Tongue olympics

[MRSYafffle]

A new one today I noticed.

Trying to give mum a calorie laden desert and she managed one teaspoon, before a bad choking episode .In doing this I noticed her tongue seemed to be doing an awful lot of work to swallow this small amount.

I always feed her and the problem is usually the swallow part but her tongue manages to control this. She has lost further weight since last week despite everyone's best efforts.

I do think this is it really. Getting Salt engaged again and that end of life care plan in place tomorrow. I really feel being unable to control her tongue will bring the end on.

Has anyone else noticed or experinced this ?

[Runner333]

I think you are right about the tongue being so important. I noticed at one of my husband’s doctors appointments that the doctor watched how my husband could control his tongue. We started to do practice moving tongue to the left, right, out, pulled back in, and press to the roof of his mouth. I’m not sure if this will slow the progression but it seemed like something we could do. Added it to the end of speech practice. All the best to you and your mum.

[daddyt in reply to Runner333]

These are good exercises. I would add, placing the tongue behind the lips presses against her teeth and do several circular motions - top to bottom, top to bottom. This exercise has the added benefit of clearing away of trapped food and reducing bacterial build up. It's important to keep the mouth clean in the event of aspiraration.

Tim

[Runner333 in reply to daddyt]

Great idea! We will add that exercise! Thank you for sharing.

[Martina_MP]

Yes, my mom’s tongue moves just front to back, near her front teeth, which sometimes pushes the food/drink out, and sometimes her tongue is sticking forwards as she is trying to swallow, which is weird (just try swallowing with your tongue sticking out, it doesn’t work well!) I read the to-and-fro described as tongue rocking. She is on purées but with the tongue rocking and often open lips, not a lot gets swallowed. I use a soft rubbery baby spoon (the whole thing is soft and flexible) and recently discovered that if I aim for the roof of her mouth while feeding so that the spoon stimulates that area, she will reflexively close her mouth briefly and swallow sometimes. But yes I think the tongue is super important and that the tongue problem is limiting her intake.