Re: Has anyone tried VitalStim (electrical stimulation) for swallowing difficulty?

October 11, 2011

Hi,

I have posted about Vital stim a while ago because I was so excited by the

results my son got. He is 6 years old and we just found out about him

aspirating last year. He aspirated his saliva and every thickness of liquid.

We started feeding and swallow therapy with vitalstim 2 x a week for a half hour

each. We redid the barium swallow a year later and even though he didn't

cooperate what he did swallow he did NOT aspirate anything. We also noticed

after a few months his chewing improved and he didn't have a delay in

swallowing. We still go once a week. It is a shame that we have to find this

info on our own. NONE of his dr's or therapist heard of it and when I tell them

about how it is working for him they say its probably a coincidence. It's so

frustrating. That means they will not recommend it to other patients. I had to

call VitalStim for a therapist in our area. There was only one in the whole

state, we drive 1 1/2 hours each way. Totally worth it.

Good luck!

To: polymicrogyria

From: catrina1118@...

Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2011 02:52:16 +0000

Subject: Has anyone tried VitalStim (electrical stimulation)

for swallowing difficulty?

Hi All,

Brie, my 3mo old granddaughter is in the hospital and we are having a G-tube

placed tomorrow due to her difficulty coordinating her suck and swallow

movements and is also having difficulty managing her saliva, aka drooling,

though it seems to come in spells.

Sitting here with her in the hospital since Thursday morning (her poor parents

are home with the flu) has given me some time to think and to do some research

online about various things related to PMG, Cerebral Palsy, etc. Anyway, I got

to thinking about how to stimulate the weakened muscles of the mouth and throat

which is the cause for swallowing issues for our kids. Then voila! I happened to

think about the TENS unit that is often used for patients that have

neuromuscular problems of all kinds so I decided to look into it. Have I

mentioned how blessed we are to have Google??? SO...

I found excellent data and results for patients who have received oromotor

electrical stimulation. The clinical trials seem to be incredibly favorable with

no pain and NO SIDE EFFECTS and it is safe for all ages, even infants! I'm am

SO excited!

Has anyone tried this? If so, what were your results?

Here is a link to a company that makes the device:

http://www.empi.com/empi_products/detail.aspx?id=222

Here is the link to a Cerebral Palsy organization where I first read about this

therapy:

http://www.cerebralpalsysource.com/Treatment_and_Therapy/dsypagiatherap_cp/index\

..html

On the VitalStim site you can even do a search for speech therapists in your

area by zip code who can do the therapy. We have several near us! I'm going to

talk to her speech therapist about it tomorrow.

This is the most encouraging thing I have learned to date!

I will update you as I learn more. Brie is so young that I really think there is

a good chance that her muscles and nerves can be re-trained but there is also

excellent data to support the fact that many people have been able to come off

of their g-tubes!

Sorry...I'm super excited! I may not be able to cure her, but I WILL do

everything I can to look under every rock I can to help her and all of our kids.

Keep us in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow. Sure hate that she is having to

have surgery so young.

Hugs,

Catrina - Brie's Gram

October 20, 2011

Thanks ! I forget there is so much on YouTube as well. I'm going to look it

up now.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Catrina - Brie's Gram

>

> >

>

> > Hi,

>

> >

>

> > I have posted about Vital stim a while ago because I was so excited by the

>

> > results my son got. He is 6 years old and we just found out about him

>

> > aspirating last year. He aspirated his saliva and every thickness of

>

> > liquid. We started feeding and swallow therapy with vitalstim 2 x a week

>

> > for a half hour each. We redid the barium swallow a year later and even

>

> > though he didn't cooperate what he did swallow he did NOT aspirate anything.

>

> > We also noticed after a few months his chewing improved and he didn't have

>

> > a delay in swallowing. We still go once a week. It is a shame that we have

>

> > to find this info on our own. NONE of his dr's or therapist heard of it and

>

> > when I tell them about how it is working for him they say its probably a

>

> > coincidence. It's so frustrating. That means they will not recommend it to

>

> > other patients. I had to call VitalStim for a therapist in our area. There

>

> > was only one in the whole state, we drive 1 1/2 hours each way. Totally

>

> > worth it..

>

> >

>

> > Good luck!

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > To: polymicrogyria

>

> > From: catrina1118@...

>

> > Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2011 02:52:16 +0000

>

> > Subject: Has anyone tried VitalStim (electrical

>

> > stimulation) for swallowing difficulty?

>

> >

>

> >

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> >

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> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Hi All,

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Brie, my 3mo old granddaughter is in the hospital and we are having a

>

> > G-tube placed tomorrow due to her difficulty coordinating her suck and

>

> > swallow movements and is also having difficulty managing her saliva, aka

>

> > drooling, though it seems to come in spells.

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Sitting here with her in the hospital since Thursday morning (her poor

>

> > parents are home with the flu) has given me some time to think and to do

>

> > some research online about various things related to PMG, Cerebral Palsy,

>

> > etc. Anyway, I got to thinking about how to stimulate the weakened muscles

>

> > of the mouth and throat which is the cause for swallowing issues for our

>

> > kids. Then voila! I happened to think about the TENS unit that is often used

>

> > for patients that have neuromuscular problems of all kinds so I decided to

>

> > look into it.. Have I mentioned how blessed we are to have Google??? SO...

