Our speech pathologists teach swallowing and eating as well as speech so I would say that swallowing would be number 1.

With regard to speech, the MOST important thing was for me to pause. As I have to sort of "pre-think" what I say to finneagle my tongue around, pausing gives me time to say the next word. No one notices the pauses, which I find odd.

They also stressed to me that a huge percentage of communication is not in the actual words said, and they helped me use various hand gestures for some words I cannot say. And, for some words - well - that ship has sailed. An example is the word "saddle". For me - that will forever be a "horse chair"!! I do what I can.

Donna