Praxis SLP Licensure Exam

An SLP at a nursing facility receives a patient with reported swallowing weakness. Which disorder is likely?

1. Multiple sclerosis

2. Guillain-Barre

3. Post-polio syndrome

4. Parkinson's disease

The correct answer is: Guillain-Barre

The choice of Guillain-Barre syndrome as the likely disorder for a patient with swallowing weakness in a nursing facility is based on the characteristics and symptoms associated with this condition. Guillain-Barre syndrome is an acute inflammatory disorder that affects the peripheral nervous system, often resulting in rapid-onset muscle weakness. One of the common manifestations of this syndrome is bulbar weakness, which can significantly impact the muscles involved in swallowing. This leads to dysphagia, or difficulty swallowing, which is a crucial concern for speech-language pathologists when assessing patients. While other disorders can also cause swallowing issues, Guillain-Barre's specific progression from limb weakness to potential bulbar involvement sets it apart as a common cause in patients presenting with sudden swallowing impairments. Other conditions like multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease can indeed lead to dysphagia but typically involve a more gradual symptom progression, making them less likely to be the immediate cause when sudden weakness is reported. Post-polio syndrome can cause muscle weakness as well, but it generally occurs in individuals who had polio in the past and would be less common in a nursing facility setting without a prior history of polio.