Oral eating and drinking care plan
for education, child/care and community support services*
CONFIDENTIAL
To be completed by a SPEECH PATHOLOGIST or other relevant health professional, and the PARENT/GUARDIAN
and/or ADULT STUDENT/CLIENT. This information is confidential and will be available only to supervising staff.
The speech pathologist can provide further general information and answer specific questions about the plan.
Mealtime support needs can change.
To ensure staff are following the most up-to-date advice, this plan should not be copied unless negotiated with the people who wrote it.
Name of child/student/client
Date of birth
Family name (please print)
First name (please print)
MedicAlert Number (if relevant)
Date for review
Routine mealtime care needs
Recommended support
Please indicate education and child/care issues.
Please describe recommended care.
Level of support required
Information is needed about how closely this person needs to
be supervised and for how long. Staff will routinely allow a
maximum of 15 minutes per meal unless otherwise negotiated.
Level of supervision
Requires constant supervision: high risk of choking/
aspiration
Requires close supervision (eg in small group)
Requires some assistance
Independent
Time required for mealtime (less for snacks)
Less than 15 minutes
About 15 minutes
Negotiation if longer time recommended
Type of support needed
Preparation
Additional hygiene/safety measures
Positioning for comfort and safety
Facilitation techniques (eg jaw support)
Stimulation (eg facial tapping/stroking)
Other
Equipment
Clothes protector
Modified utensils (eg spoons)
Modified cup/plate etc
Mirror
Positioning equipment (eg special chair/bolster)
Other
Environmental changes
Calm, consistent approach
Positive reinforcement
Minimal distractions
Social settings
Other
Positioning and care after mealtimes
Need to remain upright for
minutes
Need to check no food is left in the mouth/palate
Teeth brushing
Other
DECS Oral eating and drinking care plan 2006 www.chess.sa.edu.au
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Oral eating and drinking care plan (cont)
Routine mealtime care needs
Recommended support
Communication
Communication by child/student/client
Language
Gesture
Behaviour
Other
Communication by support worker
Offer choice (indicate how many)
Simplify instructions/use key words
Use picture cues
Other
Preparation and presentation of food and drink
The following information is provided as a safety check for staff.
Food and drink should routinely be brought to services such as
school or preschool already prepared. If some preparation is
requested of staff, this should be documented and negotiated
with staff. Some child/care services may prepare and provide
food.
Food consistency
No restriction on consistency
Modified
Food portions
No restriction on amount taken at a time
Modified
Drink consistency
No restriction on consistency
Modified
Drink portions
No restriction on amount taken at each sip
Modified
Quantity
Self-directed
Minimum amounts required (please specify)
Rate and order of intake
Self-directed
Direction/assistance required (please specify)
Specific strategies required
Spoon fed
Finger food
Drinking
Finger food
General (including behaviour management issues)
Other
Potential learning targets
Mealtimes are considered a time for socialisation and
enjoyment. Any specific learning targets (eg in relation to trying
new foods and textures) are generally addressed at home. If
some experimenting and promotion of new foods and tastes are
requested, this should be documented and negotiated with
staff.
Increasing independence (eg collects lunchbox,
manages spoon)
Behaviour targets (eg remains in seat for five spoonfuls)
Increasing intake (eg eats half a sandwich at lunchtime)
DECS Oral eating and drinking care plan 2006 www.chess.sa.edu.au
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Oral eating and drinking care plan (cont)
Recommended training for carers undertaking this OEDCP
First aid qualifications, including CPR and management of choking
General mealtime training, ie:


Completion of the DECS chess Health Support Planning Training Module—Oral Eating and Drinking Support (OEDS).
Further information is available at www.chess.sa.edu.au Pathways
OR
Novita Children’s Services can provide generic mealtime training on a fee-for-service basis (direct enquiries to
Oromotor and Dysphagia Clinical Senior Speech Pathologist, phone 8172 9213)
Information session (this can be by phone or face-to-face)
1:1 training support person(s)
1:1 training with child/student and support person(s)
Other (please specify)
First aid
Staff are routinely trained in basic first aid. This includes management of choking.
Staff should report any choking incidents directly to the parent/guardian and the speech pathologist that
developed this plan. Please document any known additional risk for this child/student/client and indicate the
response required (ie standard first aid OR an individual action).
General supervision for safety
Unless otherwise negotiated, staff members will stop the eating/drinking process if they observe a person with
any of the following signs:




Self-reported distress, or show other signs of distress
Tired and unable to manage
Gagging or coughing with unusual frequency
Pale or sweaty




Watery/glassy eyes
Unusual change of voice
Gurgling wet rattle in the throat
Unable to cough, stops breathing (ie choking)
If these signs are repeatedly observed, the person who wrote this plan should be informed and a review of the
plan should be requested by the staff/family.
Documentation and request for review of the plan
The staff can be requested to document mealtime observations to assist review of this plan. Please indicate if you advise the
following:
Complete attached oral eating and drinking observation log
Fax choking report to the speech pathologist (please give details for contact)
Other (please specify)
The staff/family/client can request an early review of the plan. Please indicate if a review should be requested if the following
is observed:
Increased coughing
Increase in chest infections
Decrease in weight
Other (please specify)
DECS Oral eating and drinking care plan 2006 www.chess.sa.edu.au
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Oral eating and drinking care plan (cont)
Additional information attached to this care plan
Standard first aid for choking
Individual emergency plan (if different to standard first aid)
General information about this person’s condition
Other (please specify)
*This plan has been developed for the following services/settings:
School/education
Child/care
Respite/accommodation
Transport
Outings/camps/holidays/aquatics
Work
Home
Other (please specify)
AUTHORISATION AND RELEASE
Health professional
Professional role
Name of agency/address
Telephone
Signature
Date
I have read, understood and agreed with this plan and any attachments indicated above.
I approve the release of this information to supervising staff and emergency medical personnel.
Parent/guardian
or adult student/client
Signature
Family name (please print)
Date
First name (please print)
DECS Oral eating and drinking care plan 2006 www.chess.sa.edu.au
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