Dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, is a condition that can profoundly affect an individual's health and quality of life. It can arise from various underlying issues, making accurate assessment and tailored management essential for effective treatment. At Healing Touch Rehab, our expert speech and language therapist provides personalised assessment for patients experiencing dysphagia. Our treatment focuses on improving swallowing function and addressing difficulties that may be causing speech and eating challenges. Whether the patient is struggling with difficulty drinking, eating, or other swallowing disorders, our clinical team is here to help. We offer a comprehensive evaluation of the swallowing function to tailor treatments based on the latest evidence-based practices. Our goal is to enhance quality of life by improving our patients' ability to eat and drink safely and comfortably.
Dysphagia
Dysphagia refers to a condition that causes difficulties with eating, drinking, and swallowing in individuals. Patients with dysphagia often have underlying health issues for which they are undergoing treatment. These conditions may impact their ability to eat, drink and swallow effectively.
Clinical dysphagia can be associated with the following:
- Acute neurological diagnoses
- Progressive neurological diagnoses
- Functional neurological disorder
- Respiratory diagnoses
- Post-acute dysphagia e.g. following traumatic intubation or post ICU sarcopenia
Evaluation and Diagnosis
A Speech-Language Therapist (SLT) is an essential member of the team dedicated to evaluating and diagnosing complex eating, drinking, and swallowing difficulties. Their expertise in speech-language therapy is invaluable in addressing such issues.
We offer:
- A thorough clinical swallowing evaluation, which encompasses a cranial nerve examination, oral examination, cervical auscultation, and an in-depth assessment of swallow function with oral fluids and diet. In certain cases, quantitative assessment measures can also be utilised to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the patient’s dysphagia condition.
- Assessment of any compounding factors that can impact swallowing function. This includes assessing oral hygiene needs, positional requirements during eating and drinking, the level of assistance needed from others, behavioural factors, environmental conditions and the presence of laryngopharyngeal reflux. These factors play a crucial role in determining an effective treatment plan for individuals with swallowing difficulties.
- Where necessary, we may recommend and facilitate a referral for instrumental assessment such as videofluoroscopy.
- Diagnosis and characterisation of eating, drinking and/or swallowing difficulties, including prognosis for recovery or maintenance.
- Identification and characterisation of any risks associated with eating, drinking, and/or swallowing difficulties, including airway penetration/aspiration/asphyxiation, which is a crucial aspect of the evaluation.
- Identification and characterisation of factors which may indicate increased risk of medical, respiratory, nutritional or quality of life complications.
Rehabilitation and Management
After a thorough evaluation by our consultant speech and language therapist, rehabilitation and management needs will be considered. This may involve therapy sessions, guidance on strategies, and training exercises to address swallowing difficulties.
We can offer:
- Identification of therapeutic rehabilitation or maintenance needs, including collaborative goal-setting between the therapist and patient, continuous monitoring of progress, and regular review of treatment goals to ensure optimal outcomes.
- Development and implementing personalised therapy programmes, which may include traditional swallowing exercises or expiratory muscles strength training.
- Tailored recommendations with any modifications to diet or fluids provided in accordance with the IDDSI Framework (International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative).
- Education and training for families, carers and settings. This includes providing valuable information on swallowing awareness, IDDSI Framework and practical dysphagia management skills. It is essential that everyone involved in the care of individuals with dysphagia receives comprehensive education to enhance patient outcomes and overall quality of life.
Ethical Considerations
Eating, drinking and swallowing decisions can be ethically complex. If a mental capacity assessment is necessary, our team of therapists can provide the support needed by:
- Exploring various options, including both oral and non-oral routes for nutrition, using supported communication strategies for individuals with cognitive or communication needs.
- Conducting assessment of mental capacity for eating, drinking and nutritional decisions, or supporting assessment of mental capacity if you have cognitive or communication needs.
- Advocacy for client goals, values, and wishes in relation to eating, drinking, and swallowing and working closely with the multidisciplinary team in order to achieve these objectives within the context of any swallowing needs.
For more details about this service, contact us and we will be happy to help with your specific requirements.