Dysphagia : Experiences of People with Swallowing Difficulties

Difficulty with swallowing can be a mild discomfort; or it can lead to dehydration, malnutrition and aspirational pneumonia. At its most serious, it can lead to death. Its symptoms are not always immediately obvious; in some cases, dysphagia can even appear to be symptomless. Swallowing difficulty is associated with a range of conditions such as Parkinson's Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, Cerebral Palsy, Stroke and naso-pharyngeal cancer. The DVD contains interviews with people who are experiencing dysphagia, or are recovering from it. There are also interviews with carers. The DVD charts the wider aspects of the condition, especially the frequently under-estimated social implications of swallowing difficulty.

In a supporting illustrated section, Speech & Language Therapists describe the normal and abnormal swallow, followed by sections on the role of the team and ethics in the assessment and management of dysphagia.