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > I found excellent data and results for patients who have received oromotor

>

> > electrical stimulation.. The clinical trials seem to be incredibly favorable

>

> > with no pain and NO SIDE EFFECTS and it is safe for all ages, even infants!

>

> > I'm am SO excited!

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Has anyone tried this? If so, what were your results?

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Here is a link to a company that makes the device:

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > http://www.empi.com/empi_products/detail.aspx?id=222

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Here is the link to a Cerebral Palsy organization where I first read about

>

> > this therapy:

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

http://www.cerebralpalsysource.com/Treatment_and_Therapy/dsypagiatherap_cp/index\

..html

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > On the VitalStim site you can even do a search for speech therapists in

>

> > your area by zip code who can do the therapy. We have several near us! I'm

>

> > going to talk to her speech therapist about it tomorrow.

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > This is the most encouraging thing I have learned to date!

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > I will update you as I learn more. Brie is so young that I really think

>

> > there is a good chance that her muscles and nerves can be re-trained but

>

> > there is also excellent data to support the fact that many people have been

>

> > able to come off of their g-tubes!

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Sorry...I'm super excited! I may not be able to cure her, but I WILL do

>

> > everything I can to look under every rock I can to help her and all of our

>

> > kids.

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Keep us in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow. Sure hate that she is having

>

> > to have surgery so young..

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Hugs,

>

> >

>

> > Catrina - Brie's Gram

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

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> >

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> >

October 20, 2011

You're welcome!

To: polymicrogyria

From: catrina1118@...

Date: Thu, 20 Oct 2011 22:56:22 +0000

Subject: Re: Has anyone tried VitalStim (electrical

stimulation) for swallowing difficulty?

Thanks ! I forget there is so much on YouTube as well. I'm going to look it

up now.

Thanks for the encouragement!

Catrina - Brie's Gram

>

> >

>

> > Hi,

>

> >

>

> > I have posted about Vital stim a while ago because I was so excited by the

>

> > results my son got. He is 6 years old and we just found out about him

>

> > aspirating last year. He aspirated his saliva and every thickness of

>

> > liquid. We started feeding and swallow therapy with vitalstim 2 x a week

>

> > for a half hour each. We redid the barium swallow a year later and even

>

> > though he didn't cooperate what he did swallow he did NOT aspirate anything.

>

> > We also noticed after a few months his chewing improved and he didn't have

>

> > a delay in swallowing. We still go once a week. It is a shame that we have

>

> > to find this info on our own. NONE of his dr's or therapist heard of it and

>

> > when I tell them about how it is working for him they say its probably a

>

> > coincidence. It's so frustrating. That means they will not recommend it to

>

> > other patients. I had to call VitalStim for a therapist in our area. There

>

> > was only one in the whole state, we drive 1 1/2 hours each way. Totally

>

> > worth it..

>

> >

>

> > Good luck!

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > To: polymicrogyria

>

> > From: catrina1118@...

>

> > Date: Tue, 11 Oct 2011 02:52:16 +0000

>

> > Subject: Has anyone tried VitalStim (electrical

>

> > stimulation) for swallowing difficulty?

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

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>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Hi All,

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Brie, my 3mo old granddaughter is in the hospital and we are having a

>

> > G-tube placed tomorrow due to her difficulty coordinating her suck and

>

> > swallow movements and is also having difficulty managing her saliva, aka

>

> > drooling, though it seems to come in spells.

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Sitting here with her in the hospital since Thursday morning (her poor

>

> > parents are home with the flu) has given me some time to think and to do

>

> > some research online about various things related to PMG, Cerebral Palsy,

>

> > etc. Anyway, I got to thinking about how to stimulate the weakened muscles

>

> > of the mouth and throat which is the cause for swallowing issues for our

>

> > kids. Then voila! I happened to think about the TENS unit that is often used

>

> > for patients that have neuromuscular problems of all kinds so I decided to

>

> > look into it.. Have I mentioned how blessed we are to have Google??? SO...

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > I found excellent data and results for patients who have received oromotor

>

> > electrical stimulation.. The clinical trials seem to be incredibly favorable

>

> > with no pain and NO SIDE EFFECTS and it is safe for all ages, even infants!

>

> > I'm am SO excited!

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Has anyone tried this? If so, what were your results?

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Here is a link to a company that makes the device:

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > http://www.empi.com/empi_products/detail.aspx?id=222

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Here is the link to a Cerebral Palsy organization where I first read about

>

> > this therapy:

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

http://www.cerebralpalsysource.com/Treatment_and_Therapy/dsypagiatherap_cp/index\

..html

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > On the VitalStim site you can even do a search for speech therapists in

>

> > your area by zip code who can do the therapy. We have several near us! I'm

>

> > going to talk to her speech therapist about it tomorrow.

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > This is the most encouraging thing I have learned to date!

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > I will update you as I learn more. Brie is so young that I really think

>

> > there is a good chance that her muscles and nerves can be re-trained but

>

> > there is also excellent data to support the fact that many people have been

>

> > able to come off of their g-tubes!

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Sorry...I'm super excited! I may not be able to cure her, but I WILL do

>

> > everything I can to look under every rock I can to help her and all of our

>

> > kids.

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Keep us in your thoughts and prayers tomorrow. Sure hate that she is having

>

> > to have surgery so young..

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> > Hugs,

>

> >

>

> > Catrina - Brie's Gram

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

>

> >

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> >

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