Hope25
06-27-2005, 10:51 PM
Must you go to a speech pathologists if you're interested in strengthening your tongue/mouth area, as well as saliva control? Who do you seek health for such help?
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Hope25
06-27-2005, 11:05 PM
Ok, I must admit I've been having some issues lately that I think they have come to become psychological as well. I couple weeks ago I was watching some tv and had a handful of chips in my hand and eating one by one. Needless to say, I was watching a concert and was really focused on it, when suddenly I swallow some part of the chip whole. That caused some asphyxiation and I thought I was going to die. Slowly it went down, and almost a month later I have developed anxiety issues with eating.
Being that my cp has effected my speech/mouth area, I feel at times I either don't chew my food very well or even more scary is that my tongue sort of "pushes" unchewed food torward the back, making me swallow unchewed food.
I have thus spent literally an hour eating a plate of food, and also questioning whether the food is "chewed enough" to swallow.This has scared me quite a bit.
I don't have health insurance and I was told to see a neurologist, however I have a feeling he will tell me to do exercises for the tongue or something.
In any event, this has really scared me and I think I need to find a way to deal with this. Any advice? Yes I chew very slowly, and put bits in my mouth. However I do have some anxiety prior to eating meat and even salad since I've also choked on an onion and salad ends. Any thoughts?
Being that my cp has effected my speech/mouth area, I feel at times I either don't chew my food very well or even more scary is that my tongue sort of "pushes" unchewed food torward the back, making me swallow unchewed food.
I have thus spent literally an hour eating a plate of food, and also questioning whether the food is "chewed enough" to swallow.This has scared me quite a bit.
I don't have health insurance and I was told to see a neurologist, however I have a feeling he will tell me to do exercises for the tongue or something.
In any event, this has really scared me and I think I need to find a way to deal with this. Any advice? Yes I chew very slowly, and put bits in my mouth. However I do have some anxiety prior to eating meat and even salad since I've also choked on an onion and salad ends. Any thoughts?
Steffers2318
06-28-2005, 10:26 AM
Must you go to a speech pathologists if you're interested in strengthening your tongue/mouth area, as well as saliva control? Who do you seek health for such help?
I am sure seeing a SLP could help, they could teach you excercises. I don't know about saliva control, there may be nothing you can do about that, but perhaps strengthening or learning to coordinate the mouth muscles would be beneficial.
I know SLPs work with swallowing issues in people with Parkinsons disease and things like that, so you may want to mention your problems with eating if you see a SLP. Often all they can do is tell the person that they must change their diet, to softer foods or even a liquid diet...but I'm not saying that's what would happen to you. Who knows, they may also tell you to see a neurologist.
You can put the area where you live into this site and it will give you the names of SLPs around you: http://www.asha.org/proserv/
I am sure seeing a SLP could help, they could teach you excercises. I don't know about saliva control, there may be nothing you can do about that, but perhaps strengthening or learning to coordinate the mouth muscles would be beneficial.
I know SLPs work with swallowing issues in people with Parkinsons disease and things like that, so you may want to mention your problems with eating if you see a SLP. Often all they can do is tell the person that they must change their diet, to softer foods or even a liquid diet...but I'm not saying that's what would happen to you. Who knows, they may also tell you to see a neurologist.
You can put the area where you live into this site and it will give you the names of SLPs around you: http://www.asha.org/proserv/
mdctlew
06-29-2005, 12:18 AM
HI chewing gum is great for all the areas which you are in question . but yes a S.T can help you as well .. debbie :wave: