[Understanding dysphagia][Click the video in the second frame to play the interview clip]
 
"All patients with dysphagia have one thing they really want to eat and one thing they really want to drink. Only family members know their thoughts. We encourage family members to recall the patient's preferences before the onset of the disease. See See if there is any way to discuss with the speech therapist to put food and drinks in front of him so that patients with dysphagia can regain the pleasure of eating." # Dr. Chen Wenqi, director of the Swallowing Institute of the University of Hong Kong, said.
 
Do you know if your family members have difficulty swallowing?
Dr. Chen advises caregivers to pay attention to the eating and drinking status of their family members. For example, when it comes to drinking water, one or two times out of every ten meals will appear "turbid", and whether there will be a severe cough while drinking. This may be due to water accidentally entering the lungs. On the other hand, when eating, the patient holds the meal in his mouth and does not swallow it, because the patient may feel uncomfortable when swallowing the meal.
 
On the other hand, Dr. Chen also recommends that caregivers pay more attention to the patient's weight and body temperature, and weigh their family members every month to see if their weight remains stable or is getting thinner. When they find that their family members are getting thinner, they should pay attention. If you have difficulty eating, such as "not eating enough" or eating less than before, you may have difficulty swallowing. Furthermore, check the temperature of your family members regularly, because you are afraid that if the patient continues to have this "turbid" condition, food or drinks may accidentally enter the lungs and cause pneumonia. If the body temperature continues to be low, it will be between 37-38 degrees, or sometimes When it is high and sometimes low, there may be a chance of pneumonia.
 
Caregiver point is good?
Patients with dysphagia are faced with the situation of "not being able to eat the food they want to eat or drink the drinks they want to drink". Their physical condition may gradually deteriorate and their weight may continue to decrease. As caregivers, they face a lot of pressure and worry about whether they can Unsatisfactory care has caused the family members being cared for to become thinner and thinner. Dr. Chen believes that when caregivers learn more about dysphagia and know how to apply the "Care Food Standard Guidelines" to prepare food, their confidence will naturally increase, their stress will naturally decrease, and caregiving will become easier. She said: "We implement the "Care Food Standards (Guidelines)" and hope that everyone, regardless of whether they have dysphagia or not, caregivers or the industry, will understand this standard and understand the size and consistency of food when preparing food and drinks. The level is a safety standard. Prepare and do a simple test by yourself to determine the appropriate level. When the patient eats, he will get the desired effect and the caregiver will feel more at ease. "
 
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