In 62% of patients swallowing and speech at risk without immediate intervention. In Italy there are only 60 professionals working in critical areas
After a hospitalization in intensive therapy 62% of patients have difficulty swallowing and are unable to eat and speak as before, and all experience communication difficulties related to intubation and sedation or to the diseases they suffer from. In the Stroke Units, 30% of patients affected by
stroke
(about 25,000 out of a total of 86,000) show major language problems such as aphasia, while hospitalizations of children in neonatal intensive care units are constantly increasing (9% in the three-year period 2015-17) who require evaluation and monitoring the possibility of feeding by mouth. In all these situations in the critical area the help of the speech therapistswho deal with functional assessment and rehabilitation in case of disorders of the swallowing, communication and language.
In all of Italy, however, there are just 60 professionals engaged in critical areas, often for consultancy in case of need and not as an integral part of the team. Increasing the involvement of these key figures for patient well-being is a need that emerged particularly clearly during the Covid-19 pandemic, with the 15% increase in the number of admissions to the Intensive Care Unit.
The European Speech Therapy Day on 6 March this year dedicated to making known the role of speech therapists in critical area and, like every year, the Federation of Italian Speech Therapists makes its telephone number (345.2754760) and email ([email protected]) to answer questions and doubts. All the info on the website www.fli.it and on the Federation’s social networks.
March 3, 2023 (change March 3, 2023 | 12:40)
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