10 Years of IDDSI - Festivals, Festivals, Festivals
1st Canada IDDSI Festival 
The first annual IDDSI Canada Festival took place on October 26th at Humber College in Toronto. The sold-out crowd enjoyed a packed day of learning and networking. Keynote presentations were shared by Marianne Katusin, Director of Support Service at Halton Healthcare, who discussed implementation in a multisite hospital system and founding IDDSI board member Dr. Catriona Steele who reflected on the development of the IDDSI framework. A panel discussion including representation of IDDSI users across the service spectrum, from research to industry to food services to frontline clinicians, who highlighted the value of IDDSI at all points of care.

Participants had the chance to circulate between live classroom demonstrations of food preparation options, teaching on clinical assessment with IDDSI and a large vendor fair.

A tremendous thank you to Humber college for welcoming this event. The large group of student volunteers were key to making the day run smoothly. Feedback has been so enthusiastic that the planning committee is already exploring a repeat event in 2024!

Thank you to our generous sponsors for making this day a great success!
L-R: Ellen Andrews and Amber Capotosto of the Canada IRG and Co-organizers of the Festival
IDDSI Check-in Booth
After registration and welcoming, delegates enjoyed presentations from IDDSI experts across the practice spectrum. Watch one of the presentation videos from John Holaham and Maria-Domenica D'Agostino here
The vendor fair was the highlight of the day. Delegates sampled foods and drinks designed for IDDSI texture & thickness levels, sourced products and shared their own challenges and successes.
Food can be a joy at any texture. Vendors featured innovative dysphagia friendly products. Delicious!
Classroom demonstrations of food preparation techniques and menu solutions were enthusiastically attended.
The IDDSI Canada Festival Planning Committee wants to give special thanks and recognition to the Culinary students at Humber College for their volunteer contributions.  
Congratulations to the Canada IDDSI Festival Planning Team for a wonderful event. Keep a look out for more information about the 2024 IDDSI Canada Festival soon!
HOLD THE DATE!!!
US IDDSI Festival 2024
Pre-register for the 2024 US IDDSI Festival and get on the contact list. We will contact those who pre-register for the festival and give them priority registration! Take a few moments to get on the list now. 
Interested to host an IDDSI Festival for your country or region in the future? 
Contact office@iddsi.org for more information and let us know your interest.  
IDDSI Funnels
Where to Purchase
If you are interested in purchasing the IDDSI Flow Test Funnel, designed with the IDDSI Flow Test in mind, and tested in-laboratory, please head to:

100-unit package: 
 
10-unit package:

We are continuing to expand regional distribution of the IDDSI Funnel to enable greater accessibility across the globe. Please check back here regularly for updates. 

If you wish to be a reseller of the IDDSI funnel in your country, please reach out to us for more information.
The use of the IDDSI Flow Test goes beyond thickened beverages consumed orally!

The IDDSI Flow Test is now also used for checking thickness for commercial tube feeding formula or homemade blenderized tube feeds. Cardinal Health, IDDSI Gold Sponsor has created The Kangaroo OMNI™ pump which gives tube feed patients more options to choose homemade or commercially blenderized formula's that are categorized as Level 2, 3 or 4 drinks within the IDSSI framework.1

The Kangaroo OMNI™ Enteral Feeding Pump from Cardinal Health is the first and only enteral feeding pump in the U.S. designed to deliver thick formula2, using the IDDSI framework as the official guide for defining fluid consistency!




For more information, visit www.mykangaroolearning.com
1 Epp L, Blackmer A, Church A, et al. Blenderized tube feedings: practice recommendations from the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition. Nutr Clin Pract. 2023;1‐30. doi:10.1002/ncp.11055
2 Thick formula: Enteral fluids of smooth consistency that would be categorized as level 2, 3 or 4 Drinks within the IDDSI framework.
Thank you to our new Gold Sponsor:
IO SANO
IO SANO è l'azienda leader che ha ideato e realizzato dal 2001 RISTOSANO una soluzione innovativa per l’alimentazione e idratazione dei pazienti disfagici presso case di riposo e ospedali, mediante macchine automatizzate e preparati disidratati prodotti con ingredienti naturali e secondo ricette tradizionali, in particolare italiane, in collaborazione con chef e scuole di alta cucina.
Una soluzione che garantisce sicurezza reometrica, apporti nutrizionali certi, varietà e qualità nei menù.
IO SANO realizza inoltre soluzioni per l'alimentazione dei pazienti disfagici a domicilio.

