Update on Recent Developments in Communication and Swallowing in Multiple Sclerosis
Francesca Biagi, Leena Maria Heikkola, S Nordio, Leonie Ruhaak
Abstract
Swallowing and communication disorders are common in persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). Both disorders are extremely variable and can have a major effect on health status and quality of life. This is why it is important to provide health care professionals who are working with persons with MS with tools to signal, assess, and treat swallowing and communication disorders. This synthesis gives an update on relevant and recent literature on swallowing and communication disorders, supplemented with current practice-based evidence. Studies on swallowing and communication disorders in MS are scarce: more and higher-quality research is needed. It should be emphasized that therapists need to focus on the patient's acquisition of skills to participate in daily life. This means that each patient requires an individual approach based on their own needs.