Continuing Education

Advancing Care to Enhance Lives

Our continuing medical education (CME) series fills knowledge gaps identified by both patients with Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and their families. This series presents current insights into clinical questions and helps providers develop a well-informed, caring, and empathetic practice. Hear from families about their experiences with ALS and learn from nationally acclaimed experts while earning CME credit.

Empowering Healthcare Providers

The following CMEs provide practitioners with a high-level overview of ALS biology, diagnostics, treatments, and advances in therapeutics to empower their practice with practical tools. For speech, occupational, and physical therapists, these modules also offer an in-depth look at assessing and managing ALS speech and mobility challenges. Learn more about each module below.

ALS Fundamentals: Pathophysiology, Prognosis, and Presentation

Presented by Michael D. Weiss, MD, University of Washington

This presentation reviews the pathophysiology of ALS, its epidemiology and prognosis, and common risk factors that can lead to the disease. Additionally, it provides an overview of how the disease manifests, diagnostic testing including EMG study, and a discussion regarding consensus criteria for assisting in the diagnosis.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the pathophysiology and epidemiology of ALS.
• Learn about risk factors, disease presentation, progression, and prognosis.
• Apply the latest guidelines to guide accurate and timely diagnosis of ALS.

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ALS Treatments

Presented by Ileana Howard, MD, Veterans Health Administration

With an overall lifetime risk of 1 in 400 Americans, almost all healthcare professionals will care for persons with ALS during their careers. While a cure for ALS is still elusive, there are many treatments known to improve both quantity and quality of life for persons with ALS. This presentation reviews the currently available disease-modifying therapies for ALS and details the most common secondary symptoms and best practices in symptom management and multidisciplinary care.

Learning Objectives

• Name the three available disease modifying therapies currently approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for ALS.
• List the top three secondary symptoms persons with ALS endorse following diagnosis.
• Describe the benefits of multidisciplinary specialty care for persons with ALS.

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Advances in ALS Biology and Therapy

Presented by Merit Cudkowicz, MD, MSC, Massachusetts General Hospital

This presentation reviews current knowledge of ALS biology, treatments, and clinical trials. It describes the genetic causes of ALS, the known pathophysiology, and current and new treatments in development. The presentation explains the need for earlier diagnosis and new initiatives to improve the diagnostic journey. It also discusses innovations in trial design and approaches used for ALS and expanding into the broader field of neurotherapeutics.

Learning Objectives

• Learn current information on the biology of ALS.
• Comprehend current information on treatments for people with ALS.
• Understand new clinical trial approaches and treatments in development for people with ALS.

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Respiratory Care of Individuals with ALS

Presented by Joshua O. Benditt, MD, University of Washington

This presentation will focus on understanding the effects of ALS on the respiratory system, how to measure those effects, and the current best treatments for breathing issues in ALS when encountered. 

Learning Objectives

• Gain a greater understanding of the “global” effects of ALS on breathing.
• Learn to assess, measure, and plan treatment for the three main breathing “insufficiencies” in ALS.
• Understand and implement advanced care planning for patients with ALS.

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Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Exercise Prescription

Presented by Virginia Kudritzki, DPT, CSRS, Veteran’s Health Administration

The learner will receive a brief background on the ALS diagnosis as well as the most up to date research specifically looking at ALS and exercise prescription. Combining the extrapolation of exercise parameters from the literature and 15 years of clinical experience with ALS, this presentation will provide general FITT-VP exercise recommendations for the ALS population. Practical considerations and precautions will be provided to assure that providers can prescribe and individuals with ALS can safely participate in an exercise program.

Learning Objectives

• Identify indications for exercise prescription for an individual living with ALS.
• Identify safety precautions for modifying exercise prescription for an individual living with ALS.
• Apply evidence and practical recommendations for exercise prescription in the ALS population to create a safe exercise program.

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OT and ALS

Presented by Heather Overoye OTR/L

This presentation briefly describes what occupational therapy (OT) is, what settings a patient with ALS might encounter an OT, and what OTs would focus on and assist ALS patients with throughout the stages of ALS.

Learning Objectives

• Understand the role of occupational therapy in managing the functional decline associated with ALS.
• Identify the impact of ALS on occupational performance and participation.
• Recognize the importance of early occupational therapy intervention in optimizing quality of life for individuals with ALS.

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ALS: Impacts on Speech, Language, and Swallowing

Presented by Amy M. Kemp, PhD CCC-SLP, Washington State University

ALS has significant impacts on a person’s speech, language, and swallowing. Up to 80-90% of people with ALS receive a diagnosis of dysarthria or dysphagia, often co-occurring. This session will discuss assessment and management of dysarthria and dysphagia providing specific examples and resources for providers. 

Learning Objectives

• Assess the impact that ALS has on speech, language, and swallowing.
• Identify strategies and supports that can assist people with ALS and their caregivers in speech, language, and swallowing.
• Explain how early referral and management can impact quality of life and empower people with ALS and their caregivers.

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