If the person is normally in a reclining position, the chair should be put in an upright position and the straps checked to verify that they do not restrict the individual from adequately lowering their head for safe eating and drinking. With the head in this position, the side of the throat that is insensitive is narrowed so food and liquids are directed to the side of the throat that has greater sensation.įor people who sit in a chair that has a chest strap or chest harness, it is important that the straps are not so tight that they prevent a good chin tuck. For people with numbness in the throat, not only is a chin tuck important, but turning their head to the side that lacks sensation in the throat, will help produce a safer swallow. This lack of sensation is caused by a variety of reasons ranging from diseases and illness, to scarring due to a previous intubation. Some people lack sensation on one side of their throat. This is particularly significant if the person already has swallowing difficulties. Basically, more demand is placed on the muscles when the head is raised and controlling swallowing is more difficult. Also, note how the muscles are elongated and feel tighter when the head is raised. Note how the muscles of the mouth and throat feel in the different positions. A simple experiment to understand this phenomenon can be conducted by taking a drink with your head in a chin tuck, and repeating the process with your head fully extended upward. In a practical sense, having the head aligned over the spine with the chin tilted downward allows the muscles to work at their best to chew and swallow. The greatest difference in interpretation of how to implement a chin tuck appears to lie in the alignment of the head over the spine and the level of the chin relative to the chest. Aspiration frequently results in an infection in the lungs known as aspiration pneumonia.) (Aspiration occurs when food or liquid is drawn into the lungs instead of going down the esophagus into the stomach. When food enters the airway, the result is choking, or, if the individual does not have an adequate gag reflex or cough, aspiration. When the head is slightly forward and down, the windpipe is in a protective position food or liquid is less likely to enter the airway than if the head is upright or the chin is raised. Regardless of the exact execution of the chin tuck, it is a position that can improve the probability of taking a bite of food, chewing it, and swallowing it safely. Ensuring good body and head positioning, with the chin lowered in a “chin tuck” while eating or drinking can reduce the risk of aspiration and is high on the list of good practices, whether being fed by another person or being aided by an assistive device.Įven though there is no precise anatomical definition of “chin-tuck”, in general, a chin tuck is a head position that places the chin slightly downward towards the individual’s chest. each year due to aspiration pneumonia and people who require feeding are more vulnerable to aspiration (which can lead to aspiration pneumonia) than people who self-feed. There are approximately 40,000 deaths in the U.S.
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