Patient was educated on measures to improve safety during swallowing and prevent episodes of aspiration as follows:
- Avoid foods that are extremely sticky, such as, caramel, sticky rice, gum, and toffee, to prevent the food sticking to the surfaces in the mouth and resulting in aspiration after the meal.
- Avoid foods that are stringy, such as, noodles to reduce risk of aspiration.
- Avoid serving foods that are too hot or too cold for individuals with risk of aspiration.
- Medications that can cause sedation, such as, Norco and antianxiety medications, should be used prudently in individuals with swallowing difficulty.
- Avoid using alcohol, sedative-hypnotics, and any other medications that have the potential to weaken gag and cough reflex.
- Positions such as, tilting the head slightly to the stronger side during chewing and tucking the chin in to the chest with slight bending of the body forward during swallowing contribute towards an easy swallow and prevent risk of aspiration.
