This handout is designed for patients and families facing the complex and personal decision of either signing a variance form or following specific safe swallow precautions prescribed in a healthcare setting. All patients and families deserve to know 1) their risk of dysphagia; 2) strategies to reduce their risk of dysphagia; and 3) their rights regarding their choice to use those strategies or not within a healthcare setting. This handout describes these three important factors.
This handout describes what an MBSS is, why someone might need it, how to prepare for the exam, what will happen during the exam, and what they can expect after the exam. The handout also features a series of images taken from a swallow xray to give patients a concrete idea of what exactly will be imaged during this exam.
This handout is for patients who have lost sensory or motor function of the fifth cranial nerve. The handout features simple anatomy/physiology of the trigeminal nerve, including the alveolar nerves, lingual nerves, and buccal nerves.
This is targeted towards family members and staff and describes the neurological processes involved in eating/drinking, how medical professionals can rule out barriers to oral intake (such as dysphagia), the risks of feeding in the face of refusal, considerations for artificial nutrition and hydration, and a brief description of hospice services.