Warning about giving SimplyThick to newborns

[z2akids]

Very sad.

As an aside, SLP are the specialists in local hospitals who perform swallow studies. Thickened is routinely used in the adult population for those at risk for aspiration. There are lots of other interventions that can be done with alert and oriented adults. Chin to chest, double swallows, turning the head to one side, etc. But, these wouldn't work with a newborn. Not sure of the answer for newborns. Hopefully the experts find a better solution.

[meeshkasheeba]

Originally Posted by jenn.mcc It sounds like the hospitals ask a speech language pathologist to determine if the baby is having difficulty swallowing, then based on that assessment they thicken the milk (including breastmilk) to make it easier for the baby to swallow and reduce the risk of aspiration. ...Now that I type that it seems sort of ludicrous that a speech language pathologist is doing a feeding assessment for a premature newborn. Doesn't that seem way out of their filed of expertise? (Not picking on the SLP, just asking if they are really adequately trained for this particular thing). And why is thickener automatically the best solution? Could how the baby eats (positioning, volume, frequency, etc.) be a solution?

In the hospital a SLPs main focus is swallowing. They are trained for this in school and although you may not feel they are qualified, they have a masters that says otherwise. Now, do I feel that the geriontologist SLP I work with should be treating premies? Absolutely not. Does she do a great job with her specialty, sure. As I'm sure many neonate specialists are great as well. Do I expect them to know wether a food additive is safe or not, no I would think that is up to the FDA. Sadly, not everything is that easy with our lovely gov't but I don't feel that the SLP is at fault for using the product BEFORE the labeling was changed. AFTER, is a whole other story.

[Palooka]

Originally Posted by meeshkasheeba In the hospital a SLPs main focus is swallowing. They are trained for this in school and although you may not feel they are qualified, they have a masters that says otherwise. Now, do I feel that the geriontologist SLP I work with should be treating premies? Absolutely not. Does she do a great job with her specialty, sure. As I'm sure many neonate specialists are great as well. Do I expect them to know wether a food additive is safe or not, no I would think that is up to the FDA. Sadly, not everything is that easy with our lovely gov't but I don't feel that the SLP is at fault for using the product BEFORE the labeling was changed. AFTER, is a whole other story.

I was not blaming the slp at all. I was just explaining what the article said, and then wondering aloud if that is or should be the standard. I never said it was the slps decision to give the thickener, and I never said I thought slps should or should not do the evaluation, I just asked if they were trained or not, which apparently they are. Which is great. I absolutely was not bashing or blaming the slps.