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Kindling Therapies LLC offers clinical swallowing evaluations and on-going therapy for dysphagia (medical term for swallowing difficulty) for adults.
People with dysphagia have difficulty swallowing and may also experience pain while swallowing. Some people may be completely unable to swallow or may have trouble swallowing liquids, foods, or saliva. Eating then becomes a challenge. Often, dysphagia makes it difficult to take in enough calories and fluids to nourish the body. When individuals experience dysphagia, it can lead to disinterest in eating, fear with eating/drinking, social isolation, and medical complications as a result of weight loss, malnutrition, dehydration, and/or infection.
Evaluations and therapy are provided for patients that have a prescription (referral) from the Physician. Please call for more information. We can help you coordinate care with your Physician.
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Disorders of the mouth and throat rarely occur in isolation. If you are also experiencing a challenge with speaking as well as swallowing, your speech therapist will help you address these concerns as well. Speech disorders or speech impediments are a type of communication disorder where 'normal' speech is disrupted. Many disorders can affect our ability to speak and communicate. They range from saying sounds incorrectly to being completely unable to speak or understand speech.
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Voice disorders and changes including age-related, personal choice, hyperfunction, muscle tension, strain, vocal cord dysfunction, vocal cord nodules, vocal fatigue. Voice disorders can co-occur with swallowing problems, or occur in isolation due to illness, injury, or misuse. If you are experiencing both swallowing and voice difficulties, your speech therapist will address both of your concerns.
What to Expect at an Evaluation & Therapy appointment
During an evaluation, I we will discuss your challenges, concerns, and goals. An evaluation may include a cranial nerve exam, an oral mechanism exam, or eating and drinking to functionally assess the “oral phase” of the swallow (from the lips to the tonsils). If you have not undergone an instrumental assessment of swallowing (MBSS or FEES) within the last 6 months, one may be recommended to pinpoint the swallowing problem, trial strategies to improve comfort and safety, or select the right treatment for you. An instrumental assessment of swallowing is essential to design the right program for you. Finally I will review my findings with you and discuss next steps.
