WHAT is dysphagia (also known as: swallowing challenges)?
Dysphagia is generally defined as difficulty or discomfort when swallowing. Often, patients with dysphagia can also experience an onset of variable complications.
A common misconception about speech therapy is that it is exclusively intended for children with primary speech or language differences such as stuttering and lisps. However, communication disorders can arise at any stage in one’s life. Speech therapists can be a beneficial resource for all age groups that can prevent and treat a wide range of differences and disorders.
WHO can be effected:
Cognitive-communication disorders, such as dysphagia, are most common in older individuals as they are linked with certain cancers, strokes, dementia (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease) and many other concerns that are more prevalent in adults and elderly individuals.
SYMPTOMS:
Signs that you may be experiencing dysphagia include but are not limited to:
- Coughing, gagging, or choking when eating or swallowing
- Difficulty keeping food and liquids in the mouth
- Feeling pain when eating or swallowing
- Chest discomfort, pain, or heartburn
- Feeling as if food gets “stuck” in your throat
- Weight loss and dehydration as a result of eating discomfort
If you or a loved one is experiencing any of these symptoms, your primary care provider will provide a diagnosis and refer you to a Speech-Language-Pathologist to find the right treatments or methods to remedy your dysphagia.
TREATMENT:
The end-goal for a dysphagia speech therapy patient is to swallow safely and effectively.
Your Speech Pathologist can recommend a variety of approaches to managing your dysphagia. Common and effective treatments, according to the American-Speech-Language-Hearing Association ASHA , include:
- Postural changes
- Diet modifications
- Feeding strategies
- Exercises
TIPS:
- Eat soft thick foods such as yogurts, pudding and smoothies
- Puree, blend or mash foods to make them safer to ingest
- Eat small and frequent meals opposed to heavy, less frequent meals
WHY is this important?
Approximately 1 in 25 adults will experience difficulties swallowing in their life (Bhattacharyya, 2014). Scientists at the Missouri State Medical Association have estimated it to affect upwards of 55% of individuals over the age of 60 (Chilukuri, Odufalu, Hachem 2018 ). Dysphagia is more prevalent than you would expect and it is important to know the signs and ways to treat it. If left untreated, it can lead to dangerous health concerns such as extreme malnutrition or pneumonia.
WRITTEN BY:
-BIANCA CASTUERAS, UCSD
-NICOLE BUTLER, M.A., CCC-SLP/L (ASHA Certified and licensed Speech-Language Pathologist, Founder and Executive Director of Speech Within Reach.)
Speech Within Reach provides in person and telehealth speech therapy for children and adults. We are happy to support your speech therapy needs. Please feel free to reach out to us.