Adult Swallowing Disorders
Swallowing difficulties can diminish your enjoyment of meals with family and friends. At Speech & Swallowing Specialists of KC, our professionals are trained to identify the causes of swallowing issues and develop a personalized treatment plan to improve your symptoms.
Our experts have extensive experience to ensure you get the best outcomes.
Speech therapy improves swallowing issues related to:
Stroke
Dementia
Brain injury
Throat injury
Spinal cord injury
Esophageal conditions
Head and neck cancer
Complex hospitalization
Respiratory involvement
Neuromuscular conditions
Swallow Evaluations & Therapy for Adults
Evaluations
The evaluation process allows us to get to the root cause of the swallowing difficulty and the severity.
Our evaluations are highly dependent on the client's medical history and current challenges. Prior to beginning therapy, we may coordinate a formal swallow study to see in real-time if any food or liquid is entering the airway towards the lungs. This is called a Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES). Following the evaluation, we will share our findings and recommendations with the family.
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Evaluation results will guide therapeutic interventions, exercises, or diet modifications for the client. We often collaborate with other professionals on the client's team ensure we treat the whole person.
Therapy
Therapy and goals are highly individualized based on the client's medical, social and personal needs. We believe caregivers and family are essential members of the therapy team and dedicate time to coaching and education to increase our client's quality of life.
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A treatment session may consist of trying varying food/drink consistencies, practicing safety strategies, and/or swallowing exercises.