Dietary management of swallowing disorders

Two major concerns in the dietary management of the dysphagic patient are to maintain adequate nutrition and to ensure safety during oral feeding. Dysphagic patients require modifications of standard hospital diets. Kitchen or nursing staff must remove from standard diet trays solid foods and liquids that pose swallowing hazards. Training kitchen and nursing staff and removing food are time consuming. It is also hazardous if certain foods are served to dysphagic patients through error or lack of knowledge. In addition, there is risk of inadequate nutrition when food is removed from trays. This paper proposes a four-level diet plan for patients who have difficulty swallowing solids and liquids. These diets gradually advance for patients undergoing treatment to improve swallowing function. The proposed diets save time for kitchen and nursing staff, reduce the risk of aspiration among patients, and serve as models for families as they prepare for discharge and meal planning at home. Diet guidelines are based on recommendations of the American Dietetic Association.