Swallowing Awareness Day is held on 18 March 2026. It is a day dedicated to raising awareness about swallowing difficulties. Swallowing is something most of us do without thinking. However, for people living with Motor Neurone Disease (MND) swallowing can become more difficult due to changes in mouth and throat muscles.
Rasing awareness about swallowing can help to get support early and improve overall quality of life.
What is Dysphagia?
Dysphagia is the medical term for difficulty with swallowing. Research suggests that approximately 85% of people living with MND experience dysphagia. Early signs of dysphagia can include:
- Taking much longer to finish meals
- Dribbling while eating or drinking
- Taking much long to chew foods
- Coughing, gagging or choking when eating.
Who can help?
Talking to your multidisciplinary care team early is important. This may include:
- A speech pathologist who can help with assessment, provide information about food consistency, advise on swallowing techniques, and provide recommendations for aids and equipment
- A dietician who can help with adapting diets and information about nutritional needs
- A general practitioner who can provide medication management and provide referrals as needed.
Practical tips
- Manage fatigue
- Adjust food and drink consistency to make swallowing easier
- Use aids and equipment to make meals easier
- Adjust positioning.
It is important to consult your healthcare team for opinion and management on dysphasia.
