1. What are the main goals of speech therapy for patients with dysphagia (swallowing difficulties)? - The main goals of speech therapy for patients with dysphagia are to assess the severity and cause of the swallowing problem, to provide strategies and exercises to improve swallowing function and safety, to prevent complications such as aspiration pneumonia and malnutrition, and to enhance the patient's quality of life and comfort. 2. What are some common communication disorders that speech therapists can treat in adults? - Some common communication disorders that speech therapists can treat in adults are aphasia (language impairment due to brain injury or stroke), dysarthria (speech impairment due to muscle weakness or coordination problems), apraxia of speech (speech impairment due to difficulty planning and executing speech movements), stuttering, voice disorders, and cognitive-communication disorders (impairment in attention, memory, reasoning, or executive functions that affect communication). 3. How can speech therapists collaborate with other health care professionals in a multidisciplinary team? - Speech therapists can collaborate with other health care professionals in a multidisciplinary team by sharing their assessment findings and recommendations, participating in care planning and goal setting, providing education and training to staff and family members, consulting on issues related to communication and swallowing, and referring patients to other services or resources as needed. 4. What are some of the ethical principles that guide speech therapy practice? - Some of the ethical principles that guide speech therapy practice are autonomy (respecting the patient's right to make informed decisions), beneficence (acting in the best interest of the patient), non-maleficence (avoiding harm or injury to the patient), justice (providing fair and equitable services), fidelity (maintaining trust and confidentiality), and veracity (being honest and accurate).