About Dsyphagia
Dysphagia is the medical term for swallowing difficulties.
The patients have difficulty moving the food from the mouth to the stomach. The swallowing process is usually long, accompanied with or without pains, and in severe cases, the patients cannot swallow at all.
The specific symptoms are:
- Must swallow food for several times;
- Cough, or even wake up in the middle of the night;
- Food remains in the mouth, causing odours in the mouth;
- Drooling due to weakening muscle control in the mouth;
- Weight loss and dehydration;
- May cause pneumonia due to a long-term cough.
| Severe | |
| Level 1 | Difficulty swallowing or unable to swallow, not suitable for swallowing training |
| Level 2 | A large amount of accidental aspiration, difficulty swallowing or unable to swallow, suitable for basic swallowing training |
| Level 3 | If proper training can reduce accidental aspiration, can execute an eating training |
| Moderate | |
| Level 4 | Eating as interest is possible, but nutritional intake still requires a non-mouthed approach |
| Level 5 | Only 1-2 meals nutritional intake through the mouth |
| Level 6 | 3 meals nutritional intake can be passed through the mouth |
| Mild | |
| Level 7 | If you can swallow food, 3 meals can be eaten by mouth |
| Level 8 | Except for a few hard-to-swallow foods, 3 meals can be eaten through the mouth |
| Level 9 | Can swallow ordinary food but need guidance |
| Normal | |
| Level 10 | Normal ability to eat and swallow |