Expert to Discuss Swallowing Problems Among Children During UA Talk

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – An expert in swallowing disorders will give a talk at The University of Alabama on Friday, July 25 in ten Hoor Hall, room 125, on the UA campus.

Nancy Swigert, owner and director of a speech-language pathology practice in Lexington, Ky., will focus her talk on swallowing problems, known as dysphagia, among children. The talk is hosted by the UA chapter of the National Student Speech Language Hearing Association and UA’s communicative disorders department within the College of Arts and Sciences.

Swallowing problems in children are often related to other conditions, including nervous system disorders such as cerebral palsy or meningitis, gastrointestinal conditions, prematurity/low birth weight, heart disease, or cleft lip or palate, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s web site. These problems can result in dehydration, poor nutrition, choking, pneumonia or reoccurring upper respiratory infections that can lead to chronic lung disease. It can also lead to embarrassment in social situations involving eating, the web site indicates.

Registration begins at 8 a.m. with Swigert’s presentation beginning at 8:30 and continuing until 4 p.m. On-site registration costs $55 with discounts available to professionals who register in advance and for students. For more information, call 205/348-7131.

Swigert is owner and director of Swigert & Associates Inc., a private practice that has provided speech-language pathology for more than 20 years. She was the president of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association in 1998 and is a former president of the Kentucky Speech-Language-Hearing Association and the Council of State Association Presidents.

The College of Arts and Sciences is the largest public liberal arts college in the state, with approximately 5,500 undergraduates and 1,000 graduate students. The College’s students have been selected for many of the nation’s top academic honors, including 13 Rhodes Scholarships, 14 Goldwater Scholarships, seven Truman Scholarships, and 15 memberships on USA Today’s Academic All-American teams.