[Dysphagia] cricopharyngeal diet

[sorriso at adelphia.net (sorriso@adelphia.net)]

There has been a discussion going on on the ASHA Division 13 list regarding what the heck a cricopharyngeal diet is.  In response to a post requesting assistance with a patient, one therapist suggested a cricopharyngeal diet, prompting the question, "what is it?"

We've come to learn that it stems from vitalstim education and the identification of and significance of cricopharyngeal dysfunction in dysphagia.  The diet evidently refers to a solid food's viscosity and fat content in that a goldfish cracker is "better" than applesauce for the identified patient.  No research evidence has been cited in the discussion.

There, you know as much as I do (for those of you who didn't already know).

My question to this list is, what do you know about the cricopharyngeal diet?  Can you add more to the discussion?  Is this a valid premise?  Is there research?  

Linda A. Zanchi, MA CCC-SLP