However, you should have a discussion with your medical team to fully understand the risks and benefits of a thickened liquid versus thin/regular liquids. Be an active member of your medical teamīased on the speech-language pathologist’s recommendation, your doctor will order the liquid that is most appropriate for your safety. This is called silent aspiration, and it is quite common in older adults who are medically compromised. Others do not feel or react to liquids getting down the wrong way. Some people sense liquids getting into their airway as an irritation, a burning sensation or a tickle in the throat. This can lead to coughing, discomfort, congestion, shortness of breath during and after meals, and aspiration pneumonia. Your medical team wants to prevent liquids from entering your airway and dropping into your lungs (also known as aspiration). This is especially helpful if you have decreased airway closure and thin liquid splashes or falls into your airway before, during or after the swallow. Thickening a liquid can keep the sip of liquid together in one ball (also known as a bolus). Thin liquids are unpredictable and difficult to control in the mouth and throat.Thickening a liquid can slow down the flow of the liquid, especially if you have a delayed swallow. Thin liquids move fast and can spill out of the mouth and into the throat before you are ready to swallow.It is great to ask questions, such as: “Why and for how long will I need to thicken my liquids?” Here are two common reasons why thickened liquids might be safer for some people:
Your Speech-Language Pathologist may have recommended thickened liquids to make swallowing liquids safer. By Karen Sheffler, MS, CCC-SLP, BCS-S of Why do I need thickened liquids?
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