Talk:Esophageal dysphagia

note
"A consultation with a speech therapist may also be needed, as many patients may need dietary modifications."

This makes no sense 152.3.136.30 (talk) 14:25, 13 October 2008 (UTC)

It's just not worded well but it is accurate. A speech therapist tests the patient's ability to swallow, they don't just work with people for "speech". Once it's determined what can be swallowed, the speech therapist helps to recommend or discourage categories of food, such as "no liquids" or "thick liquids only" or "solids only" or "nothing at all". Someone who cannot swallow anything solid, or anything at all, will need to consult with a dietician.

Obviously if the patient can't eat they'll need another way to get their nutrition. A gastroenterologist may be required to insert a G-tube, and the patient may need to be fed with with an enteral pump and bags/cans of liquid food.

Someone who can't swallow will almost certainly feel deprived of the pleasures of eating and tasting food. A speech therapist can help to recommend methods for oral gratification, including putting various flavorings on sponges (on a stick). Note how this is a "dietary modification" but not in the same context where a dietician helps with nutrition. This needs to be approached carefully. It may be dangerous for someone with this condition to swallow liquids. The esophagus may reflux fluids into the lungs, which leads to pneumonia. Choices need to be made about the pleasure of taste versus the potential ramifications.

How much of that can be "verified" for Wikipedia? Come to my house and you'll get immediate verification.

HTH -- TG (prefer not to have IP address too obvious)