4 Tips for Feeding a Loved One With Dysphagia

Those who suffer with dysphagia have difficulty swallowing both foods and liquids, meaning that nutrition can be tricky to maintain in a safe and healthy manner. Sufferers can put themselves at risk of malnourishment and dehydration, and in severe cases, medical professionals are sometimes forced to use invasive methods like feeding tubes in order to preserve the health of an individual. Read ahead, therefore, for some helpful tips to ensure you or a loved one suffering with dysphagia is engaging with a healthy diet.

1. Know When to Seek Medical Advice

If you suspect you have dysphagia, but have yet to be diagnosed, we recommend visiting your GP as soon as possible in order to get the right treatment for you. If you, or someone you know, has difficulty swallowing, coughs or chokes frequently when eating and drinking, often brings food back up, is unable to chew properly or demonstrates an excess of saliva – these are common symptoms of dysphagia and you should seek medical advice quickly. Being assessed by a GP means they can offer treatments which makes feeding a sufferer a more informed task to tackle, and therefore easier to take a more confident approach in.

2. Know How Different Types of Dysphagia Affect Treatment

There are two main types of dysphagia, esophageal and oropharyngeal. The former relates to the esophagus and the latter concerns the mouth and throat. Swallowing is a complex process which requires different muscles, so the causes of dysphagia are numerous. Your GP can help identify the root of the issue, and sometimes dysphagia can reveal a more serious condition which requires immediate treatment. Knowing what type of dysphagia a sufferer has can make constructing a diet plan much easier in the long and short term.

3. Try Speech and Language Therapy

Many cases of dysphagia can be improved with speech and language therapy. Professionals can teach new and different techniques of swallowing, which may make eating and drinking a less difficult obstacle to overcome.

4. Change the Consistency of Foods and Beverages, or Try Specialized Foods

Softening meals so that they are easier to swallow may not be the tastiest method, but it will allow sufferers to eat independently and more comfortably. Making liquids thicker can also make swallowing feel less of a harsh and unpleasant motion, and these dietary changes can be simple but very effective methods to treat dysphagia. Simply Thick is an example of a nutritional substance which has the consistency of honey, making it a texture which is palatable to those with dysphagia. These innovative foods mean those with dysphagia have options to consider for their dietary needs.

Dysphagia has the potential to affect your quality of life, but only if you are unaware of the steps you can take to alleviate its impact. We hope this article contained relevant and informed information to considering dysphagia as a condition and what you can do to make eating with dysphagia a more comfortable process.