Tracheostomy Management:
Speech and language therapists work with the multi-disciplinary team (the doctors, nurses and physios) to assess whether someone can manage without a tracheostomy. Your speech and language therapist should take an active role in saliva management, swallowing management, voicing and communication.
Tracheostomies are not used solely because someone cannot eat or drink and removing them will not necessarily enable someone to talk again.
Speech and language therapists perform swallowing assessments to establish if the person with the tracheostomy can swallow their saliva and cough to protect their airway. A speaking valve or a cap is often trialled as part of the process towards removing the tube "decannulation" and is particularly useful if the individual is trying to talk as it allows air to flow through the vocal cords. If the person has the ability to speak then with the tracheostomy tube capped they will be able to vocalise again. Their speech may still be slurred and difficult to understand or they may have difficulty speaking in full sentences due to speech and/or language difficulties unrelated to the tracheostomy tube itself.
Our Consultant Speech and Language Therapist is able to undertake assessment and management of people with tracheostomies. Contact us today to discuss your precise needs or to arrange a specialist speech and language therapy assessment in Birmingham, Solihull and across the West Midlands.
Speech and language therapists work with the multi-disciplinary team (the doctors, nurses and physios) to assess whether someone can manage without a tracheostomy. Your speech and language therapist should take an active role in saliva management, swallowing management, voicing and communication.
Tracheostomies are not used solely because someone cannot eat or drink and removing them will not necessarily enable someone to talk again.
Speech and language therapists perform swallowing assessments to establish if the person with the tracheostomy can swallow their saliva and cough to protect their airway. A speaking valve or a cap is often trialled as part of the process towards removing the tube "decannulation" and is particularly useful if the individual is trying to talk as it allows air to flow through the vocal cords. If the person has the ability to speak then with the tracheostomy tube capped they will be able to vocalise again. Their speech may still be slurred and difficult to understand or they may have difficulty speaking in full sentences due to speech and/or language difficulties unrelated to the tracheostomy tube itself.
Our Consultant Speech and Language Therapist is able to undertake assessment and management of people with tracheostomies. Contact us today to discuss your precise needs or to arrange a specialist speech and language therapy assessment in Birmingham, Solihull and across the West Midlands.