Dysphagia Diets

Members often ask if ASHA has any policies about dysphagia diets. ASHA has not established diet levels or terminology nor does ASHA have any guidelines about the types of foods that should be on a particular diet level. The following information is provided as a resource to help members looking to develop or influence diets in their facilities.

Dysphagia Diet Examples

• Sample state regulations – California [PDF]
• National Dysphagia Diet—product from the American Dietetic Association
• Examples of diet levels—Bronson Health and West Virginia University
• Speech Pathology Australia: Terminology for Modified Foods and Fluids
• Researchers discover discrepancies between dysphagia diet guidelines and prepared foods

The ASHA Leader Articles

• National Dysphagia Diet: What to Swallow

ASHA Journals and Special Interest Division Perspectives Articles

• Thickened Liquids: Practice Patterns of Speech-Language Pathologists
• A Randomized Study of Three Interventions for Aspiration of Thin Liquids in Patients With Dementia or Parkinson's Disease
• Tongue Pressure Modulation During Swallowing: Water Versus Nectar-Thick Liquids
• Practical Strategies: Nourishing Liquid Diet

Products

• Standardizing Dysphagia Diets: The National Dysphagia Diet and Other Considerations

Additional Resources

• Patients on Modified Diets: Can we Compromise (ASHA Convention presentation in PDF format)
• Diet Modification Guidelines (from the Compendium of EBP Guidelines and Systematic Reviews)
• Diet Modification Systematic Reviews
• FAQ on ordering dysphagia diets—see questions 4 and 5 
• Adult Speech-Language Pathology Assessment Templates: Swallowing
• Culture Change in Nursing Homes: Pioneer Network Food and Dining Clinical Task Force Summary and Dining Standards