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Aspiration Disorders app

This app is a visual guide to learning about aspiration disorders.
This app is unlikely to be useful unless used in consultation with a speech language therapist.

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Aspiration Disorders app	By Blue Tree Publishing
	Features Anatomical illustrations. Videos. Animations.
Country of origin	USA
Clinical review	If used by patients in isolation: If used within a consultation with a speech language therapist: Read a clinical review, including safety concerns, below.
Security and privacy	Does the app: Collect medical information? No Require a login? No Have password protection? No Have a privacy policy? Yes Require internet access to use? No Read more about safety and security when using apps. Brochures: Tips to improve your privacy and security [PDF, 65 KB] Healthify He Puna Waiora, NZ Staying safe online(external link) Netsafe, NZ
Cost	Costs $9.99 with no free version.
Advertisements	This app contains no ads
How to get the app	(external link) (external link) (external link)

The Aspiration Disorders app has features to help health professionals teach patients about aspiration swallowing disorders. The app has animated drawings and video recordings of swallows (MBS and FEES) to illustrate what happens during normal swallowing and during aspiration disorders. Aspiration happens when food or liquids enter the airway, either during a swallow or when food comes back up from the stomach. It can cause coughing and choking and if the aspirated contents reach the lungs, it can cause a serious condition called aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration disorders are more likely in people who have swallowing difficulties.

The language and illustrations in this app are quite technical. Consequently it is unlikely to have any benefit to consumers if used outside of a consultation with a speech language therapist. For the complete app description, go to the app website(external link), App Store(external link), Play Store(external link), or for a more detailed review, see reviews below.

PROS	CONS
✔ Pictures and videos of 4 different swallows: normal (no food/drink entered the airway), aspiration (entered the airway), silent (entered the airway without a cough), and penetration/cough (stops just short of entering the airway). ✔ Each swallow has a picture, animation, barium swallow view and an endoscopic view (FEES). ✔ The user can draw over and place text on any of the pictures and videos. ✔ There is a text description for each swallow describing what is happening.	✘ Extremely poor readability. The app description says it is targeted to both students and patients. However, it uses very high-level medical language which would require prior medical training to understand. It has a Flesch readability score of 22 (scale is 0 to 100, with 0 being very confusing/difficult, and 100 being very easy). The app is unlikely to be useful to anyone unless used with a speech language therapist. ✘ Medical words are not clickable for explanations, and there is no glossary. ✘ For Apple devices only, there's no Android version. ✘ Costs $9.99 with no free version. ✘ Anatomical drawings and videos aren't labelled.

PROS

CONS

✔ Pictures and videos of 4 different swallows: normal (no food/drink entered the airway), aspiration (entered the airway), silent (entered the airway without a cough), and penetration/cough (stops just short of entering the airway).

✔ Each swallow has a picture, animation, barium swallow view and an endoscopic view (FEES).

✔ The user can draw over and place text on any of the pictures and videos.

✔ There is a text description for each swallow describing what is happening.

✘ Extremely poor readability. The app description says it is targeted to both students and patients. However, it uses very high-level medical language which would require prior medical training to understand. It has a Flesch readability score of 22 (scale is 0 to 100, with 0 being very confusing/difficult, and 100 being very easy). The app is unlikely to be useful to anyone unless used with a speech language therapist.

✘ Medical words are not clickable for explanations, and there is no glossary.

✘ For Apple devices only, there's no Android version.

✘ Costs $9.99 with no free version.

✘ Anatomical drawings and videos aren't labelled.

Clinical review

If used by patients in isolation:

If used within a consultation with a speech language therapist:

Reviewer: Lauren Hill, Speech Therapist, Auckland
Date of review: July 2024
Platform: Apple
Version: 1.4
Comments: This app would only be useful if used during a consultation or discussion with a speech language therapist. The anatomical illustrations and videos could be useful to visualise what is happening during a normal swallow versus a swallow with penetration or aspiration occurring. However, without a trained professional the app has very limited use. It has no benefit post diagnosis for dysphagia rehab or management and the information contained in the app is highly medical with no glossary.
Safety concerns: None
New Zealand relevance: Yes.

NZ Health App Library
Swallowing difficulty apps
Consumer guide – how to choose a health app
Clinicians guide – how to choose a health app
Dysphagia
Speech and language therapist

Disclaimer: The NZ Health App Library is a free consumer service to help you decide whether a health app would be suitable for you. Our review process is independent. We have no relationship with the app developers or companies and no responsibility for the service they provide. This means that if you have an issue with one of the apps we have reviewed, you will need to contact the app developer or company directly.