Eat safe, eat well

Dr Cheng Tze-ho, Dennis
Speech Therapist
Prince of Wales Hospital

As the saying goes, ‘Bread is the staff of life.’ However, for patients with dysphagia, safe swallowing is their pillar of life.

In recent years, a new type of thickener namely gum-based thickener, has been introduced to public hospitals since the traditional starch-based thickener is generally considered less acceptable in terms of its flavour and texture. Dr Dennis Cheng took the opportunity to develop the new dosage formulae for the gum-based thickener. By adjusting the food viscosity to the optimal level, patients would be able to eat safely with the risk of choking and pulmonary aspiration minimised. As he referred to other research papers, he learned that industrial viscometer could be used to measure the viscosity of drinks. Towards this end, he developed four formulae with variation in viscosity to make eating easier for patients.

Dennis hopes that eating can be safe and enjoyable for patients. He has been taking part in the Food Enjoyment Programme for long-stay patients organised by the Medical Social Service Unit of Cheshire Home, Shatin to examine the ingredients, size and texture of street food. The aim of this project is to help long-stay patients, including patients with dementia who suffer from loss of appetite, to take pleasure in food again. “Patients with dementia have higher sensitivity to sweet tastes, so black sesame soup and mango pudding are preferred food options,” says Dr Cheng.

To Dennis, this award is a strong motivation for him to achieve his career aspirations. Currently, he is studying the feasibility of using ultrasound to conduct swallowing assessment on patients with dysphagia. If such technique can be put into practice, this will effectively mitigate patients’ discomfort during the assessment. “Despite the many challenges, I will keep up the momentum and strive to provide the best medical service for patients.”