How Can Speech Pathologists Help with Swallowing?
Eating and drinking are among some of life’s greatest pleasures – don’t we all dream about getting home on a Friday night to enjoy a delicious meal and a glass of something relaxing? Swallowing is an often overlooked, yet very important part of our day-to-day lives! But when swallowing becomes difficult, it’s downright frightening.
The occasional catch in your throat when you eat too fast or don’t chew your food enough is not usually the cause for concern (although you might want to slow down!). If this happens frequently, then it can be a sign of a serious and possibly life-threatening condition, called dysphagia. It’s a swallowing disorder that Speech Pathologists can help to diagnose and manage.
The title of ‘Speech Pathologist’ can be a bit misleading at first – you might have thought that we can only help with speech difficulties! While you may never have thought about seeing a Speech Pathologist for swallowing difficulties, they are your go-to allied health professional to help you or your loved one get back to eating and drinking safely and enjoyably.
Keep on reading to find out more about how Speech Pathologists can help with swallowing.
What Are Swallowing Difficulties?
Dysphagia (pronounced dis-FAY-juh) is a swallowing disorder that often includes difficulty with chewing, manipulating, and moving food, medications and drinks through the mouth, throat, and oesophagus into the stomach.
Some people with Dysphagia may be completely unable to swallow or have trouble safely swallowing liquids, foods, or saliva. As you can imagine, when this happens eating and drinking becomes a challenge.
Ongoing dysphagia is a sign something’s not right with your throat or oesophagus. Dysphagia doesn’t only occur with difficulties in the throat or oesophagus, primarily occurs due to muscle weakness in the lips ,mouth (jaw) and tongue. Although far more common in people with a brain injury or nervous system disorder (such as multiple sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease), swallowing difficulties can happen to anyone. Swallowing difficulties are also common in individuals with down syndrome, cerebral palsy, and intellectual impairments.
If you sometimes find yourself coughing, gagging, or dribbling when eating or drinking, or getting frequent chest infections, it’s best to book in with a Speech Pathologist for an assessment.
How Common Are Swallowing Difficulties?
One in 17 people will develop Dysphagia at some point in their lifetime!
Dysphagia is a lot more common than you might think. Because there are so many ways that it can occur, Dysphagia is a common condition that impacts people across the lifespan.
In fact (I guess this makes this one a double fact) babies and children can have trouble with swallowing, leading to challenges with breastfeeding and feeding in general. That’s why there are Speech Pathologists working in hospitals around the country, working with new mothers and young children in paediatric wards. Have a read of more interesting swallowing facts here.
How Speech Pathologists Can Help with Swallowing Difficulties
In Australia, a certified practicing Speech Pathologist with experience in diagnosing and supporting individuals with swallowing disorders can help people experiencing Dysphagia symptoms.
When meeting with a Speech Pathologist to evaluate swallowing you’ll discuss your history of medical conditions and symptoms, and the clinician will look at the strength and movement of the muscles involved in swallowing. It might feel a little funny to have these muscles assessed as we don’t often think about them, but it is worth getting it checked if you have concerns!
A Speech Pathologist will also observe your posture, behaviour and oral movements during eating and drinking and may perform further special tests to evaluate your swallowing.
Some specialised tests for diagnosing swallowing difficulties include:
- Videofluroscopic swallowing evaluation (often done in a hospital or x-ray clinic)
- Endoscopic assessment (often done in a hospital)
What Should I Do If I Think My Family Member Has Dysphagia?
If after reading through our guide you think you or a loved one may need an assessment to determine whether your swallowing challenges may be related to Dysphagia, we’d recommend getting in touch with your General Practitioner (GP) who will be able to provide a referral to a Speech Pathologist who specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of Dysphagia. Not all private practices will have a Speech Pathologist trained and experienced in this area of practice, so going direct to your GP is often the best way to find treatment efficiently.
