Adherence to eating and drinking guidelines for adults with intellectual disabilities and dysphagia

Abstract

The extent to which 40 individuals with intellectual disabilities and dysphagia and their caregivers adhered to speech and language pathology dysphagia guidelines was evaluated. These individuals were observed having a meal across four settings. In addition to monitoring overall adherence, guidelines were split into separate sections corresponding to consistency modification of food and drinks, physical positioning, use of equipment and utensils, and support and prompting recommendations. Adherence to speech and language pathology recommendations was generally high, particularly regarding consistency modification that can help reduce the risks of aspiration and asphyxiation. Significant differences in adherence were found across settings, across type of guidelines, and between people who were fed by caregivers and those who fed themselves.