Hi, am Lydia and my mom has PSP from 2015. I have been reading about this illness and can see the changes in my mom's condition as described. I would like to know what kind of food can be given to her knowing that she has difficulty in swallowing. She is also a heart and diabetes patient. She hardly eats much when it comes to homemade food but loves eating pizza's and burgers(she hardly coughs when she consumes this kind of food) so wanna know what can be given so that nutrients go into her body. Off lately she has started coughing a lot on any kind of food.
PEG tube had been recommended by her doc few months ago but we are not too keen.
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Paadickan
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Hi Lydia, you may want to get an evaluation done for your mom by a qualified Swallow Therapist. Then consult a nutritionist with PSP / dysphagia relevant experience.
[my mom too was diagnosed in 2014 & fitted with PEG since Nov-2017 since she developed severe dysphagia & could not eat/drink anything without badly choking. She has an hourly PEG feed now, the contents of which are optimized by the nutritionist. Her choking incidents have reduced by 90%]
For a month now we have been doing exercises to strengthen the muscles of the trunk. Choking has decreased.
The diet we follow is the Mediterranean, insisting on fish and poultry, although once a week we schedule red meat.
The chicken kebab is an alternative every 15 days.
Also every 15 or 20 days we left the pattern and bought hamburgers or pizzas.
Prevent solids or regular liquids from reaching the lungs to avoid eventual "aspiration pneumonia" (with falls this is another very important risk). Add thickeners to drinks (water, Aquarius orange or lemon, etc.); to drink it is advisable to use a special cup (Ornamin 815) with the chin as near as possible to the chest. The food must be moderately doughy and in small pieces if solid. Mediterranean diet emphasizing on fruits (peeled fruit avoiding the presence of seeds) and vegetables. Fruit compotes in small pieces or better crushed using a hand blender. Ice cream are well tolerated.
My dad is denying any swallowing problem but I know they are starting as he prefers , lots of yogurt , milk shake, fruit smoothies , when I do his shopping . These are all easier for him .
Thanks a lot...I have been advised to avoid dairy products but to give her a very thick smoothie.
I make a homemade cream soups and mashed potatoes and ground meat dinners with gravy, but given your mom is a diabetic it will have another set of challenges.Sweet potato are better then regular potato and you can make a pretty simple soup base and add your flavours,Google soft food diet for a diabetic.It's a hit and miss game with PSP and just when you think you got it,bam it changes
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