Implementation of Pediatric Flexible-Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing: A Systematic Review and Recommendations for

Jana Zang1, Saskia Kiehn2, Till Flügel2

  • 1Department of Voice, Speech and Hearing Disorders, Center for Clinical Neurosciences, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistrasse 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. j.zang@uke.de.

Dysphagia
|April 17, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric flexible-endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) lacks standardized protocols. This review found no high-quality studies, highlighting a need for better pediatric FEES procedures and research.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Medicine
  • Otolaryngology
  • Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

  • Flexible-endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) is a standard diagnostic tool for dysphagia.
  • However, validated protocols for pediatric FEES are currently lacking.
  • This gap hinders consistent application and research in pediatric populations.

Conclusions:

  • Existing pediatric FEES protocols lack methodological rigor and uniformity.
  • The review provides a basis for developing minimum requirements for pediatric FEES research.
  • Standardized protocols are essential to advance pediatric dysphagia diagnostics.
Abstract

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