“How long does it take to get a drink around here?”
Author: Antonia Charalambos
Magazine issue: Autumn 08
Page numbers: 4-6
Date: 31 August 2008
Add to Shopping Basket
Antonia Charalambos argues the case for systematic, long-term speech and language therapy review of clients who have been discharged from the service ‘nil by mouth’, particularly when they have physical and communication difficulties which make it difficult for them to make their wishes known. She cites two people whose review in these circumstances came about by accident. Through an educated trial and error approach, one is now on a full oral diet and one eats desserts. Antonia reflects on the wider impact this has had on their quality of life through enabling greater choice, interaction and independence. She suggests speech and language therapy review could be built in when a PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) feed is reviewed by a dietician, or a PEG tube by a medical team.
