Dysphagia

7

Ta n ner, D. C.

Case Studies in Communication Sciences and Disorders,

Second Edition (pp. 131-146).

(^) © 2017 SLACK Incorporated.
There is no love sincerer than the love of food.
— George Bernard Shaw
This chapter deals with dysphagia, or swallowing disorders. Dysphagia frequently occurs with
communication disorders, and speech- language pathologists have assumed primary responsibility
for its diagnosis and treatment. In this chapter, dysphagia is broadly defined, and the anatomy and
physiology of swallowing are discussed. The relationship of speech production and swallowing
is reviewed, and the stages of a normal swallow are described. There is a review of clinical/
bedside screening and instrumental evaluation procedures. Case studies of dysphagia and medical
malpractice litigation, as well as a description of a video swallow study, are presented. There are
also cases involving a tracheotomy tube, partial glossectomy, and an unusual instance of isolated
dysphagia.
“It is the position of the American Speech- Language- Hearing Association (ASHA) that speech-
language pathologists play a primary role in the evaluation and treatment of infants, children, and
adults with swallowing and feeding disorders” (2001, p. III–1). Dysphagia is not a communication
disorder, per se, although speech- language pathologists have taken the lead in its diagnosis and
treatment. This is natu ral given their education and broad knowledge of the oral- pharyngeal-
laryngeal mechanism.