International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative (IDDSI)
Layman's explanation
A global standard with terminology and definitions to describe food textures and drink thickness for individuals with dysphagia
Used in a sentence
The care team will refer to an international guide for appropriate food textures and drink thickness for patients who have difficulty swallowing.
IDDSI Level 0 Thin Fluids
A fluid consistency term established by IDDSI referring to non-modified beverages e.g. water, coffee
Drinks that are not thickened, such as water and coffee.
IDDSI Level 1 Slightly Thick Fluids
A fluid consistency term established by IDDSI referring to fluid consistency that is slightly thick e.g. naturally occurring in barley drinks or achieved via use of thickener to change fluid consistency
Drinks that are slightly thickened, such as barley, or drinks that are added with thickener.
IDDSI Level 2 Mildly Thick Fluids
A fluid consistency term established by IDDSI referring to fluid consistency that is mildly thick and can be achieved via use of thickener to change fluid consistency
Drinks that have mildly thick consistency, which can be achieved by adding thickener.
IDDSI Level 3 Moderately Thick Fluids
A fluid consistency term established by IDDSI referring to fluid consistency that is moderately thick e.g. honey or achieve via use of thickener to change fluid consistency
Drinks that have moderately thick consistency, such as honey, or drinks added with thickener.
IDDSI Level 4 Extremely Thick Fluids
A fluid consistency term established by IDDSI referring to fluid consistency that is slightly thick e.g. yoghurt or achieved via use of thickener to change fluid consistency
Drinks that have slightly thick consistency, such as yoghurt, or drinks added with thickener.
IDDSI Level 4 Pureed Diet
A diet texture term established by IDDSI referring to a smooth, paste-like food e.g. mashed potatoes, almond paste
Food that has smooth paste-like texture, such as mashed potatoes and almond paste.
IDDSI Level 5 Minced and Moist Diet
A diet texture term established by IDDSI referring to a finely chopped (approx. 0.4cm) and moist diet e.g. minced meat
Food that are finely chopped and moist, such as minced meat.
IDDSI Level 6 Soft and Bite-sized Diet
A diet texture term established by IDDSI referring to food cooked to soft texture and cut up into small pieces approx. 1.5cm x 1.5cm in size
Food that has soft texture and cut into small pieces of about 1.5cm by 1.5cm.
IDDSI Level 7 Regular Diet
A diet texture term established by IDDSI referring to regular food with no restrictions
Regular food with no restrictions.
IDDSI Level 7 Regular-Easy To Chew Diet
A diet texture term established by IDDSI referring to regular food but naturally soft in nature e.g. soft bread, soft rice with gravy
Regular food that are soft, such as soft bread, rice with gravy.
Impaired cognition
Decline in mental ability to perform complex tasks
The patient’s illness may have caused a decline in their mental ability to perform complex tasks.
Impaired coordination
Reduced ability to perform accurate actions and movements
As a result of the patient’s illness, he has reduced ability to perform accurate actions and movements.
Impaired sensation
Unable to feel and respond to touch normally
The patient’s illness may be the cause to being unable to feel and respond to touch normally.
Incentive Spirometer (IS)
Breathing device to help the lungs breathe normally again
After your operation, we will give you a breathing device to help your lungs breathe normally again.
Indwelling catheter (IDC)
A tube inserted to the bladder to help you pass urine
In view of Mr Lim’s condition, we recommend inserting a tube called an indwelling catheter to help him pass urine.
Internal rotation (related to joint movement)
Rotate arm or leg towards the body
The action of rotating his arm or leg joint towards the body.
Intestinal Obstruction (IO)
Intestines are blocked
Usually, if your intestines are blocked, you will not be able to pass gas or pass motion. You may also have a swollen abdomen.
Intramuscular Injection (IM)
Injection straight into the muscle
Injections straight into the muscle help the body absorb medicine faster. You would have experienced this when you get flu shots or similar vaccines.
Intravenous (IV)
Inject into the vein
The nurse will inject the medicine into the vein to deliver it directly and quickly into the body.
IO Chart (Intake Output Chart)
A chart to record all your drinks and all the waste (urine/motion) that you pass out to better understand your body condition
We would like you to record what you eat and drink, and what you pass out on this chart.
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