Development of a multistage diet for dysphagia.

A multistage dysphagia diet was developed by the nutrition and the speech-language pathology sections of an inpatient rehabilitation unit to meet a growing need for a diet that would allow dysphagic patients to eat safely and to progress to a wider variety of foods as their swallowing function improved. The diet was constructed empirically by evaluating all foods on the hospital menu for ease of swallowing. It consisted of five solid-food stages and two liquid stages; thickened liquids were provided for patients unable to manage regular liquids. Menus that offered patients choices among food items were designed for most stages. During planning and implementation of the diet, special attention was given to food production concerns, education of staff and other caregivers, and development of instructional materials for patients leaving the hospital. The diet met its goals of providing dysphagic patients with a maximum number of foods that could be swallowed safely, maintaining or improving nutritional status, avoiding unnecessary tube feeding, and winning the support of patients and caregivers.