IO SANO is a leading company that created in 2001 RISTOSANO, an innovative solution for the nutrition and hydration of dysphagic patients in nursing homes and hospitals, by the means of automated machines and dehydrated preparations produced with natural ingredients and according to traditional recipes, mostly derived from italian and mediterranean way of cooking in collaboration with chefs and haute cuisine schools.
This solution guarantees rheometric safety, certain nutritional intake, variety and quality in the menus.
IO SANO has created a special line of production for feeding dysphagic people in the community.
Conference Updates
ASHA 2023 – Boston, MA (Nov 16-18, 2023)

Many thanks to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) for providing IDDSI the opportunity to interact and engage with incredibly numbers of ASHA 2023 attendees. We were thrilled to hear many, many success stories about implementation and also stories of struggles. But, the one thing that we did not hear this year is: ‘What is IDDSI?’ We are thrilled that IDDSI is now familiar to most! A very warm thank you to all US IDDSI Reference Group leaders/volunteers and IDDSI Board members who spent time at the IDDSI booth to welcome everyone. 
Congratulations to Mary Casper, Danielle Demerdash, Deidre Larsen, Robert Melchionna, Mary Rybicki, Karen Sheffler, JoBeth Vance for their wonderful presentation of: Not Enough Cooks in the Kitchen: Sparking Team- and Evidence-Based Implementation of IDDSI.
1st International Conference of Asian Dysphagia Society (ADS International Conference 2023) joint with the 14th Annual meeting of Korean Dysphagia Society, at Suwon Convention Center, Suwon, Korea from Nov 9 - 11, 2023:

This ADS event presented an exciting chance to exchange up-to-date information and insights across the theme of dysphagia. There were various outstanding scientific and educational agendas.
 
3 IRG leaders from Asian countries - Mari Nakao-Kato from Japan, Chien-Hui Cheng from Taiwan, and Varanya Techasukthavorn from Thailand, had a great time participating in the conference and meeting up together.
The conference featured a lot of plenary, keynote, and parallel sessions with globally acclaimed speakers, alongside engaging hands-on workshops. Varanya joined a parallel session of Comprehensive care for patients with Dysphagia with a talk of “IDDSI implementation in Thailand.
 
It was a great time for knowledge exchange, and networking of Dysphagia management in Asian countries.
Registration Booth
ADS 2023 Welcome Banner
Implementing IDDSI in Thailand
Presentation on patient statistics
Thank you everyone for such a successful event!
Global Updates
If there is IDDSI implementation activity happening in your part of the world and you do not see the information on the IDDSI website or mentioned in the e-bite, please contact us and let us know, We will be most happy to acknowledge your contribution and let the rest of the world know what you are doing.
Take a look below to see what global and different reference groups are doing to support IDDSI Implementation.
Australia: Perfecting the mash, one potato at a time
We have been working hard in Australia to discover the best methods for preparing mashed potato with the purpose of providing your patients safe and palatable options. Our mashed potato project has involved investigating the attributes of various potato varieties and analysing their suitability to the IDDSI framework, focussing on consistency and stickiness. Our aim is to be able to be replicate these results on potato varieties in other countries, and produce a troubleshooting guide for mashed potato preparation for home use and larger commercial kitchens.

We have made great progress and are looking forward to sharing the results with the IDDSI world via a webinar in early 2024!  
Survey results are in!
We conducted a survey amongst healthcare professionals in Australia on the current status of IDDSI in healthcare facilities. The results provide valuable insights into the progress and implementation of the IDDSI framework since its adoption in 2019. Look out for our webinar in 2024 where we will share the results. 
 
Event planning is underway
Planning discussions have begun for hosting a local IDDSI event or series of events in Australia, so watch this space!
 
