2 Helpful Articles.

[ 1 ]

• Defining and Measuring Dysphagia Following Stroke

After reading this report, I saw that it focuses on differentiating adults with strokes who have dysphagia, and those who do not. An experiment was conducted, in hopes of finding a standard volume of liquid that could always detect dysphagia. The studies show that not a single amount of liquid distinguishes the healthy patients from the ones who have difficulty swallowing. By measuring dysphagia by airway penetration, it was proven that over 50% of people who have suffered an acute stroke have developed an abnormal swallow. Also, unsafe swallowing can be due to bolus timing, direction, and clearance and not just airway penetration. Two groups, a control group and a group of stroke patients, were recorded swallowing by using videofluoroscopic technology. The control group was used to compare the affects of a stroke on the ability to swallow. Each group was given several different amounts of liquids, and their bolus timing was trialed. The results showed that 4% of the control group had dysphagia, while 40% of the stroke victims had swallowing impairments. Based on the matierals used, the definition can vary and cause the results to be varied also.


American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology • Vol. 18 • 74–81 • February 2009 • A American Speech-Language-Hearing Association
1058-0360/09/1801-0074




[ 2 ]

• Treatment for swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) in chronic muscle disease

This article was beneficial on my topic because it focuses on the intervention of patients with dysphagia and weakened throat muscles. The muscle weakness can be caused by chronic muscle disease or acute stroke. The record tells of researching several studies and trials performed by other authors. Random controlled experiments were searched in order to find the best intervention for dysphagia and the difficulty of swallowing. The results showed there is no way to determine the most appropriate method of treatment since there were no trials that were adequately evaluated. The chronic muscle weakness can lead to weight loss, social embarrassment, and difficulty breathing due to food being caught in the airway. Diet change, surgery, new swallowing techniques, and feeding tubes can all treat dysphagia. Though they’re all good methods, the tests mentioned in this article show that one isn’t preferred over or more appropriate than another.


Hill M, Hughes T, Milford C. Treatment for swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) in chronic muscle disease. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD004303. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004303.pub2.

3 Websites About Dysphagia.

[ 1 ]

• DYSPHAGIA: SWALLOWING PROBLEMS AFTER A STROKE

http://stroke.about.com/od/supportgroups/a/dysphagia.htm

This website provides information on dysphagia.. It provides background information on the basics of swallowing and how it is linked to the brain before jumping into dysphagia. It also talks about the evaluation and therapy of swallowing difficulties and the option of acquiring a feeding tube. Personally, I like this website because it provides just a brief, basic description under each topic. Along with the description, it provides a link to that topic which goes into further detail. I like that it gives links to the basics of swallowing so the viewers can understand the process first. Also, telling how swallowing is connected to the brain helps link dysphagia to a stroke and how the stroke affects the brain. Something else that I thought was beneficial was the top of the site provides tabs that further explain symptoms, treatment, and recovery of strokes.


[ 2 ]

• NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS: DYSPHAGIA

http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/voice/dysph.asp

To me, this website was very easy to navigate. At the top, each section is provided by a link, which transfers you directly to that place if you click on it. This site focuses more on dysphagia in general, rather than relating it to a stroke. It too presents information on swallowing, problems with dysphagia, causes, and treatment. I like how it goes into further detail on the treatment section and actually mentions speech-language pathologists (my future career!). It introduced me to new ways of treating swallowing difficulties, such as a fiber optic laryngoscopy, a video fluoroscopy, ultrasounds, muscle exercises, and even surgery. It’s also neat that there is a section on dysphagia research and the variations of tongue movement. Also, this website provides instructions on how to get help if you think you have a swallowing problem. It tells viewers who to consult and tells of places where more information can be obtained.


[ 3 ]

• AMERICAN SPEECH-LANGUAGE-HEARING ASSOCIATION: SWALLOWING DISORDERS (DYSPHAGIA) IN ADULTS

http://www.asha.org/public/speech/swallowing/SwallowingAdults.htm

I LOVE this website. The information is very detailed and organized, yet very easy to understand. It describes dysphagia and the three stages in the swallowing process. I never knew the three phases (oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal) existed until viewing this website. The bulleted lists on this page help organize the information and make it easy to read. It lists the signs of dysphagia and also lists the resulting symptoms adults may get. I like that it tells specifically what a speech-language pathologist would do to diagnose a swallowing disorder and the recommendations they may provide. I really enjoy reading over this website because it connects to me personally since it mentions speech-language pathologists a lot and I can learn about what I will be doing in my own career choice. I also find the tabs on the left side very resourceful and helpful. Each one can go into further detail on certain topics such as swallowing and feeding. It also provides other organizations that have more information about swallowing disorders. I find this one to be the most helpful on my topic.