This can present a serious health problem and put you at risk of choking.
Nonetheless, Essence of Communication provides therapy specifically customized to a person’s speech, voice, language, feeding, as well as ingesting requirements. Our speech therapists strive to aid our clients in developing strong oral and motor skills as well as reduce issues they might have with eating, drinking, swallowing, and communicating.
If you are unsure if you or your child may have a swallowing disorder, get in touch with Essence of Communication today. Our speech therapists will be happy to discuss how speech therapy can assist with swallowing disorders.
Swallowing Disorder – What is it Exactly?
According to NINDS, “Having trouble swallowing (dysphagia) is a symptom that accompanies a number of neurological disorders. The problem can occur at any stage of the normal swallowing process as food and liquid move from the mouth, down the back of the throat, through the esophagus, and into the stomach. Difficulties can range from a total inability to swallow, to coughing or choking because the food or liquid is entering the windpipe(aspiration.)”
Another kind of swallowing condition is called odynophagia, which is categorized by pain felt in the throat or upper body during swallowing.
Swallowing conditions are not constantly noticeable, yet there are many symptoms to look out for in children or adults. Hopkins Medication outlines a few, consisting of:
- Being Horse
- Sore Throat
- Coughing During Swallowing
- Chest Pain or Discomfort
- Choking
- Shortness of Breath
- Regurgitation (the return of food or fluid back to the mouth or vocal cords after it effectively passed).
- Nasal regurgitation (when food or liquid comes into the nose; this happens when the nasopharynx does not close appropriately).
ASHA also goes over the 3 phases in which swallowing occurs as well as the problems that could present in all three stages of ingesting:
- Esophageal phase – opening and closing the esophagus or the tube that goes from the mouth to the stomach. The esophagus squeezes food down to the stomach. Food can get stuck in the esophagus. Or, you may throw up a lot if there is a problem with your esophagus.
- Oral phase – sucking, chewing, and moving food or liquid into the throat.
- Pharyngeal phase – starting the swallow and squeezing food down the throat. You need to close off your airway to keep food or liquid out. Food going into the airway can cause coughing and choking.
What help can a speech therapist provide?
The muscles of the tongue, as well as the throat, need to be strong and also work properly for food and drink to be swallowed. Sometimes with swallowing disorders, we discover that there may be difficulties with the neurological processing and perhaps muscle tissue function in the tongue and throat.
Our center supplies specialized restorative treatment, tailored to an individual’s speech, voice, language, or swallowing needs. After your first assessment with your speech therapist, they will be able to make a proper medical diagnosis (if one hasn’t already been made before your appointment) as well as review various techniques of therapy with you.
These treatments may consist of neuromuscular re-education, dysphagia ingesting exercises, oral-motor treatments, and also various other standard speech treatment strategies.
Taking care of a swallowing condition can seriously pose many threats to an individual’s lifestyle, hinder the methods you engage with others, and impact a person’s self-confidence when eating or drinking in front of other people.
Essence of Communications speech therapists can help you determine why the swallowing condition is happening and what treatment plan is best. Treating a swallowing condition will help adults and children to drink and eat with comfort.
Contact Essence of Communication today to discuss speech therapy for swallowing disorders
You are in good hands with Essence of Communication’s skilled therapists. We are here to help diagnose swallowing disorders and assist in helping you or your child manage them.
It is important to seek help for swallowing disorders and not wait for them to resolve on their own. If you or your child is experiencing a swallowing disorder, please contact Essence of Communication today.
Sources:
https://www.asha.org/public/speech/swallowing/Swallowing-Disorders-in-Adults/
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/swallowing-disorders