Many Australians are unaware difficulty with swallowing can be frightening and life threatening, that is why Armadale Hospital speech pathologist Danielle Kilmurray is campaigning to highlight this to the community.
Swallowing Awareness Day observed on March 15 was an opportunity for Ms Kilmurray to bring attention to swallowing disorders and to connect people with speech pathologists and professionals who can help assist with dysphagia – difficulty in swallowing.
The average Australian swallows 900 times a day, which is around three times an hour during sleep and once per minute while awake and even more during meals.
Ms Kilmurray said it is estimated around one million Australians have difficulty swallowing and swallowing disorders remain largely invisible and poorly understood by the community.
“Swallowing problems can mean food, drinks or saliva gets into the lungs and this can cause lung infections,” she said.
“Severe swallowing complications can lead to death while other swallowing complications can lead to poor nutrition, dehydration, health complications and social isolation.”
Ms Kilmurray said Australians with undiagnosed difficulties are often referred to other health practitioners often for expensive and invasive investigations when a speech pathologist could readily manage the problem.
“A swallowing problem can occur at any stage in life,” she said.
“Swallowing is a skill developed from infancy.
“Babies born prematurely or children with abnormalities with the structure of their head, neck and face such as cleft lip or palate can have difficulty feeding.”
Ms Kilmurray said around 15 to 30 per cent of people aged over 65 had a swallowing difficulty with the figure rising to over 50 per cent for older Australians living in nursing homes.
“Almost half of everyone who had had a stroke will have a swallowing problem,” she said.
“Sixty nine per cent of people with Parkinson’s disease will have swallowing difficulties as will 25 per cent of patients with Multiple Sclerosis.
“Swallowing Awareness Day was an opportunity for all of us to learn more about swallowing difficulties and how they impact on the lives of our friends, neighbours and our wider community.”
For more information visit speechpathologyaustralia.org.au
