When powdered thickeners don’t work: a liquid thickening system is now available
For many people with dysphagia, thickened drinks are essential for safer swallowing. In practice, however, not every patient can tolerate powdered thickeners — and when they don’t, adherence often breaks down.
Clinicians hear it frequently:
“I don’t like the powder.”
“I can’t manage it.”
“I’ve stopped using it.”
When this happens, thickening advice may no longer be followed, increasing the risk of poor hydration, aspiration, and avoidable clinical deterioration.
In everyday clinical practice, it is routine to change the format of a treatment when a patient cannot tolerate the standard option. If someone struggles with tablets, a liquid alternative is prescribed. Until recently, that same change of format has not been available to clinicians supporting people with dysphagia.
A liquid drinks thickener in a standardised system format
Slõ Syrup is a liquid drinks thickener designed for use with patients with dysphagia where powdered thickeners are not tolerated or adhered to.
It delivers the same clinical purpose — thickening drinks to the appropriate IDDSI Level — but in a liquid format rather than a powder.
Importantly, it forms part of a standardised thickening system. Each bottle is supplied with a purpose-designed measuring cup to support consistent preparation to the prescribed IDDSI Level, reducing reliance on scoops and variable mixing technique.
This difference in format and preparation method is clinically relevant where:
- patients refuse or avoid powdered thickeners
- carers find preparation difficult
- adherence to thickening advice is inconsistent
In these situations, a liquid drinks thickener within a controlled preparation system may help patients continue to thicken their drinks — supporting safer hydration where standard options have failed.
Starting with samples to assess acceptability
Where a patient has struggled with powders, the first step is often assessing acceptability before requesting ongoing supply.
Many clinicians begin by requesting samples (www.slodrinks.com/clinicians-library), allowing the patient to trial the liquid thickening system and confirm that it is practical and well tolerated.
This approach helps to:
- reduce risk
- avoid unnecessary prescribing
- provide reassurance to Medicines Management before proceeding via non-formulary or specialist-led routes
Using Slõ Syrup in practice
Slõ Syrup is not intended to replace powdered thickeners, nor is it proposed for routine prescribing. It is designed for patient-specific, clinician-led use where powdered thickeners are ineffective or unacceptable.
Although it may not currently appear on local formularies, it can be requested for individual patients using established NHS mechanisms such as non-formulary requests or Individual Funding Requests (IFRs). Every ICB has a process for considering non-formulary items where there is clear clinical rationale.
To support this, the Non-Formulary Access Pack in the Clinicians’ Library includes:
- a concise clinical rationale
- a Specialist Initiation Request template
- an indicative 28-day supply guide
- full product data (ingredients, allergens and preparation instructions)
Supporting adherence and safer hydration
When powdered thickeners are not tolerated, the issue is rarely preference alone — it is adherence. Having a liquid drinks thickener available within a standardised preparation system gives clinicians another option for patients who might otherwise stop thickening altogether.
For people living with dysphagia, and the clinicians who support them, offering the right format — and a more controlled preparation method — can make a meaningful difference in maintaining safer hydration.
If your dysphagia patient cannot tolerate the thickening powder they have been prescribed, they do not need to struggle with it.
You can begin by requesting samples. And although Slõ Syrup may not yet appear on your local formulary, it can still be requested for individual prescribing by downloading the Non-Formulary Access Pack at www.slodrinks.com/clinicians-library
Slõ Syrup is also available for direct purchase at slodrinks.com/shop or via Amazon Prime.
To see how the Slõ thickening system works in practice, a short demonstration video is available at: www.slodrinks.com/i
