As you are living with dysphagia (swallowing difficulty) you will be familiar with the different level names given to thickened drinks. These have been created under something called the International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative. Abbreviated to IDDSI, pronounced ID – C.

It’s aim is to simplify descriptions of thickened drinks and pureed foods. Create a common language for patients, carers and healthcare professionals to describe a thickened drink.

Before this, everyone had their own idea of describing how thick a thickened drink should be. But this was open to interpretation. The IDDSI has changed this. Now everyone knows how to describe the thickness of a thickened drink and what it should look like.

It is for those of you who are familiar with IDDSI and those who are not?

Because knowing this is so important, we invited one of the board members based here in the UK – Ben Hanson – to join us on our podcast Slõ Talk. The aim was to share with us its origins, what’s happening to raise awareness and hopes for the future.

We have found that Speech and Language Therapists, Dietitians and those working on wards are extremely comfortable using the IDDSI terminology. They also understand how that translates into preparing thickened drinks and texture modified meals.

However, outside of that sphere there are many healthcare professionals who are not dealing with dysphagia on a daily basis who need added support to understand it. That may include you.

Consequently, we wanted to share with you our latest Slõ Talk podcast which will provide you with an insight in IDDSI and we hope proves useful.

More information is available from our site www.slodrinks.com and IDDSI’s www.issdi.org

In the meantime, to listen to this podcast just click here: Slõ Talk: Podcast with Ben Hanson.