Overview
The effects of a swallowing disorder are serious and can lead to complications such as malnutrition or dysphagia-related pneumonia, and can limit a person’s social well-being. Frequent throat-clearing or coughing while eating and drinking, shortness of breath, avoiding certain foods, changes in the voice, unintentional weight loss, or unexplained increases in body temperature—even fever —can be signs of a swallowing disorder.
It is important not to downplay these symptoms. These should be evaluated by specialists (phoniatrists and clinical speech-language pathologists), including through an instrumental swallowing examination (Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES®)). The next steps in the treatment plan are then determined, and, if necessary, speech-language therapy for swallowing is initiated. The Department of Phoniatrics and Clinical Speech-Language Pathology focuses on the following areas related to swallowing, among others:
- Diagnosis and treatment of inpatients and outpatients
- Counseling and Therapy for Neurogenic Swallowing Disorders (e.g., stroke, Parkinson’s disease)
- Aerophagia and Supragastric Belching (Burping)
- Phagophobia (fear of swallowing)
- Velopharyngeal Insufficiency (Dysfunction of the Soft Palate)
- Counseling and Therapy for Structural Swallowing Disorders (e.g., Head and Neck Tumors)
- Care for Patients Before and After Laryngectomy (Total Laryngectomy)
Speech-Language Pathology Swallowing Therapy
Based on the standardized evaluation, a specific, individually tailored speech-language therapy program for dysphagia is developed. Speech-language pathologist-led swallowing therapy encompasses a range of treatment approaches (e.g., functional dysphagia therapy (FDT), manual swallowing therapy, and aspects of Fazio-Oral Tract Therapy (F.O.T.T.)).
In particular, evidence-based, function-oriented therapy (FDT) includes, among other things, specific training and strengthening of the affected swallowing muscles, learning swallowing techniques, and recommendations for an appropriate diet.
As part of the interdisciplinary intake consultation for patients with head and neck tumors, a speech-language pathology assessment of swallowing, voice, and speech functions is conducted. As part of our speech-language therapy pretreatment assessment and prehabilitation program, these patients receive speech-language therapy for swallowing—both as inpatients and outpatients—before, during, and after treatment (surgery and/or radio(chemo)therapy) as part of our speech-language therapy pretreatment assessment and prehabilitation program, both as inpatients and outpatients, to help minimize the effects of cancer treatment on eating and/or speaking.
For patients who need to have their larynx removed (laryngectomy) due to a tumor, an informational session with a person who has gone through the same experience is organized so that questions about daily life after the procedure (eating, drinking, speaking, and much more) can be discussed. We provide follow-up care for both inpatients and outpatients.