Join our team!
The Australia IDDSI Reference Group is seeking volunteers to join the group and become active in developing content and championing the IDDSI framework throughout Australia. The group meets monthly to plan and discuss progress on current projects. Contact australia@iddsi.net if you would like to join or for more information.
ITALY:  A congress about dysphagia in the community was held in Verona on Nov 18th, 2023. The key speakers were four of our Italy Iddsi "companions": Nicoletta Bonisolli - Speech therapist, Antonio Amitrano - Speech therapist, Mattia Bertolazzo - Speech therapist and Dr. Raffeale Esposito, Nursing Home Physician, along with Carlo Pedrolli - Dietologist and IDDSI Board Membersponsored by Nutrisens Italy.
Carlo Pedrolli presenting
IDDSI Framework Presentation
Long Term Care: The Long Term Care IRG is requesting picture submissions to feature in our upcoming educational resource! Use the link below to upload pictures of a typical, plated meal at your long term care setting. Do not include images of any persons, or any identifying information (meal slips with names, etc.). Please include the country/region and texture/consistency name in the image title. These meals do not have to be IDDSI-labeled, we welcome pictures of all textures and consistencies! Click here to upload your image(s). Thank you!
USA: The Resource and Best Practise group has researched and indexed helpful IDDSI Resources for you. Check the details here 
You can visit the USIRG's webpage here for more information or email them at usa@iddsi.net
Meet our newest IRG - Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, an IDDSI reference group is currently being assembled. It will be a collaborative effort of multiple professionals. The group is looking for volunteers to help with the implementation of IDDSI throughout the Saudi Arabia Health Sectors. We are now looking for volunteers to help advise, promote, advocate, facilitate, and support IDDSI implementation in Saudi Arabia. Please contact us at saudiarabia@iddsi.net if you are interested in joining.

The status of IDDSI implementation in Saudi Arabia varies among different hospitals, organizations, and regions. One of the biggest rehabilitation organization began IDDSI implantation in 2019 and has made great progress toward actual implantation through the coordinated efforts of all professionals. Some hospitals have only lately begun focusing on awareness and advocacy, and many still lack awareness and understanding of IDDSI. The Saudi Arabia IRG's mission is to advocate for, promote, and facilitate IDDSI implementation across Saudi healthcare sectors, professionals, and public and private organizations. Our mission will be to create a plan with numerous specialists to raise awareness in Saudi Arabia as well as to unify dysphagia and diet labeling practices across the public and private health sectors in order to comply with the IDDSI guidelines and references.

تعتبر هذه المبادرة من المفاهيم المستحدثة خلال السنوات القليلة الماضية و في طور الانتشار في مختلف المستشفيات في مناطق المملكة العربية السعودية. و بسبب قلة المعرفة لدى معظم الممارسين الصحيين بمختلف التخصصات بهذه المعايير فإن الجهود موجهة نحو زيادة الوعي وتطبيقها في القطاع الصحي. مؤخرا في عام ٢٠١٩ نجحت واحدة من أكبر مستشفيات التأهيل على مستوى المملكة العربية السعودية في تطبيق بعض من هذه المعايير بفضل تكاتف الجهود و الخبرات من العاملين في المستشفى بمختلف التخصصات. لذلك كان الهدف من إنشاء هذه المجموعة هو أن تساهم بشكل فعال في توسيع و نشر هذه المبادرة على نطاق واسع من القطاع الصحي الخاص و العام و ذلك بنشر الوعي و المعرفة بتلك المعايير و المواصفات و توفير الدعم و المصادر لتحقيق ذلك.
IDDSI Reference Group Volunteering
If you are interested in joining an IDDSI Reference Group, please email the contact for the group. We welcome everyone who wants to help with guiding & fostering IDDSI implementation. Being part of a reference group is a great opportunity to meet IDDSI friends in your local, regional area. And you never know, something amazing may happen when great brains come together!
Don't see an IDDSI Reference Group for your practise or regional area? Interested in starting an IDDSI reference group to help support IDDSI implementation in your regional or practice area? Fill out the form here.
Webinars & IDDSI Learning
Event: Pros and Cons of Thickening Liquids for Patients with Dysphagia

