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Adapting Human Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study Methods to Detect and Characterize Dysphagia in Murine Disease Models
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Adapting Human Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study Methods to Detect and Characterize Dysphagia in Murine Disease Models

Published on: March 1, 2015

Dysphagia in children with infantile cerebral palsy

D Otapowicz1, W Sobaniec, B Okurowska-Zawada

  • 1Department of Pediatric Neurology and Rehabilitation, Medical University of Bialystok, Poland. dorota667@wp.pl

Advances in Medical Sciences
|October 12, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Swallowing difficulties (dysphagia) affect over half of children with infantile cerebral palsy (ICP), often linked to speech impairments. Severity correlates with ICP type and cognitive development, necessitating early intervention.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Neurology
  • Speech-Language Pathology
  • Rehabilitation Medicine

Background:

  • Dysphagia is a prevalent yet under-discussed issue in children with infantile cerebral palsy (ICP).
  • Understanding dysphagia's impact on oral and pharyngeal swallowing phases is crucial for affected children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To analyze dysphagia symptoms in children with the pyramidal form of ICP.
  • To investigate the correlation between dysphagia severity and ICP type, mental development, and epilepsy.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 67 children with pyramidal ICP was studied.
  • Data collection involved maternal case history, medical/psychological records, and logopedic examination including swallowing assessment.

Main Results:

  • Dysphagia was present in 61% of children, most commonly affecting the oral phase.
  • Oral and pharyngeal dysfunctions were associated with more severe dysarthria.
  • Dysphagia severity significantly correlated with ICP type (p<0.044) and mental development (p<0.00002).

Conclusions:

  • Swallowing disorders are common in children with ICP, impacting over 50% of cases.
  • Severe oral and pharyngeal dysphagia predominantly affects children with tetraplegia and profound intellectual disability.
  • Early assessment and intervention for swallowing function are vital components of ICP care and rehabilitation.
Abstract

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