Dysphagia Mini Series: Diagnosing Aspiration Pneumonia: Why it’s so hard and what it means for the SLP

George Barnes MS, CCC-SLP, BCS
March 13, 2025
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Teaser

Aspiration pneumonia: it's like that unwanted pimple that pops up at the worst possible time. But unlike a pimple, it's incredibly difficult to diagnose and can have serious consequences. Dive into this blog post to explore the murky world of aspiration pneumonia, where we unravel the diagnostic challenges, decipher confusing statistics, and uncover the secrets to accurate identification. Get ready for a deep dive into the lungs (and the medical chart)!

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Curious?

Explore this blog post to learn more about the challenges of diagnosing aspiration pneumonia.

Diagnosing Aspiration Pneumonia: Why it’s so hard and what it means for the SLP

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The Author

George Barnes, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, is a board-certified specialist in swallowing and swallowing disorders. As a medical speech-language pathologist, he has developed expertise in adult dysphagia management, focusing on diagnostics and clinical decision-making in the medically complex population. George is passionate about making education useful and providing accessible, quality care. With a deep appreciation for the joy and connection that food brings to our lives, he has dedicated his life to helping others enjoy this simple but deep-rooted pleasure. George has contracted with national and international organizations as a medical SLP subject matter expert, including Northern Speech Services, the Medical SLP Collective, Medbridge, SpeechPathology.com, and many other companies, state and national associations, universities, and law firms.

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Written by
George Barnes MS, CCC-SLP, BCS
CEO, FEESible Swallow Solutions
Guest author

George Barnes, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S, is a speech-language pathologist and one of roughly 400 clinicians in the U.S. to hold Board Certification in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders. He has spent more than a decade working with medically complex patients across acute care, long-term acute care, and inpatient rehabilitation, including at Hackensack University Medical Center, Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation, and Select Specialty Hospital.

George is CEO of FEESible Swallow Solutions, a medical expert witness for SwallowStudy & Associates, a mentor with the Medical SLP Collective, and an adjunct professor at Seton Hall University, where he trains graduate students for medical settings. He serves as a subject-matter expert on dysphagia for organizations including ASHA and the National Foundation of Swallowing Disorders.