Date: Jan 17 (Americas) 6pm EST / Jan 18 (Australasia) 12pm NZTD
To see your local time, click on Show In My Time Zone.
Session Description: This session will provide participants with an overview of the use of thickened liquids in both adults and children, and how the IDDSI flow test has benefited patients and providers. We will discuss current practice and the benefits that they may offer for some patients. We will also talk about the possible disadvantages of their use. We will critically appraise the evidence-base in this controversial clinical field of practice in both adults and children and discuss the current position of our international Association on their use.

Learner outcomes:

  • Identify 3 pros of thickening liquids for adult and pediatric patients with dysphagia
  • Identify 3 cons of thickening liquids for adult and pediatric patients with dysphagia
  • Develop a balanced view of the role of thickening in dysphagia management

Laura Brooks M.Ed. CCC-SLP BCS-S received her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and her Master’s degree from the University of Virginia. She has been a speech language pathologist since 1999, and has been board certified in swallowing disorders since 2012. She is a Clinical Specialist at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta working with pediatric patients in the intensive care units and acute care units. She specializes in management of pediatric dysphagia and tracheostomy/ ventilator dependent patients. She has published research, journal articles, case studies, and textbook chapters related to pediatric dysphagia and tracheostomy/ventilator dependent patients. She serves on the Bioethics Committee, Global Tracheostomy Committee, and ICU Liberation/Early Mobility/ECMO Committee at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta.

Dr Anna Miles is a practising speech-language therapist with 25+ years of experience working in the acute and community setting. Anna is an Associate Professor at The University of Auckland. She is a researcher, lecturer and clinician in the area of voice and swallowing disorders. Anna runs a hospital-based student teaching clinic as well as an outpatient voice and swallowing rehabilitation clinic. She is the New Zealand Speech-language Therapists’ Association Expert Adviser in Adult Dysphagia. 
  
Dr Miles has ~130 peer reviewed publications and 1900+ citations. The Swallowing Research Laboratory in the Centre of Brain Research at The University of Auckland, led by Dr Miles, strives to improve the lives of people with swallowing difficulties through improved assessment, treatment and medical education. 
If you have any suggestions for webinar topics, we’d love to hear them! Head over to our Contact Us form, choose subject “Webinars”, and let us know what you’d like to see in the upcoming months. 
Previous Webinars and Recordings
Missed any of our other webinars? All our webinars are recorded and can be found on here, but please note rewatching the webinars on YouTube will not provide you with a Certificate of Attendance.

If you register and then cannot attend a webinar, PLEASE make sure to cancel so we may open another spot up for someone else.  Thank you very much for your consideration. 
Upcoming Events:

  • ESSD 2023 13th Annual Congress, Deglutition: what a junction! Toulouse, France  November 28-December 2, 2023 https://essd2023.org Plan to visit the IDDSI exhibitor booth to meet members of the EU IDDSI Reference Groups, get some IDDSI resources and discuss your IDDSI activities.

  • United Kingdom Swallowing Research Group (UKSRG) Conference - Edgbaston Hotel and Conference Centre, Birmingham, UK February 8-9, 2024 https://www.uksrg.org.uk/conferences/ Come and visit with UK IDDSI Reference Group members and IDDSI Board members at the IDDSI Exhibitor Booth. There will be IDDSI resources available! 

  • Dysphagia Research Society Annual Conference 2024 – San Juan, Puerto Rico  March 12-15, 2024 https://www.dysphagiaresearch.org/page/2024-Annual-Meeting Visit the IDDSI booth at DRS 2024 and connect with others from the IDDSI community. If you wish to help at the IDDSI booth at DRS 2024, please contact office@iddsi.org 

If you are aware of other events where IDDSI will be featured, please share the information with us by sending the details to: office@iddsi.org
Take a look to see where different regions are in respect to supporting IDDSI Implementation.
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Interested in starting an IDDSI reference group to help support IDDSI implementation? Fill out the form here.