🥣 Dysphagia, a small story that can be "life-threatening."

🥣 Dysphagia, a small story that can be "fatal."

Congestion is not just "eating in the throat."

But it's a condition that can lead to choking → pneumonia → death.

More common in patients:

• Stroke

• Parkinson's

• Neuropathy

• Head and neck cancer

• Recovery phase elderly

🚨 What happens if ignored?

• Aspiration Pneumonia risk

• Malnourished / dehydrated

• Longer hospital stay

• High chance of resuming sleep

• Much increase in medical expenses

👉, so "fast screening = reducing deaths."

🔎 Professional evaluation procedures

1️⃣ Screening

✔ Use the EAT-10 evaluation model.

• If score ≥ 3 points = risk

• In-depth assessment should be submitted

2️⃣ Bedside Evaluation

✔ MASA (Full score of 200)

Divide the level of severity:

• 170-200 = Regular

• 149-169 = nominal

• 141-148 = Medium

• 【 140 = severe

Assess both

• Body sense

• Tongue control

• Coughing

• Sounds after swallowing

• Swallowing reflex

3️⃣ Instrumental Assessment

📌 VFSS (dough swallowing tomography)

Visualize swallowing at all stages (mouth-neck-esophagus)

📌 FEES (endoscopy through the nose)

See the vocal folds, the sputum, the lining clearly.

Can do bedside

📌 Esophageal Manometry

Used to measure the force of squeezing the esophagus.

Helps diagnose Achalasia / abnormal squeezing muscle

🍲 Food Arrangement in accordance with IDDSI Standards (Levels 0-7)

The more difficult it is to swallow. → More texture needs to be adjusted.

Example:

• Level 4 = finely ground food

• Level 5 = finely chopped wetland

• Level 6 = Sliced soft

• Level 7 = Regular food

❌ Avoid.

• Nuts, hard seeds

• Sticky rice, invade vermicelli

• Dry food easily broken

• Food with separate layers of water

💪 Rejuvenation of swallowing muscles

✔. Practice the mouthpiece. Inflatable.

✔ Training the tongue against force.

✔ Effortful swallow ("fuck" while swallowing)

✔ Pitch gliding (chasing highs and lows)

✔ Sit 90 ° straight.

✔ Use the Chin tuck technique (slightly bending your chin while swallowing).

💡 Summary of key concepts

✅ Start screening everyone at risk.

✅ Use Cut-off EAT-10 ≥ 3

✅ Adjust the diet strictly according to IDDSI.

✅. Work as a multi-professional team.

✅ Teach caregivers to help train the right way.

Because "swallowing" is not just about food.

It is about life, safety and quality of life. 💙

# Dysphagia

# Congestion

# AspirationPneumonia

# StrokeCare

# NurseShortNote