[Dysphagia] Brodsky article

[eripley at yahoo.com (Irene Campbell-Taylor)]

  In a recent letter in the ASHA Division 13 Newsletter, Martin Brodsky wrote the following:
  ?Additionally, we are not trained to understand changes in metabolism that may accompany different injury or disease states 
.?
  To return to the position paper on skills and knowledge required, surely section 2.3
? Identify significant signs, symptoms, medical conditions, and medications pertinent to dysphagia;? implies the requirement for just such an understanding?  To know that a medical condition is pertinent to dysphagia requires knowledge of its effect on the whole organism. Lack of understanding of such things as changes in osmolality in the acute stroke patient should be factored into the need for hydration and its type. Those who work in major teaching hospitals or specialist units may be able to rely somewhat more on medical staff input but for those in community hospitals, the patient?s well-being demands a higher level of knowledge ? as described in the position paper.


Dr I Campbell-Taylor
Clinical Neuroscientist
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