Qualities To Look For When Hiring A Specialist In Dysphagia Diet

By Martha Phillips


Dysphagia is a type of disorder that can be caused by neurological disease, stroke, or dementia. If you are suffering from this condition you are at risk for chocking or aspiration. Besides causing other conditions such as pneumonia, this disorder can also affect your ability to swallow negatively. A doctor may advise you to take dysphagia diet so as to minimize chances of suffering from conditions like dehydration and malnutrition.

Swallowing difficulties, poor motivation, choking, pocketing food, and poor chewing ability are the main symptoms of this problem. As a patient, you will need to be very careful when selecting the types of food to eat otherwise you may die of hunger. You need to know the types of foods that can either be swallowed or eaten with minimal challenges. You will need to keep away from foods and drinks than can get into the windpipe.

There is no specific diet for individual with dysphagia. This is simply because every patient is different. In other words, patients experience different problems that need to be solved using different techniques. This is one of the reasons why it is important to seek help from a medical practitioner. This will help you know the type of meals that are good for you. An experienced practitioner will advise you to take frequent and even small meals especially if you are not capable of eating large meals.

It is advisable to sit upright when eating or drinking. You should also remain in the same position for about 30 minutes after the meal. This will help you minimize the risk for aspiration. Once you are done with the meals, clean your mouth thoroughly. However, you must not swallow water when cleaning your mouth. As a patient, you may require help from a nutritionist to guide you when it comes to preparing the foods to feed on.

There are many people out there who claim to be nutritionists. You should therefore use correct techniques when selecting an expert capable of providing you with services of high quality. Good methods will help you distinguish between the actual nutritionist and the crooks. You should choose an individual with analytical mind. A knowledgeable nutritionist will not only prepare good meals for you, but he or she will also come up with the right eating plan.

The best practitioners have savvy people skills. They like talking and interacting with people. This is the kind of nutritionist you should hire if you want good care. It is recommendable to choose a practitioner who is a good listener. She or he will find it easy to hear and understand your needs.

A good nutritionist is one who can communicate freely in both writing and speaking. Such kind of individual will help you understand the meaning of complicated scientific terms used in the food industry. A nutritionist with excellent communication skills will use the correct language when communicating to you.

At times, a nutritionist may be required to work with a variety of equipment and tools when attending to patients. She or he may be required to use calorimeters to measure metabolism; bioelectric impedance machines to evaluate body fat, and glucose meters to measure the level of blood sugar. In other words, one should have proper technical know-how.




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