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ALS Swallowing Severity Scale (ALSSS)
Availability
Please email the author for information about obtaining the instrument:
ahillel@u.washington.edu
Classification
Supplemental: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)
Short Description of Instrument
The ALS Swallowing Severity Scale (ALSSS) measures speech, swallowing, lower extremity and walking, upper extremity dressing and hygiene on a scale from
1–10, 1 being the most dysfunctional and 10 being the most functional.
Scoring
The Bulbar score can be calculated by adding speech and swallowing subscores. Spinal score can be calculated by adding lower extremity and upper extremity subscores.
Total score ranges from a minimum of 4 to a maximum of 40; the lower the score, the more impairment is present. Rates of progression of the total score in a small group of patients ranged from -3.4 to -24.0 points/year with a mean
of -11.3 points/year.
References
Hillel AD, Miller RM, Yorkston K, McDonald E, Norris FH, Konikow N. Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis severity scale. Neuroepidemiology. 1989;8(3):142-150.

 

Document last updated July 2019