Final answer:
The three levels of dysphagia nutrition therapy include Level 1: Pureed Diet, Level 2: Mechanically Altered Diet, and Level 3: Advanced Diet, designed to accommodate varying degrees of swallowing difficulties.
Step-by-step explanation:
The three levels of dysphagia nutrition therapy are part of a management plan for individuals who have difficulty swallowing, which is often required after a stroke, neurological disorder, or other medical conditions. These levels help to ensure safety and nutritional adequacy for patients who cannot swallow food normally.
Level 1: Pureed Diet
This is the most restrictive level where foods are pureed to a homogeneous, cohesive and pudding-like consistency. It is designed for individuals who have very poor oral phase abilities and cannot manage any solid food.
Level 2: Mechanically Altered Diet
At this level, the texture of food is modified to be moist and soft, requiring some chewing ability but not as much as a regular diet. Foods are well-cooked and may be chopped, ground, mashed, or soft.
Level 3: Advanced Diet
This is the least restrictive level before returning to a regular diet, where the food is of near-normal texture but avoiding very hard, sticky or crunchy foods. Individuals at this level have better swallowing abilities but are not yet able to manage a regular diet safely.
Dietitians and speech-language pathologists typically work together to assess a patient's level of dysphagia and recommend the appropriate level of nutrition therapy.