Let's hear it for laryngeal vestibule closure y'all!!! Are you wondering what it is? Do you want to know more about it? Then here's your article folks to help you understand the whats, hows, and whys of this potentially fatal part of the swallowing mechanism that many might glance over like a stack of bills or junk mail (or all the paperwork for tax day coming up😬!).
Reviews
A Closer Look…beginnings of mapping brain lesions linking to swallow impairments in stroke
Remember your undergraduate and/or graduate neuroanatomy course? I know some loathed it and some loved it. For me, I was in my element, so much so that I was sure my initial passion was going to be everything-neuro-TBI-related. While I still LOVE neuro and have had my share of experience within this realm for sure, reading this article brought me back to my first love, while also mixing in my more recent and exciting infatuation for dysphagia.
Oh no! Should I just go with the High Flow?
While doctors are learning more and more about the body/brain/gut connections, us SLPs continue to learn more about the breathing/swallowing connection (among many other things). One of these relationships that will likely continue to be in the 'hot seat' is using high-flow oxygen to improve acute respiratory compromise, while also simultaneously impacting the biomechanics of the swallowing system.
Just how (bio)available should thickened liquids be in life?
Since Cichero's article is a narrative summary (compared to systematic review), there's not as much to pick apart in study design or methodology practices. However, there is a lot of information that some may already know and some may be hearing for the first time. Key players in the review revolve around concerns that we face daily with our patients such as dehydration, how thickened liquids affect medication release/activity, and the need to feel physiologically satisfied.
“You want me to stick what?! Where?!” The Truth about Pulse Oximetry
“The purpose of this study is to systematically review evidence on the use of pulse oximetry in individuals with dysphagia to detect a decrease in SPO2 indicating aspiration during swallowing, toward the goal of further informing clinical practice in dysphagia assessment”
“How-To” Read a Research Article
Have you ever sat down with a research journal article in hand, staring at it thinking, Where do I even start? Or What exactly is this saying? Maybe you’re even thinking, Why am I doing this? Whether we want to admit it or not, we have ALL been there. Sometimes with more excitement, other times more begrudgingly (I’ve definitely experienced the two and have accepted this love-hate relationship).
The Journey Begins
Thanks for joining me for some R&R! "Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton