Dysphagia/Swallowing & Feeding Therapy

What is dysphagia?
Swallowing problem; difficulty moving food from the mouth to the stomach

What is aspiration?
The entry of food or liquid into the airway

What is silent aspiration?
Lack of physical signs (coughing, choking) that food has gone into the airway

What are the consequences of aspiration?

• Aspiration pneumonia
• Weight loss
• Malnutrition
• Dehydration

Signs or symptoms of dysphagia:

• Drooling
• Inability to control food in the mouth
• Residue on tongue or around teeth and gums
• Pocketing in cheeks
• Holding food in mouth
• Choking
• Wet or gurgly vocal quality after eating or drinking
• Coughing
• Congestion
• Clearing throat
• Increase of temperature
• Patient complaint of difficulty swallowing
• Patient complaining that something "gets stuck" in throat
• Watery eyes
• Difficulty chewing
• Increased secretions
• History of pneumonia
• Lung sounds (wheezing)
• Inability to recognize food
• Difficulty placing food in the mouth
• Recent weight loss
• Change in eating habits

Dysphagia/feeding therapy can also benefit children with:

• Sensory difficulties with textures resulting in gagging or expelling food
• Behavioral feeding difficulties resulting in tantrums, refusals, crying or vomiting during meal time
• Oral motor weakness secondary to prematurity, cerebral palsy, Down Syndrome or other diagnoses affecting the mouth
• Diets that are not age appropriate or who are not utilizing age appropriate self feeding skills
• Difficulty with biting and chewing foods appropriately
• Nutrition provided via NG or Gastrostomy tubes in an effort to begin to wean the child off tube feeding and increase oral feeds as medically able