|
Treatment
|
The Connecticut Swallowing Center has five convenient locations for the treatment of dysphagia. Patients are given strategies to maximize safety in swallowing. Dietary changes in food consistency and content can vastly improve a patient’s swallowing function and overall health. We also offer the services of a Registered Dietitian so that patients can be assure that they are getting optimum nutrition and hydration. The patient’s progress is carefully monitored and alterations to diet can be made with input from the treating speech-language pathologist and the dietitian. Alterations and upgrades to a diet can be made as milestones are achieved.
Speech-language pathologists play an essential role in the treatment of dysphagia. All our therapists are licensed by the State of Connecticut. They have extensive training and experience with swallowing disorders and attend classes and conferences to remain informed about cutting edge advances in technologies for diagnosis and treatment.
Our experience has demonstrated that most people improve more rapidly when they feel they are participating in the decisions about their treatment based on the education they receive from their speech therapist and their doctor. The Connecticut Swallowing Center utilizes a comprehensive team approach in which the patient is an active participant. There is less of a sense of “being done to” and more of a sense of receiving “assistance with” dysphagia when the patient participates in the treatment process. For example, food preferences are taken into account when designing a specialized diet. The patient’s family may be consulted and encouraged to assist in helping to improve functioning. The Connecticut Swallowing Center recognizes that patient motivation in adhering to recommendations by the team hinges on the patient’s sense of being encouraged to participate in the process.
|
|
We believe that the best medical care is personal, comprehensive and patient driven.
Minimizing the stress a patient experiences in getting appropriate and prompt care is a significant benefit to a patient’s overall well-being.
|
|
|
|