What should I use?

Larry is having trouble drinking with a straw. If I get him started by using the straw with my finger over the top to trap liquid then put it in his mouth he can start to drink after he’s had a couple of swallows. Is there a syringe of some sort to aid in getting liquid in his mouth?

[Heady]

Steve always used straws with a valve in them. It stops the fluid going back down. You can buy reusable hard ones or plastic ones. I got them on-line.

Lots of love

Anne

[Hidden in reply to Heady]

Thanks.

[D0ttieL0ttie]

I used a 'Nosey cup' for Geoff, try Amazon, it was about £6.00. I also give him smoothies now, much easier to drink. Also your GP can refer to SWAT they help with swallowing and can prescribe thickeners (Geoff did not like or want thickeners, hence the smoothies) Take Care

[Hidden in reply to D0ttieL0ttie]

Thanks. I may try it but feel it would be too complicated for him now.

[Kevin_1]

Hi Jeff

We use a PEG Syringe.

They come in re-usable and use once types - Re-usable are the cheaper way to go.

You can get the in 60ml size.

They have a plastic screw end. We don't find that a problem, but if you do then a 1/2" piece of food grade clear tubing fixes that.

The other way to do is a feeding cup with spouted lid. Some do large holes in the spout which allows the liquid to pour into the mouth.

The Ornamin are very good. You only need the 'cone' type if he is holding the cup without assistance. The internal cone shape means the cupt doesn't have to be tilted so much.

They come with a large holed lid or a normal small holed lid.

amazon.com/s?k=Ornamin+Mug&...

Hope this helps

Best to you

Kevin

[Hidden in reply to Kevin_1]

Thanks. The syringe looks like the best solution.

[Dadshelper]

Dad used a straw with a reducer built in. It prevented the liquids from draining back so fast. That helped with not having to suck a straw's worth of air to get the liquid. You can buy them at various online places or possibly a local medical supply store. They don't work well with carbonated drinks! We found that out the hard way

Ron

[Hidden in reply to Dadshelper]

Thanks. I think I will try them as well.

[AliBee1]

Hi Jeff, We were advised by the Speech Therapist not to use a straw as it delivers fluid too far into the mouth. Nigel uses a Homecraft Clear Non Spill Cup with a lid and small apeture apout quite successfully unless he is unwell in which case he forgets to remove the mug from his mouth and swigs. He has thickened drinks which he does not object to now I shake the thickener rather than stir. When he is tired or unwell he has a Kapitex Drink Rite mug which controls the amount of fluid he takes in. The mug has to be put down before the next dose is delivered. I find this useful if I am helping him drink. I hope that you get it sorted for Larry. Good luck. AliBee x

[Hidden in reply to AliBee1]

I’ve tried cups with little success. He has a terrible time with them. The last speech therapist he saw said not to use straws but they have worked fine until the last few days.

[Cuttercat in reply to Hidden]

After all the other items (and we used them all). We ended up using a medicine type tube which is usually used to administer meds. The opening was like a spoon and then Charles could drink. He had his coffee every morning. Granted it takes time but worked. Just one more idea. Take care.

Cuttercat

[AliBee1 in reply to Hidden]

Sorry could not be of more help. Hopefully Cuttercat's or Kevin's suggestions will help. Good luck.

[Hidden in reply to AliBee1]

I appreciate the input.

[Marie_14]

I used the Kapitex cup for G towards the end. It controls the amount of liquid a person can drink hence no coughing. I think you might have to help him until he gets used to it. I found he was better drinking smoothies as he hated the thickener. Good luck with whatever you try.

Marie x

[aliciamq]

I have an irrigation syringe from the dentist - I think you can buy them at the drug store.

[Cuttercat in reply to aliciamq]

Good idea. May be what I was describing.

[Bhakthan]

Can try the glass with a lid fitted with a sucking lip, like the one athletes use to drink their energy drink. No spill over, and always full and can be tipped into the mouth.

[bgentges]

Dad uses nosey cups, has for over small year. Past 5 months he has been be drinking nectar thick liquids, per speech therapis recommendation. Thicken liquid has helped reduce the amount of chocking.

[Mcates]

Call your local gp or DNs and ask for a supply of syringes. They will happily help out I’m sure. X

[AJK2001]

Hi Jeff

Evidently sucking is a complex action (so says our SALT lady) so not surprising our loved ones begin to struggle. We did try the straws with valves but they tend to be wider diameter and Mum didn't have the suck to get the liquid up in the first place. She is now using the Ornamin cone mugs Kevin mentioned with level 2 (nectar) thickened liquids and the wide mouth spout. They do 3 different design lids but found the wider spout the best once drinks are thickened.

One thing I do find with Mum is that it looks like she is drinking with the ornamin cups but on closer inspection she hasn't got the cup tilted enough for the fluid to come out. Finding hydration is getting a harder battle as she also struggles to get the mug back on the table and everyday we have spilt drinks, which with the thickener in initially start off as slimey and then harden to a crunch - poor old carpet, it's certainly getting a battering !

[MissMolly19]

After finding that many prescribed thickeners spoil the taste of many drinks I got on to Slodrinks and ordered some. These come in small sachets and are drink type specific, e.g. For tea, or coffee, water, wine, fizzy drinks etc.. My husband has found they maintain the integrity of taste of each drink and on tasting them myself, they are really so much nicer. Worth trying, though you have to buy them except for some areas of the UK where they are prescribed.

[enzo501]

I always used fat straws (3/8)inch ID and a thick drink ...smoothies or naked juice ...you can get straws at yogurt shops or DQ....they get to know you and give them to you.They worked till the end

[Mzacc]

My mum is in the latter stages of PSP and swallowing (thickened) liquids is becoming more and more difficult. We have just given up on straws as her sucking reflect is now too weak. We've tried all forms of cups but these make her gulp, which induces coughing, which is terrible a struggle as this reflex has also been compromised. We are now spoon feeding her liquids. It's time consuming but it works.

Maria xx

[Abrecheisen53]

Hi Jeff, I am sorry for my late response. John uses a 5 cc Provale cup. I got it from Amazon (US if there's a difference). Our Speech Therapist recommended it. It has been a godsend as John is really struggling with thin liquids. We tried the straw but it really frustrated John, so we gave up on it. The cup releases 1 teas of liquid at a time and can take hot or cold. They also come in 10 cc's. Easy to clean and can go onto the top shelf of the dishwasher! My kind of cup!

I highly recommend them.

Good luck. Alice

[mb2roger]

I live in Canada and recently ordered the following pouches from Amazon.ca to use as squeezable drink pouches for my mom: “Little Green Pouch (4 Pack) - 7 Oz. Reusable Baby Food Leak Proof Pouches”. I also ordered the Munchkin silicone tops from Amazon to use with these pouches because they’re soft and have a valve so the liquid doesn’t squirt out too quickly, although we did have to cut slightly larger openings so liquid can flow a little more freely. My mom drinks thickened liquids as well (we really like Simply Thick), and when using a straw became too difficult for her, we switched to these reusable pouches. They have worked very well for my mom, but we do have to watch closely how much liquid we’re squeezing into my mom’s mouth so we only squeeze one sip at a time. Hope this is helpful. One more word of caution: keep the silicone tops out of reach so pets can’t accidentally eat one ... my cat found one of these tops on the kitchen counter and took a bite! I had to phone his vet, and thankfully he’s fine, but I learned to keep them out of reach!