You need to know the steps to take to prevent choking. This is very important in a person who has trouble swallowing.
The person might be able to tell you. If you think the person is having trouble, tell their doctor. You may need a referral to a dietitian. Also, observe for these signs of dysphagia:
Try to find out the reason they refuse, they may not feel well; they may believe the medicine is causing unpleasant side effects. Never force a person to take a medicine. If the person continues to refuse a medicine for more than one dose, call the doctor.
Stay calm, stop feeding the person and be sure he or she is sitting upright.
No, only use the maneuver on conscious adults or children over age 1.
When a person has repeated trouble with swallowing, his or her doctor should recommend you meet with a dietitian to be sure you choose the proper foods and liquids.
Have the person sit up straight and use a chin tuck position when swallowing. When feeding the person, start with sips of liquids, then a bit more liquid, and then follow with bites of food.
Try placing 1/2 teaspoon of food on the unaffected side of their mouth (this means the side where sensation and movement is normal). Have the fork or spoon touch the mouth or tongue. Alternate bites of food with small sips of water.
The website is owned by the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. The Mayo Clinic’s mission is to empower people to manage their health. The website offers useful and up-to-date information and tools on a wide variety of health topics. Website includes information on difficulty swallowing.
visit: www.mayoclinic.com
A service of the United States National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health, MedlinePlus brings together authoritative information from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations. Information about Swallowing difficulty is on the web site.
visit: medlineplus.gov
The patient education web site has information about dysphagia.