Recognising Dysphagia

There are 16 tell tale signs of a swallowing difficulty, such as difficulty or discomfort when eating or drinking, drooling or dribbling, mouth constantly open, spitting food out of mouth, taking longer to eat than most residents, excessive tongue movement or saliva in mouth.

Recognising what these behaviours mean may well save a resident or loved one’s life.

Symptoms of Dysphagia

Some symptoms of dysphagia include: 
  • Cannot swallow at all
  • Painful swallowing
  • Bouts of coughing or choking on food during or after swallowing
  • Experiencing a feeling or sensation that food is stuck somewhere in the throat or chest
  • Drooling
  • Unexplained weight loss
  • Hoarse voice
  • Food regurgitation 
  • Heartburn  

What to Look For

Signs of a Swallowing Problem include:
  • Resident reports difficulty or discomfort when eating or drinking
  • Drooling or dribbling
  • Mouth constantly open
  • Spitting food out of mouth
  • Taking longer to eat than most residents
  • Excessive tongue movement or saliva in the mouth
  • Food collecting in the mouth after swallowing
  • Voice sounding gurgly after eating or drinking
  • Diminished or absent gag reflex
  • Weight loss or dehydration
  • Chest infection
  • Slurred speech (Dysarthria)
  • Reduced or fluctuating levels of alertness 
  • Mouthfuls requiring multiple swallows
  • No voluntary cough
  • Coughing or choking before, during or after a swallow

Types of Dysphagia

There are two main types of dysphagia, based on the location of the swallowing problem:
  1. Oropharyngeal Dysphagia – This issue begins with chewing the food or appropriately moving it to the throat from the mouth.
  2. Oesophageal Dysphagia – The food enters the airway rather than passing into the stomach; the resident may or may not feel the sensation of food getting stuck after it passes the pharynx or back of the throat.

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