Assigned by the random number table. During the treatment, all patients were provided with comprehensive rehabilitation therapy as follows:

Basic treatment, including corresponding control of risk factors and education on healthy lifestyles.

Swallowing training, including lemon ice stimulation, mendelson maneuver, empty swallowing training, and pronunciation training.

Pulmonary function training, including standing training, cough training, and diaphragm muscle training.

The observation group was given enteral nutritional support with Intermittent Oro-esophageal Tube Feeding

Assigned by the random number table. During the treatment, all patients were provided with comprehensive rehabilitation therapy as follows:

Basic treatment, including corresponding control of risk factors and education on healthy lifestyles.

Swallowing training, including lemon ice stimulation, mendelson maneuver, empty swallowing training, and pronunciation training.

Pulmonary function training, including standing training, cough training, and diaphragm muscle training.

Besides, the control group was given enteral nutritional support with Nasogastric Tube Feeding according to the relevant guidelines.

Besides, the control group was given enteral nutritional support with Nasogastric tube according to the relevant guidelines. Within 4 hours after admission, the placement of the feeding tube was conducted by professional medical staffs and after intubation, the tube was secured to the patient's cheek with medical tape. The feeding was conducted once every 3-4 hours, with 200-300ml each time. The total feeding volume was determined based on daily requirements. The feeding content was formulated by the nutritionists based on the patient's condition and relevant guidelines to reach the energy demand as 20-25 kcal/kg/day and protein supplementation of 1.2-2.0 g/kg/day for both two groups. For patients with limited tube feeding compliance, we made appropriate adjustments to ensure that they were not at risk of severe malnutrition as much as possible.

Video Fluoroscopic Swallowing Study, which is considered as the "gold standard", swallowing process is divided into four periods: cognitive, oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal periods with a total score of 10 and a higher score indicates better swallowing ability (less dysphagia).

During Dysphagia-Functional Oral Intake Scale assessment, evaluators engage in communication with the patient, conduct observations, and make records to assess the patient's oral intake ability. The Functional Oral Intake Scale assessment form includes seven levels of scoring, ranging from level 1 to level 7, indicating a progressive improvement in the patient's oral intake ability. In general, the result below level 6 indicates unsafe for oral intake while level 6 and above indicates that eating via mouth can be safely conducted.