Letter to the Editor Notes SLPs ’ Training in Treatment of Swallowing Disorders

In a recent Letter to the Editor of the Washington Post, ASHA-certified speech-language pathologist Memorie Gosa responds to a February article in the publication’s Health & Science section about the shortcomings of treatment for dysphagia. Gosa posits that the original article overlooked the expertise of SLPs in diagnosing and treating swallowing disorders. Dysphagia “is best managed by a multidisciplinary team that includes physicians and speech-language pathologists (SLPs),” she observes. She explains the education and training of SLPs to help clients with dysphagia. Gosa is an assistant professor in the Department of Communicative Disorders at the University of Alabama and chair of the American Board of Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders. She’s conducted research on thickened liquids, pediatric dysphagia, and feeding/swallowing development in infants and children. How do we honor patients’ decisions about their swallowing treatment when they have dementia? Is it possible for people with dementia to eat familiar and favorite foods safely? A growing number of clinicians say yes. Help Clients With Dementia Get Their Appetite Back. Optimizing Eating and Swallowing for People With Dementia. A woman with dementia suddenly stops eating, and her SLP daughter questions the diagnosis of dementia-related dysphagia. In her letter, Gosa also shares links to resources for learning more about dysphasia, possible treatments, and how to find an SLP who specia...
Source: American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Press Releases - Category: Speech-Language Pathology Authors: Tags: Slider Speech-Language Pathology dementia Dysphagia Feeding Disorders Health Care Swallowing Disorders Source Type: blogs