School of Human Communication Sciences
Dysphagia
Thickened Fluids
Created: October 2008
Supermarket items that can be used to thicken fluids
These products will change the flavour and energy content, therefore commercial thickeners are recommended.
Supermarket items with comments or directions
| Item |
Comments /Directions |
| Instant potato mix |
Add directly to the fluid |
| Mashed or pureed vegetables |
Add directly to the fluid |
| Cornflour |
- Must be cooked before adding to the fluid
- Mix cornflour in a saucepan with a small amount of water to form a paste
- gradually add to the fluid, stirring to avoid lumps
- Heat, stirring constantly
|
Plain flour, Arrowroot, Custard powder, Potato starch or Rice flour |
Can be used when cooked in the same way as cornflour |
| Baby rice cereal (e.g. Farex) |
Add directly to the fluid |
| Sago (tapioca balls) |
- May only be available in Asian grocery stores
- Gradually add to hot fluid, stirring constantly (till translucent) to avoid lumps
- Select balls with the smallest diameter if they are to be eaten
|
Commercial drink thickeners
Please refer to the supplier for details on how to thicken drinks.
Commercial thickeners and suppliers details
| Thickener |
Supplier and contact details |
| Easy Thick, Keltrol or Thick plus 2 |
Flavour Creations
07 3879 1900
http://www.flavourcreations.com.au |
| Resource Thickenup |
Nestle Nutrition
1800 671 628 |
| Nutillis or Karicare |
Nutricia
1800 060 051
http://www.nutricia.com.au |
Guarcol |
Orion Laboratories
1800 805 546
http://www.orion.net.au |
| Supercol |
Chipmonk Pty Ltd
07 5457 3324 |
| Quikthik |
Dr Macleod's
07 5445 4460
http://www.drmacleods.com.au |
| Thick and Easy |
Technipro Marketing Pty Ltd
02 9897 5899
http://www.technipro.com.au/thick_easy.htm |
Thickness and items
| Thickeness |
Items |
| Mildly Thick |
|
| Moderately Thick |
- Yoghurt, for example Ski or Yoplait (without fruit lumps)
|
| Extremely Thick |
- LeRice yoghurts
- Jalna yoghurts
- Fruche yoghurts
- yogo yoghurts
- Mousse
- Tinned pureed fruit
|
Disclaimer: This material is provided to offer information regarding dysphagia. Material is for general information purposes only and it is recommended that advice of a professional Speech Pathologist be sought regarding specific cases. This material was last updated in October 2008.
Dysphagia
Created by Ying Ying He, Leah Knight, Elissa McCleary, Carli Maddocks, Sherry Metry and Travis Wilkins (4th year Bachelor of Speech Pathology students) under the supervision of the School of Human Communication Sciences at LaTrobe University (Justine Slattery) and Epworth HealthCare (Joanne Cox, Doug McCaskie, Deb Perlow and Lauren Kovesey).
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