Question

The patient is several days post-surgery to remove a tumor in the throat.  The patient has swallowing difficulty resulting in poor oral intakes and weight loss.  What measures could you offer this client to improve his/her oral intakes and prevent further weight loss? Select ALL that apply.

a. Use a straw to drink liquids.

b. Drink fluids during meals.

c. Avoid sauces and gravies on foods.

d. Use peanut butter on fruits to make them easier to swallow.

Answer 1

In order to make swallowing easy and encouraging feeding a straw can be provided so that the patient can easily suck and drink liquids

Drinking fluids during meals will decrease the quantity of food intake and also pose risk for aspiration

Sauces and gravies are soft diet and generally recommended for a post op patient as soft diet

Using peanut butter is a better option to make swallowing easier once when the healing is complete because of its sticky nature

Ans:Use a straw to drink liquids

Use peanut butter on fruits to make then easier to swallow