By Tamala Sammons, M.A., CCC-SLP, Therapy Resource
A new clinical campaign for our SLPs and IDT is the “Think Thin! A Path to Thin Liquids” approach. There is so much supporting evidence that promotes thin liquids over thickened liquids. When thick liquids are needed, then we need to consider utilizing the free water protocol.
Reasons to Think Thin:
Preventing Dehydration: Dehydration can lead to a variety of negative health consequences including:
• Changes in drug effects
• Infections
• Poor wound healing
• UTI’s
• Confusion
• Constipation
• Altered cardiac function
• Declining nutritional intake
Improving Quality of Life:
Traditional thought holds that aspiration of any material into the lungs can lead to aspiration pneumonia so many patients who have difficulty swallowing are placed on diet restrictions that avoid thin liquids.
However, a confounding evidence in the literature suggests that pulmonary aspiration of differing materials may not present an equal risk for the development of aspiration pneumonia. Aspiration will result in pneumonia only if the aspirated material is pathogenic to the lungs and the host resistance to the aspirated material is compromised. Research also discovered: “The risk of developing aspiration pneumonia was significantly greater if thick liquid or more solid consistencies were aspirated.” (Holas, DePippo, & Redding, 1994)
Being able to have Thin Water: Free Water Protocol
If a patient must be on a thickened liquid for any duration of time, research using a free water protocol found that fewer residents had UTI’s and dehydration and that when paired with proper positioning and oral care, there were no incidents of aspiration. Additionally, providing patients with thin water:
• Improves quality of life
• Improves Resident satisfaction with meals and less reports of thirst (Over 35% of patients are noncompliant with thickened liquids)
• Decreases risk of dehydration, UTI’s and pneumonia
Additional training information and materials will be coming over the next few weeks as we work to Think Thin!