SLP's Role in Bulimia & Anorexia
Taken from http://www.utmedicalcenter.org
According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Assocation (ASHA), the title SLP (Speech Language Pathologist) refers to those qualified individuals who evaluate and diagnose speech, language, cognitive-communication and swallowing disorders. According to ASHA's 2005 Health Care Survey in Speech-Language Pathology (ASHA, 2005) approximately 87% of the respondents indicated that SLP's were the primary providers of dysphagia services in their facilities. The SLP may be an active member of the Anorexia/Bulimia treatment team if the disorder results in mild to severe damages to the swallowing mechanism or results in dysphagia.
Assessment
Oropharyngeal Evaluation
Image from http://apbrwww5.apsu.edu
Some of the assessments the SLP is qualified to administer include the Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES), Modified Barium Swallow, oropharyngeal evaluation and a clinical swallowing examination (ASHA, 2011). These different assessments enable the SLP to examine the swallowing mechanism in order to make diagnostic and treatment decisions. Any damage caused to the swallowing mechanism by long-term bulimia will likely be revealed in one or more of these examinations. Click on the pictures to learn more about some of the assessments an SLP may use in order to determine the range of damage (ASHA, 2011).
Treatment
Society of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, 2011)
The SLP may administer many of the treatment and therapy methods discussed on this website. For administration of drugs and specific surgical procedures such as the therapy technique shown in the image to the left, the SLP may need to refer a patient to a physician on the treatment team. For more information on treatment and therapy, go to Medical Treatment and Therapy Techniques.