ALS and Breathing

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a relentless, fatal neuromuscular disease marked by progressive degeneration and loss of upper and lower motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord. It leads to paralysis of voluntary muscles and loss of the ability to swallow, speak and breathe. Patients who are seen in a multidisciplinary clinic have fewer hospital admissions, increased survival, increased use of adaptive equipment, and improved quality of life. The multidisciplinary ALS clinic in Saskatoon began in 2017 under the direction of Dr. Kerri Schellenberg. In 2021, the clinic added full time nursing support which has recently evolved into a clinical nurse coordinator position.
There are many multidisciplinary team members working together in the ALS clinic. The team strives to follow the Canadian best practice recommendations for the management of ALS patients. Our clinic consists of a Neurologist, Respirologist, Physiatrist, Respiratory Therapist, Physiotherapist, Speech Language Pathologist, Dietitian, Clinical Nurse Coordinator and Office Coordinator. Patients see all team members during their appointments, which generally lasts three hours in total. Patients are seen every 3-6 months depending on their symptoms and needs.