment approaches and the importance of including physical and occupational therapy in the treatment of HNC population. Following this course, participants will be able to develop and implement an interdisciplinary, comprehensive rehabilitation program to address the complex needs of this population as well as community programs to raise awareness of HNC.