Caryn  Easterling, Ph.D., CCC-SLP, BRS-S 

Assistant Professor 

Interests and Expertise
Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders, Aging oral and pharyngeal function, rehabilitation of swallowing disorders in children and adults.

Recent Publications
Easterling C. Does an Exercise Aimed at Improving Swallow Functioin Have an Effect on Vocal Function in the Healthy Elderly?, Dysphagia Journal (in press).

Easterling C., Dysphagia and Dementia. Geriatric Nursing (in press).

White K, Easterling C, Roberts N, Wertsch J, Shaker R. Fatigue Analysis Before and After Shaker Exercise: Physiologic Tool for Exercise Design. Dysphagia Journal (in press).

Coyle JL, Easterling C, Lefton-Greif M, Mackay L. Evidence-Based to Reality-Based Dysphagia Practice. ASHA Leader 2007; Vol. 12(2):10-14.

Easterling C. What Happens in the Esophgus, Doesn't Stay in the Esophagus...So Who Cares? Perspectives on Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders 2007; Vol.16(4): 19-20.

Coyle JL, Easterling C, Lefton-Greif M, Mackay L. "Evidence-Based to Reality-Based Dysphagia Practice." ASHA Leader (2007). October; Vol 12; No 14, pp. 10-14.

Aslam M, Bajaj S, Easterling C, Kawamura O, Rittmann T, Hofmann C, Liu J, Shaker R. "Performance and Optimal Technique for Pharyngeal Impedance Recording: A Simulated Pharyngeal Reflux Study." American Journal of Gastroenterol. (2007) January; 102(1):33-39.

Suiter, DM & Easterling CS. "Update on current treatment and practice patterns for dysphagia." Topics in Geriatric Rehabilitation, Vol. 23, No. 3, (2007). pp. 197-210.

Easterling C, Grande B, Kern M, Sears K, Shaker R. Attaining and Maintaining Isometric and Isokinetic Goals of the Shaker Exercise. Dysphagia 20:133-138, 2005.

Kawamura O, Easterling C, Aslam M, Rittmann T, Hofmann C, Shaker R. Optimal Stimulus Intensity and Reliability of Air Stimulation Technique for Elicitation of Laryngo-UES Contractile Reflex. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol, Vol. 114, No.3. 2005.

Kawamura O, Easterling C, Aslam M, Rittmann T, Hofmann C, Shaker R. Laryngo- upper esophageal sphincter contractile reflex in humans deteriorates with age. Gastroenterology 2004;127(1):57-64.

Santharam R, Hofmann C, Rittmann T, Easterling C, Kern M, Dua K, Shaker R. Deleterious Effect of Systemic Alcohol on Reflexive Pharyngeal Swallow and Pharyngo-UES Contractile Reflex. Gastroenterology 2004; 126(2):A164-S1104.

Aslam M, Easterling C, Kawamura O, Rittmann T, Hofmann C, Liu J, Shaker R. Optimal Impedance Monitoring Technique for Minute and Small Pharyngeal Reflux Events. Gastroenterology 2004; 126(2):A321-M1379.

Easterling C. The Esophageal Phase of Swallowing. The ASHA Leader Vol 9 No. 7 p.18-19 April 2004

Shaker R, Ren J, Bardan E, Easterling C, Dua K, Xie P, Kern M. Pharyngoglottal closure reflex: characterization in healthy young, elderly and dysphagic patients with predeglutitive aspiration. Gerontology 49 (1): 12-20, 2003.

Easterling C. Getting acquainted with the esophagus. Perspectives on Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders (Dysphagia) American Speech and Hearing Association Division 13 Vol.12, No.2 June 2003.

Easterling C, Kawamura O, Rittmann T, Kern M, Saeian K, Shaker R. Reproducibility of Pharyngo-Glottal Closure Reflex in Awake Humans. Gastroenterology 2003; 124:A681.

Kawamura O, Easterling C, Aslam M, Rittmann T, Hofmann C, Shaker R. Optimal Technique and Stimulus Intensity for Elicitation of Laryngo-UES Contractile Reflex in Awake Humans. Gastroenterology 2003; 124:A680.

Kawamura O, Easterling C, Aslam M, Hajhijhi S, Kern M, Shaker R. Elicitation of the Laryngo-UES Contractile Reflex is Impaired in Elderly. Gastroenterology 2003 l124:A83.

Easterling C, Kawamura O, Hajhijhi S, Shaker R. Reproducibility of Laryngo-UES Contractile Reflex in Humans Gastroenterology 2003;124:A258.

Baja J, Dua K, Kawamura O, Easterling C, Rittmann T, Shaker R. Reproducibility of Pharyngo-UES Contractile Reflex and Reflexive Pharyngeal Swallow and Magnitude of Intra and Inter-observer Variability. Gastroenterology 2003; 124:A257.

Easterling C. Ethics: Does it define and guide our practice or do we guide it? Perspectives in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders 2003: Vol 12 No 4.

Easterling C. The Shaker Exercise: Rationale and Results. ASHA Publication: Special Interest Division 13, February, 2002.

Spinelli K, Easterling C, Shaker R. Radiographic evaluation of complex dysphagic patients: comparison with videoendoscopic technique. Current Gastroenterology Reports, Vol.5, No.3. 2002.

Shaker R, Easterling C, Kern M, Nitschke T, Massey B, Daniels S, Grande B, Kazandjian M, Dikeman K. Rehabilitation of swallowing by exercise in tube fed patients with pharyngeal dysphagia secondary to abnormal UES opening. Gastroenterology 2002; 122:1314-1321.

Speaker Topics 
Dysphagia
Language Disorders, Acquired

Education
Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, Communicative Disorders, 2004
M.S., Marquette University, Speech Pathology, 1974
B.S., Marquette University, Speech Pathology, 1972