ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a brief explanation of swallowing, an overview of dysphagia and adults with learning disabilities, and some practical guidelines around assessment and intervention. It aims to provide clinicians more confidence to accept referrals for people who experience eating and drinking difficulties, and some practical advice on assessment and intervention. Appropriate equipment can help with problems such as bite reflex, poor lip closure, self-feeding skills and visual difficulties. Advice should be sought from an occupational therapist as to the most appropriate equipment for the individual client’s needs. Coughing and choking is usually a sign that there is a problem at the pharyngeal stage, but it may also occur because of problems at the oral stage of feeding. The oral stage is voluntary in the sense that it can be initiated and stopped at will, unlike the other two stages, and this means that if it is impaired, there is greater possibility for therapeutic intervention.
