The health and well-being of the child is the primary concern in treating pediatric feeding and swallowing disorders. In addition to an IEP or 504 Plan, other documentation may be required, including the following: Feeding and swallowing challenges can persist well into adolescence and adulthood. Surgery for Chronic Aspiration. Treatment of Pediatric Swallowing Disorders ***** DISCLAIMER The information in these notes were developed from the three primary sources cited below. Assessment and treatment tools and strategies will be provided, so participants are prepared to integrate the knowledge and tools learned to properly identify, recommend and implement appropriate treatment for their pediatric dysphagia clients. (2016b). This list of resources is not exhaustive and the inclusion of any specific resource does not imply endorsement from ASHA. Therefore, childhood swallowing difficulties must be diagnosed accurately and managed appropriately. Your child is given a liquid containing barium to drink and a series of x-rays are taken. (2002). consideration of the infant's ability to obtain sufficient nutrition/hydration across settings (e.g., hospital, home, daycare setting). International Journal of Rehabilitation Research, 33, 218–224. Treatment for dysphagia can come in a number of forms, depending on the specifics of each individual case. American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. Swallowing is a complex process during which saliva, liquids, and foods are transported from the mouth into the stomach while keeping the airway protected. Concurrent medical issues may affect this timeline. San Antonio, TX: Communication Skill Builders. Anxiety may be reduced by using distraction (e.g., videos), allowing the child to sit on the parent's or caregiver's lap (for FEES procedures), and decreasing the number of observers in the room. She developed the successful STEP program for evaluation and treatment of pediatric dysphagia used by many practices. Typical feeding practices are used during assessment (e.g., if the child is typically fed sitting on a parent's lap, then this is observed during the assessment). Your speech-language pathologist (SLP) will work with you and other specialists to determine the treatment plan that is right for your child. This might involve decisions about whether the individual can safely eat an oral diet that meets nutritional needs, whether that diet needs to be modified in any way, and whether the individual needs compensatory strategies in order to eat the diet. She is an accomplished lecturer, traveling the nation delivering ASHA approved CEU courses on best practices for evaluation and treatment of the medically complex infant, toddler, and child with respect to their pediatric oropharyngeal dysphagia, as well as language acquisition within the framework of … Assessment of NS includes evaluation of the following: The infant's communication behaviors during feeding can be used as cues to guide dynamic assessment. Dysphagia in pediatric populations can result in multiple adverse health outcomes. Indicators of choking risk in adults with learning disabilities: A questionnaire survey and interview study. Dysphagia in children with severe generalized cerebral palsy and intellectual disability. They also provide information about the infant's physiologic stability, which underlies the coordination of breathing and swallowing, and they guide the caregiver to intervene to support safe feeding. de Vries, I. Feeding is the process involving any aspect of eating or drinking, including gathering and preparing food and liquid for intake, sucking or chewing, and swallowing (Arvedson & Brodsky, 2002). If the dysphagia is severe, another source of nutrition and hydration, such as a feeding tube, may be needed. Although feeding, swallowing and dysphagia are not specifically mentioned in IDEA, the U.S. Department of Education acknowledges that chronic health conditions could make a student eligible for special education and related services if the disorder interferes with the student's strength, vitality, or alertness and limits the student's ability to access the educational curriculum. Eddy, K. T., Thomas, J. J., Hastings, E., Edkins, K., Lamont, E., Nevins, C. M., . You do not have JavaScript Enabled on this browser. SLPs should have extensive knowledge of embryology, pre-natal and perinatal development, and medical issues common to the preterm and medically fragile newborn as well as knowledge of typical early infant development. In their role as communication specialists, SLPs monitor the infant for stress cues and teach parents and other caregivers to recognize and interpret the infant's communication signals. Maneuvers are strategies used to change the timing or strength of movements of swallowing (Logemann, 2000). She initially became Board Certified in Swallowing and Swallowing Disorders in 2011. For procedures that involve presentation of a solid and/or liquid bolus, the clinician instructs the family to schedule meals and snacks so that the child will be hungry and more likely to accept foods as needed for the study. Dysphagia in pediatrics involves feeding (accepting and preparing food orally), and swallowing (transporting food from the mouth to the stomach). SLPs need to be sensitive to family values and beliefs regarding bottle feeding and breastfeeding; they consult with parents and collaborate with nurses, lactation consultants, and other medical professionals to help identify parent preferences. This article provides an overview of dysphagia in children, as well as common causes of childhood swallowing difficulties, populations at risk for pediatric dysphagia, techniques used to assess swallowing in pediatric patients, and the current treatment options available for infants and children with dysphagia. Difficulty managing secretions (including non-teething-related drooling of saliva). In addition to determining the type of treatment that is optimal for the child with feeding and swallowing problems, SLPs consider other service delivery variables that may affect treatment outcomes, including format, provider, dosage, and setting. 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