Reducing tremor-related spills

This morning I had the pleasure of speaking to the Parkinson's UK Lewes Group. It was a lovely spring-like morning and it was clear that people were pleased to be meeting together again in person.

I spoke briefly about communication/swallowing difficulties associated with Parkinson's disease and how speech and language therapy can help.

The topic of tremor arose and I mentioned a device which some people find helpful to reduce tremor-related spills when drinking. This works by reducing the wave formation caused by drinks sloshing around in the cup.

I like these devices much more than lidded cups. Lidded cups interfere with the mechanics of how we swallow by reducing oral control and by requiring head-tilting which opens the airway, placing people at higher risk of aspiration. These anti-spill cups are also much more normal, more discreet and preserve dignity.

Here is a video that shows how this works.

Image from NRS Healthcare

Video from Healthcare Pro

EMST - Expiratory Muscle Strength Training

I have recently undertaken training so that I can provide Expiratory Muscle Strength Training (EMST). This therapy uses a small, hand-held pressure threshold device which enables the client to increase the strength they need to use to blow through it. This was originally designed to improve vocal strength but has been shown to also have significant impacts on improving swallowing. There are so many elements to swallowing and EMST has proven benefits for improving strength in the lips, cheeks and soft palate as well as increasing the movement of the larynx which can reduce aspiration (food/drink entering the airway), increasing reflexive cough and the peak flow of a voluntary cough. I am so excited to be able to offer this to clients, particularly as this is recommended in the NICE guidelines for Parkinson's Disease. Please get in touch if you would like to find out more!

#ASLTIPConf2021

Since starting out in private practice, the support, advice and resources provided by ASLTIP (The Association of Speech and Language Therapists in Independent Practice) has been invaluable. This week is the first online ASLTIP conference which means that I can access all of the interesting talks without having to travel or stay away! Last night we heard from a charitable organisation called Beyond Words who publish wordless stories about life experiences. These books allow people with learning difficulties to understand circumstances, communicate about experiences, reduce anxiety, help make decisions etc. The absence of words allows the individual to focus on what is truly important to him/her. A great resource.

Secondly we enjoyed a talk by Anita McKiernan who specialises in the field of selective mutism. Hearing about her work on resilience in this field was inspiring and fascinating. I wrote pages of notes! The role of the speech and language therapist is an important one in helping people with selective mutism to tolerate having their voices heard and working with families is essential. As parents, modelling our own coping strategies and emotional resilience is so helpful to support our children as they develop these skills. Never has there been a time when we have all needed our resilience more and it's helpful to know there are many tools out there as we cope with the pandemic and its impact on our lives.

If you're having difficulty communicating and would like some support, please get in touch.