Northern Arizona University

SPEECH & LANGUAGE CLINIC
DYSPHAGIA

Dysphagia is characterized by difficulty with swallowing. Children may demonstrate dysphagia due to prematurity, developmental delay, craniofacial disorders, cerebral palsy, and other etiologies. Adults may demonstrate dysphagia following neurological injury (strokes, head injury), degenerative diseases (i.e.,Parkinson's disease, Multiple Sclerosis), cancer, and other etiologies.

The normal swallow is described in terms of four phases:

1. Oral Preparatory: food or liquid is manipulated in the oral cavity, chewed if necessary, and made into a bolus which is held against the roof of the mouth

2. Oral Phase: the tongue moves the food or liquid toward the back of the mouth

3. Pharyngeal Phase: the swallow reflex is triggered and the bolus passes through the pharynx

4. Esophageal Phase: the bolus travels through the esophagus into the stomach

Dysphagia Services at the NAU Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic

Dysphagia may occur in any or all of the four phases. The NAU Clinic offers informal swallowing evaluation and management services. Evaluation services may include an in-depth history of the swallowing problem, oral mechanism function and sensitivity assessment, and evaluation of trial swallows of food, liquid, and saliva. Additionally, therapy techniques that may maximize an individual's function may be attempted.

Therapy for swallowing disorders may include use of different postures during swallowing, use of swallowing maneuvers, sensory awareness training, and varying food and liquid consistency to maximize swallowing function.

Web-links Dysphagia - (Swallowing Disorders)

http://dysphagia.com

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NAU Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic NAU, Health and Human Services, #66 Flagstaff, Arizona 86011-5045 Clinic: (928) 523-8110 Email: Clinic