Concurrent Use of Videofluoroscopic and Nutritional Intake Measures in the Assessment of Pediatric Patients With...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric medicine
• Speech-language pathology
• Radiology

Background:

• Videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) assesses swallowing physiology in real-time.
• Nutritional intake measures aim to identify restrictions in a patient's nutritional intake.
• Current evidence is insufficient to guide appropriate and adequate nutritional intake recommendations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the types and validity of nutritional intake measures used with VFSS findings.
• To understand how these measures inform nutritional intake recommendations for children with dysphagia.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive literature search was conducted following Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR guidelines.
• Searches included electronic databases and gray literature without date restrictions.
• Data extraction was performed using a standardized tool, with reviewers blinded.

Main Results:

• Twenty articles (2010-2024) from eight countries met the inclusion criteria.
• Significant variability was found in VFSS administration and the validity of nutritional intake measures.
• No single nutritional intake measure is consistently used across all pediatric populations with VFSS.

Conclusions:

• There is a critical need for valid and reliable nutritional intake measures for pediatric dysphagia.
• Measures should consider physiologic impairments identified during VFSS.
• Further research is needed to develop and validate these measures for improved clinical recommendations.