Stroke recovery: Coping with eating problems

What can I do to manage eating problems?

• Eat foods that are easy to chew, taste, and swallow, and avoid others that are not.
• Process foods to make them easier to swallow.
• Ask your speech pathologist, occupational therapist, or dietitian how to make liquids thicker. You may be able to add something to a thin liquid to make it easier to swallow.
• Eat foods that are not too hot or cold.
• Use special devices to help you eat.
• Use eating techniques that can help you prevent choking.
• Have a temporary or permanent feeding tube placed through your nose or through your abdomen into the stomach (for severe swallowing problems).

Test Your Knowledge

1. All types of foods are suitable for someone who has eating problems after a stroke.

1. True
2. False

Continue to Why is it important to carefully manage eating problems?
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Author:	Monica Rhodes	Last Updated: June 30, 2009
Medical Review:	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Richard D. Zorowitz, MD - Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
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