Screening instrument for Dysphagia in people with an Intellectual Disability (SD-ID)

Screening instrument for Dysphagia in people with an Intellectual  Disability (SD-ID)

English version of the original Dutch Screeningsinstrument voor dysfagie bij mensen met een verstandelijke beperking (SD-VB)

The SD-ID is a quick and easy way to detect an increased risk of dysphagia. Professional caregivers complete the questionnaire with 29 yes/no questions (eleven about risk factors, eighteen about eating and drinking behaviour) in five minutes. If someone scores four points or more, there is an increased risk of dysphagia, and it is advisable to consult a speech-language therapist for further diagnosis. The speech-language therapist will then observe a meal situation to determine whether dysphagia is present

A score of 4 points or more on the original Dutch version is indicative of an increased risk of dysphagia. This preliminary English translation has not been separately validated, so be careful when interpreting the scores.

This version (in lay-out) is obtained from chapter 90 in Dekker, A.D. (2026). The caregiver’s companion to intellectual disabilities and dementia: 100 real-life questions and answers. University of Groningen Press. https://doi.org/10.21827/69e9e29c6658