The Singapore Family Physician

Back to issue Vol 41 No. 2 - Home Care

Assessment and Management of Dysphagia

Grace Yu Tik Yin
Ng Lee Beng
The Singapore Family Physician Vol 41 No 2 - Home Care
11 - 16
1 July 2015
0377-5305
Dysphagia is a common problem among the elderly either as a result of age-related loss of musculature and function involved in the act of swallowing, and/or because of neurological, degenerative, respiratory and musculoskeletal diseases that cause decreased swallowing function. Assessment for dysphagia is important to prevent serious complications such as aspiration pneumonia. Referral to the speech-language therapist for comprehensive assessment paves the way for proper management. The management may include diet modification, compensatory swallowing techniques, swallowing exercises or use of feeding tubes and facilitative devices.