Red Flags for Adults

COMMUNICATION

  • Reduced articulatory skill or clarity
  • The need for accent reduction
  • Experiencing difficulties with fluency
  • Exhibiting signs of hesitation
  • Air and voice flow or maintenance of rate control
  • Experiencing reduced voice quality, pitch range or power
  • Reduced confidence in self expression or verbal ability
  • Difficulty processing information and memory function
  • Reduced speech or language function due to neurological impairment or stroke

SWALLOWING / FEEDING RED FLAGS FOR ADULT REFERRAL

  • Frequent coughing or choking on food or liquids
  • Hesitancy in swallowing food or fluid
  • Prolonged time frames for chewing and swallowing
  • Persistent, prolonged chewing of foodstuffs with delay in swallow initiation
  • Coughing during or immediately after eating or drinking
  • Pain during swallowing
  • `Wet` sound on voicing or taking breath
  • Drooling
  • Recurring chest infections or pneumonia
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Regurgitation
  • Significant food residue post swallow
  • Heart burn or epigastric discomfort