Purpose
: to analyze the effectiveness of speech therapy in the evolution of oral ingestion of patients with dysphagia symptoms, who have suffered previous or current stroke, admitted to a federal hospital in Rio de Janeiro.
Methods
: a retrospective study was made from medical records of 20 patients, for which was requested speech therapy for dysphagia. A functional scale was used to compare the oral ingestion level of each patient, before and after the therapy. Possible interference factors in the progression on the scale were studied: age, duration and incidence of previous stroke, clinical complications.
Results
: over 20 patients, 15 showed improvement in the oral intake scale after speech therapy. Clinical complications were considered statistically significant for the lack of evolution in oral feeding. Other analyzed factors were not statistically significant, and they did not interfere in the improvement or worsening of the patient.
Conclusion
: speech therapy is effective in improving food intake by mouth in patients treated in hospitals with neurogenic dysphagia after stroke, except if clinical complications appear during the process.
Deglutition Disorders; Speech Therapy; Stroke
