Swallowing
Swallowing difficulty is also known as ‘dysphagia’, and includes any difficulty with drinking, eating, sucking, swallowing, chewing and protecting the lungs, from food or drink going down the wrong way.
What Dysphagia looks like:
- Coughing or choking
- Slow eating/drinking
- Feeling like food gets stuck in the throat
- Drooling
- Food in the mouth after swallowing
- Frequent chest infections
- Gurgly voice after eating when talking or vocalising
How Speech Pathologists help:
- Assessment: to evaluate oral, pharyngeal and oesophageal stages of a swallow.
- Exercises: to strengthen mouth, tongue and throat muscles if appropriate.
- Strategies and education: to help teach safe techniques during meal times.
- Diet Modifications: to assist with food/liquid textures for safety when eating and drinking.
- Referrals: for videofluoroscopies and/or tube feeding.
At Speak With Us we offer both in clinic or at home assessments. Following the assessment we create an individualized Mealtime assessment report , and if required a mealtime management plan. Training for care-givers and supported living accommodation (SIL) staff can be provided upon request.
Dysphagia can commonly be associated with the following conditions:
- Stroke
- Parkinson’s Disease and Motor Neuron Disease
- Cancer
- Cerebral Palsy
- Down Syndrome
