Oropharyngeal dysphagia in children with multiple disabilities

This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of oropharyngeal dysphagia among institutionalised children with multiple disabilities, a topic with limited literature coverage.

The study employed a questionnaire, specifically the F-PEDI-EAT-10, to screen for dysphagia in children. Trained nurses administered the questionnaire to the participants.

The study included 117 children with multiple disabilities (51.3 per cent boys and 48.7 per cent girls) with an average age of 14 ± 4.7 years. The questionnaire revealed that 53 per cent (n = 62) of the children had a positive score and, surprisingly, 29 per cent of them (n = 18) did not have a confirmed diagnosis of oropharyngeal dysphagia. Notably, children with a positive F-PEDI-EAT-10 score had a significantly higher prevalence of pneumopathy and undernutrition compared with those with a negative score.

This study underscores the high prevalence of oropharyngeal dysphagia among children with multiple disabilities, a condition that is often underdiagnosed.