October 2025 IDDSI e-bite

It takes a village…PROJECT REACHOUT: 

Project ReachOUT is an IDDSI initiative to establish formal relationships with organizations that support standardized dysphagia diet terminology.  The initiative got off the ground in March 2025 when IDDSI was able to engage seven prominent European Professional Associations to sign a collaborative declaration to support and promote IDDSI in the EU.  The momentum has continued with the Brazil IRG successfully formalizing support with 3 agencies. To see all the details on their webpage click here Brazil IRG webpage

The Argentina and Mexico IDDSI Reference Groups (IRG) are also both in the process of formalizing relationships in their respective regions.  The Chile IRG members have translated the Project ReachOUT collaboration agreement into Spanish, to facilitate communication among stakeholders.  

Supporters may be a variety of agencies including: 

• Professional associations such as speech pathology, occupational therapy, dietetics/nutrition, nursing, medicine, food services, etc 
• Healthcare networks such as hospitals, residential/aged care, facilities, rehabilitation centers, etc 
• Academic institutions 
• Patient advocacy groups focused on conditions commonly associated with dysphagia 
• Government health departments or regulatory bodies. 

IDDSI reference groups from around the globe are working together in their regions to seek out opportunities to expand and formalize relationships with agencies who embrace standardized dysphagia terminology through the IDDSI Framework and resources. The IDDSI Board of Directors is very appreciative of the work done by the IDDSI Reference Groups with Project ReachOUT.  We look forward to updating again as more supporter relationships are formalized.  

IDDSI AROUND THE GLOBE

 

Australia IDDSI Festival and Academy Pilot:  The Australian IDDSI Festival and IDDSI Academy Pilot was held in Brisbane Australia on October 20 and 21, 2025.  Both events were well received and a resounding success!! The October 20th IDDSI event, which featured a panel of chefs and cooks, just happened to coincide with International Chef’s Day, so there was much to celebrate. Congratulations to the Australian Team for hosting an incredible event!

ESSD in Athens, Greece

The European Society for Swallowing Disorders (ESSD) held its 15th annual congress in Athens, Greece on October 7-11,2025. At the congress, IDDSI was well-represented during the oral platforms, posters and in the Exhibits Hall. The IDDSI table was very popular thanks to our volunteers from the IDDSI Greece reference group, as well as IDDSI reference group volunteers from Portugal, Turkey, Italy, Austria and Brazil. Attendees had the opportunity to chat with our Co-Chair, Luis F. Riquelme and discuss implementation and volunteerism, among other topics. Many thanks to our hosts, the IDDSI Greece reference group for coordinating and managing our volunteer schedule. Congratulations! 

Global Updates

Canada: Read all of the October highlights in the Can-Do newsletter on the CIRG webpage

United States: Check out our newsletter on the USIRG webpage Featuring our favorite Halloween costume... the IDDSI Bitsy Spider!



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.

IDDSI Events

Asia IDDSI Conference 2025: "IDDSI Possibilities"

Wednesday, November 5th, 2025

Venue: The Berkeley Hotel Pratunam, 559 Ratchaprarop Road, Makkasan, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand

We can't wait to see you in Bangkok, Thailand!

The full program and speaker abstracts are available here: https://www.iddsi.org/events/asia-iddsi-conference-2025-bangkok-thailand

📧 Inquiries: asiaevents@iddsi.net

Webinars and IDDSI Learning

Webinar: Dysphagia at the Festive Table: Embracing Everyone

Date: Thursday, December 11, 2025

Time: 05:00 AM PST (in Vancouver, BC)

On World Dysphagia Day, we invite you to learn from experts about the challenges of dysphagia and how to create inclusive dining experiences.

We'll create a festive menu that features delicious recipes tailored for those with swallowing difficulties, led by a renowned chef. Let's celebrate inclusivity around the table!

This webinar is for anyone interested in swallowing difficulties or dysphagia - healthcare professionals, patients, and caregivers.

Programme:

1. Welcome by Peter Lam, CEO IDDSI Global

2. Dysphagia and Emotional Health with Dr Paula Collazo, PhD. Psychologist, Universidad Pontifica de Comillas, Madrid Spain

3. Nutritional Considerations in Dysphagia Management – Presenter to be confirmed



4. Cooking Demonstration of a Festive Menu for Adults with Swallowing Difficulties and the Whole Family with Elizabeth Perez, Gastronomic Chef and Culinary Advisor, Food Project Barcelona

5. Q&A

To register and for more information please go to: this link

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. 

Upcoming Events:

• 2nd Asia Dysphagia Society Conference, Bangkok, TH, Nov 6-8, 2025 https://ads2025thailand.com/