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Dysphagia, more commonly known as swallowing difficulties, can be prevalent amongst those in neuro rehabilitation. For those in recovery, understanding how their swallowing has been affected, what solutions are available and which nutritional, delicious and above all, safe, meals they should be eating, is of paramount importance.
When someone starts to experience dysphagia, they are most commonly seen by a speech and language therapist (SLT) and a dietitian. Together, they will create a plan for the management of dysphagia. A speech and language therapist will explain in detail the importance of texture modified food and drinks and will work with you to carefully understand the right texture modification for you.
What is IDDSI?
This is where IDDSI can help you understand your recommended texture modified diet in more detail. IDDSI stands for International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative. This is a committee that have developed a framework of 8 levels which provide common terminology to describe food textures and the thickness of liquids for those living with dysphagia.
The purpose of IDDSI is to create standardised terminology and descriptors for texture modified foods and liquids that can be applied and understood globally – across all cultures and age spans.
Before the introduction of IDDSI, there were national descriptors in the UK which were formed by opinion rather than international standards. Having different terminology, categories and definitions in different countries caused some instances of food being of incorrect consistency. The IDDSI framework was fully adopted by food manufacturers and healthcare settings in the UK in March 2019.
The framework consists of levels for both drinks (liquids) and foods, some of which overlap as you can see in the image above. Here is a breakdown of each category in the IDDSI FOODS framework.
Level 3 – Liquidised/Moderately Thick
- Can be drunk from a cup
- Does not retain its shape
- Can be eaten with a spoon, not a fork
- Smooth texture with no ‘bits’
Level 4 – Pureed/Extremely Thick
- Usually eaten with a spoon (a fork is possible)
- Does not flow easily
- Does not require chewing
- Retains its shape
- No lumps
- Not a sticky consistency
Level 5 – Minced
- Can be eaten with either a fork or a spoon
- Can be scooped and shaped
- Small lumps are visible, but are easy to squash with tongue
- Biting is not required
- Minimal chewing required
Level 6 – Soft & Bite-Sized
- Can be eaten with fork or spoon
- Can be mashed/broken down with pressure
- Chewing is required before swallowing
How can I check my meals are made to IDDSI standards?
You can check to see whether your food is compliant with the IDDSI Framework by watching these IDDSI Food Test videos.
To discover a Softer Foods range which is IDDSI compliant and created with your patients’ needs in mind, register here for the opportunity to try some complimentary meals from Wiltshire Farm Foods.
