Dysphagia Resource CenterServing the Dysphagia professional since 1995.
Resources for swallowing and swallowing disorders.

[Date Prev][Date Next] [Chronological] [Thread] [Top]

[Dysphagia] Logemann results



As you can see, I save the most interesting discussions in my  
Dysphagia mailbox, which gives me an opportunity to review and  
compare and comment, so here goes.
Patient #1: 64 year old male with Right CVA end of 2006, now  
ambulatory by cruising walls and furniture till he reaches his  
walker. This man lives with his wife in a project of a large city.
He lacks dentition of any kind and has for at least a few years. He  
eats whatever he wants, including steak, though it's been shown that  
he aspirates.I doubt he eats steak too often.
His doctor referred for the second time because the patient is not  
compliant with airway protection measures and dietary modifications.  
As it turns out, he does often (though probably not always) use a  
chin tuck and head turn for his swallow. He will not use thickened  
liquids. There's a history of alcohol abuse (or ETOH as it's stated  
by acronym.)
This time around I've instructed him in the water protocol, brought  
him a special size polycarbonate "glass," and having explained all to  
the doctor, freed him of feeling guilt (and animosity) about not  
using thickened liquids.
He has a strong, quick reflexive cough and equally strong cough upon  
request. He shows signs and symptoms of aspiration risk; I've asked  
his significant other to pleasantly ask him to cough and clear when  
she hears this voice change. I've asked him not to take umbrage when  
she does this.

I'll be monitoring him. All comments are welcome. I'll regard them as  
a peer review. Patient #2 to follow.
Many thanks.

Vera	 Karger, M.S., CCCS
Monroe, CT
vkargerslp at mac.com



On May 9, 2007, at 6:45 PM, Irene Campbell-Taylor wrote:

> These are the patients most often found in LTC ? and the  
> Parkinson?s with dementia is actually the parkinsonian stage of  
> dementing illness. I don?t believe anyone has made general  
> statements about all dysphagic patients ? simply that, contrary to  
> popular belief, thickened fluids are aspirated, the thicker more  
> than the thinner (as Perlman proved years ago), and, as the authors  
> say, it is probable that the lungs? ciliary motion cannot clear the  
> gum-based thickener used. If so, this would apply to all since lung  
> function is not affected by dementing illness.
> The importance of the findings is mainly to point out that the  
> almost universl belief that thickening prevents aspiration is false  
> and that dehydration is a constant danger.
>
> Dr I Campbell-Taylor
> Clinical Neuroscientist
> Exclusive Distributor:
> www.interactivetherapy.com
> _______________________________________________
> Dysphagia mail list: Normal and disordered swallowing information
> Dysphagia at dysphagia.com
> Manage subscription: http://lists.b9.com/mailman/listinfo/dysphagia
> Visit the new Dysphagia Web Forum: http://dysphagia.com/forum




Please send sugestions and comments to ppalmer@dysphagia.com."This site blew me away, I nearly choked!"
© 1996-2006 Phyllis M. Palmer, Ph.D.