Uniflow Straws are a simple yet ingeniously designed drinking aid for those people struggle with sucking on a straw. Illness and disabilities can cause difficulties with both physical and oral motor skills, and people can find it difficult to maintain suction when using ordinary straws.

Many people that experience dysphagia, a difficulty with swallowing and eating, find the innovative one way valve useful. These non return drinking straws allow a pause and rest between sips. It makes it easier to drink and reduces the risk of choking on liquids.

How Do Non Return Valve Straws Work?

Uniflow one way straws use basic physics to provide a rather smart solution to drinking and swallowing with a straw.

Uniflow one-way valve straws keep unconsumed liquid in the straw itself in between sips.

The basic principle is to ensure the liquid can only travel one way once suction is in place, and these non return straws feature a small valve in the base that helps to reduce air intake when in use. This then keeps any unused liquid in the straw itself in between sips.

The diameter of each no return straw is also slightly smaller than that of an ordinary straw of this size, which helps to maintain a reduced yet steadier liquid flow rate. This is ideal for those who may feel overwhelmed when drinking liquids due to their dysphagia.

Who May Benefit From Using Straws with a One-Way Valve?

There are a number of conditions where the risk and discomfort of dysphagia plays a major role in the sufferer’s quality of life. People with multiple sclerosis, or MS, can have have difficulty with swallowing and sucking. This can lead to not only coughing, choking and discomfort whilst drinking, but can then lead to further complications of health such as lung infections and dehydration.

Uniflow’s one-way valve design is ideal for teaching little ones to use a straw

The innovative design of the Uniflow one way drinking straws ensures liquids are consumed at a steady and slow pace. This helps to remove the fear of choking or coughing fits, and to provides piece of mind to those with swallowing difficulties.

Using One Way Valve Straws with Children

Straws with a one-way valve are also ideal for young children and toddlers who are learning to drink from a straw. Below is a step-by-step guide on how to make the introduction to straws more simple for children. However, the non-return valve featured in each Uniflow straw actually provides the same outcome without the need to alter ordinary straws, which is perfect for busy parents of children keen to master straw-drinking.

1. To start, cut a regular straw in half.  Not only is a shorter straw easier to handle, but it also takes less strength for a child to suck liquid from a shorter straw.
2. Dip the straw into a cup with liquid preferred by the child. Place the tip of your finger over the top of the straw to keep the liquid in the straw. Remove the straw from the cup, keeping the top of the straw covered with your fingertip.
3. Place the straw on the child’s lips at a slightly tilted down angle (so that if you release your finger, the liquid will flow into the mouth).
4. Remove your fingertip, allowing the liquid to flow into the child’s mouth. The goal here is for the child to comprehend that he/she is getting liquid from the straw.  As you are doing this, tell the child to “take a sip.”
5. Once the child comprehends the idea of getting liquid from a straw, instruct him/her to close his or her lips around the straw. When the lips are closed around the straw, release your fingertip for the liquid to come out.  You may have to provide lip closure exercises to assist the child with this skill. Pinching the lips together may help.  Stretching the lips prior to straw drinking may help as well.

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A Really Useful Everyday Invention

Uniflow No Return Straws are designed to be fun and inclusive.

The design of each one way drinking straw is simple and inclusive, with very little visual difference to ordinary straws. The Uniflow no-return straws are sold in packs of 15. Each pack includes several bright and cheery colours that will appeal to adults and children alike. The straws are also disposable, so are ideal for popping in your bag when out-and-about.

Strawberi straw holder and Uniflow straws make the perfect companions

Although these one way straws are not recommended with fizzy or thick drinks (such as smoothies and fibre supplements) they are perfect for warm drinks, juices, cordial and water whether at home or on the go.

The perfect companion to the Uniflow non-return valve straw is the Strawberi straw holder. The Strawberi is a small yet very smart invention that clips on to the side of your glass or cup, and holds your straw in place. This is ideal for hands-free drinking and keeping mess and stress to a minimum when drinking.

Customer Quote from Amazon

These straws are great. My 92 year old mother was finding it increasingly difficult to drink from a cup and didn’t have the strength to keep sucking liquid up through an ordinary straw. These just need sucking up the tube once and then the liquid stays up the tube – she is now drinking lots more liquid. Thoroughly recommend them.

To buy your one way valve straws please click the boxes below:

@lwdisability Thanks for the lovely article! We’re working on making #uniflow even easier to use (and better value too).

— Such and Such Design (@ReallyUseful_UK) February 13, 2013

@lwdisability used these with my 3 year old with profound autism 12 yrs ago – worked a treat!!

— Gill Parker (@GillParker12) March 19, 2013

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When you’re dressing yourself, one particular complication can be fasteners. Whether you have poor manual dexterity or the use of only one hand, it can be virtually impossible, for instance, to fasten the buckles on your belts. Or you might be able to manage the buckle with a struggle, but then have problems if you have to rush to the toilet.

Easy Belts are the answer. They have a velcro strip that simply goes through a D-shaped buckle and folds back on itself, holding the belt securely in place – easy to operate single-handedly.

Colourful designs and styles

Easy Belts come in both adult and child sizes, adjustable of course, and can be made to measure if required. They are slightly elasticated, a boon for people with conditions like Irritable Bowel Syndrome which can cause painful bloating.

You can choose your Easy Belt from a range of colours, from pink stripes to black. Why not buy several, so you’ll always have one to match your outfit? It also means there’s bound to be one to match your child’s school uniform. Easy Belts can be machine washed, and come out looking as good as new every time.

Existing users are very positive about their Easy Belts. A man with Parkinson’s Disease was no longer able to manage normal belts and this caused distress. Easy Belt made it so easy for him to do up his belt. A teenage girl with learning disabilities could manage most things herself but struggled with belt buckles. Once she had an Easy Belt those days were gone: no more fiddling to find the hole, just one pull and fasten and it was done.

Easy Belts are highly recommended as a functional and fashionable aid to independence. With their excellent choice of sizes and colours,  there’s bound to be one to suit you. And at their very reasonable price, how can you lose?

Visit the Easy Belts webshop for more info about these practical velcro-able belts. http://www.easybelts.co.uk/

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