Hi there,
I’m so sorry to hear of your dad’s stroke and the swallowing difficulties he’s experiencing. From your question, it sounds like he is currently seeing a speech pathologist and has started therapy which is great.
There are a number of rehabilitation techniques to improve the function of the epiglottis and other related swallowing muscles. Given every case is different, it’s best to ask the speech pathologist about the exact techniques that would suit your dad. Main reason for this is that whilst one technique may be helpful for one person, the same technique may be unsafe for someone else.
Recovery time of swallow function is hard to predict and depends on several factors, such as the location and size of the stroke, as well as the severity of the swallowing difficulty– another thing to chat to the speech pathologist about. They may suggest trialling rehabilitation for a period of time then reassessing his swallow function to track improvement. This would give you an indication about his recovery, in the short term at least, and also provide guidance about his ongoing management plan.
Please don’t hesitate to give us a call if you’d like more information or support (1800 787 653, 9am-5pm Monday-Friday).
Best wishes,
Lisa (Speech Pathologist for StrokeLine).
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