IT may seem like a simple task, but for close to one million Australians, swallowing is difficult to do.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
South West Healthcare (SWH) will on Wednesday have an information stall in the main foyer of the hospital to mark Swallowing Awareness Day. This stall with run from 10.30am to 1pm and will be manned by staff from the SWH speech pathology unit.
SWH speech pathologist Sheree Bennett said the hope is to raise awareness of swallowing disorders.
“Swallowing problems can cause food, drink or saliva to get into the lungs, which can cause lung infections. Swallowing complications can also lead to poor nutrition, dehydration, social isolation and in extreme cases, death,” Ms Bennett said.
Swallowing difficulty can be an issue at any age with stroke survivors, the elderly and people with Parkinson’s disease and multiple sclerosis among those in the high risk categories. Around 50 per cent of adult clients that present to the speech pathology unit at SWH have difficulty with swallowing.