Swallowing Problems and Alzheimer's

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Natick, Massachusetts, United States of America (Free-Press-Release.com) November 17, 2011 -- Eating and drinking can be a great pleasure for persons with Alzheimer’s disease. They can also be a great danger.

“Swallowing problems are common in persons with Alzheimer’s disease,” said Dr. Joel Herskowitz, a neurologist on the Boston University Medical School faculty, “leading to fatal choking, aspiration pneumonia, malnutrition, and dehydration.”

During National Alzheimer’s Awareness Month, Drs. Joel Herskowitz and his wife, Dr. Roya Sayadi, a speech-language pathologist, are alerting Alzheimer patients and their caregivers about swallowing problems – how to recognize them and what to do if they suspect such difficulties.

“While families wait for medications to take effect or to be discovered,” Dr. Herskowitz said, “they are confronted every day – indeed, several times per day – with swallowing challenges that demand their attention.” Signs of swallowing difficulty (also known as “dysphagia”) can be subtle, he indicated. Coughing, frequent throat-clearing, a runny nose, or teary eyes during the meal or afterwards can be clues to a potentially life-threatening swallowing problem.

Drs. Herskowitz and Sayadi have been reaching out to the Alzheimer community through their contacts with support groups and senior centers. Different kinds of problems can crop up at different stages of the Alzheimer progression. A variety of helpful treatments are available depending upon the particular nature of the swallowing difficulty.

Drs. Sayadi and Herskowitz are authors of “SWALLOW SAFELY: How Swallowing Problems Threaten the Elderly and Others. A Caregiver’s Guide to Recognition Treatment, and Prevention” published in 2010 by Inside/Outside Press (www.swallowsafely.com). Foreword Reviews called the book “a well-researched, informative guide for those caring for the elderly or the ill.” Dr. Paul Raia, a vice president of the Alzheimer’s Association, Massachusetts/New Hampshire Chapter, recommend the book for the Alzheimer community, calling it “the right information in a digestible form.”

This groundbreaking book presents a brief overview of normal swallowing, shows how things can go wrong, tells what symptoms to look for, and guides the reader in getting help. A “Letter For Your Doctor” provides a template for recordings observations and concerns.

SWALLOW SAFELY (ISBN 978-0-9819601-2-8) is 180 pages, paper, $14.95, available through the publisher, Inside/Outside Press, 11 Wilson St., Natick, MA 01760, www.swallowsafely.com, Amazon.com (including Kindle version), and as an iBook. For more information contact Joel Herskowitz at (508) 740-5578 or swallowsafely@aol.com.

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