Bethan was two and a half when she first attended our centre. Her chest made a constant bubbling sound and she was frequently ill with chest infections often requiring treatment in hospital.
During Bethan's first therapy block she was seen by a speech and language therapist and a physiotherapist. Bethan's parents' main concern was her health. During the assessment Bethan's eating and drinking were reviewed and it was noted that whenever she had a drink, some of the fluid went down the 'wrong way' and Bethan did not have a strong enough cough to help her to correct this. This was due to the sensations in her mouth and throat being disturbed and poor co-ordination of her tummy muscles and diaphragm. This was a major factor in her frequent chest infections and her constant ill health, which also impacted on her ability to learn and develop as she was feeling constantly unwell and was not receiving enough oxygen to help her be awake and alert.
During her therapy block different positions were tried for giving Bethan drinks where she was able to swallow more safely. Bethan's drinks were also specially thickened to make them easier for her to control in her mouth as the drink moved more slowly.
By the end of the therapy block, the constant bubbling sound in Bethan's chest had gone indicating a safer, more effective swallow. All her drinks are now being thickened by her parents who had learned how to position Bethan to make swallowing easier for her. Bethan then had the longest time at home without an admission to hospital and was awake and alert for longer periods in the day enabling her to begin learning and developing.
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