Dysphagia in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Scoping Review

There are four phases of swallowing: oral preparatory, oral transit, oropharyngeal, and esophageal. Disruption of any phase(s) can lead to dysphagia. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) children have a high rate of dysphagia compared with neurotypical peers. This scoping review aims to identify the phases of swallow affected in ASD children and highlight the role of the otolaryngologist in evaluating dysphagia in ASD children.

Pubmed, Embase, APA PsycInfo, and Google Scholar.

A scoping review using the above databases was performed of studies from January 2003 to September 2024 evaluating dysphagia in ASD children. Two reviewers independently screened all abstracts, and three reviewers independently performed full-text screening to ensure studies met predefined inclusion criteria.

Of the 637 unique abstracts identified, 20 articles were included. Oral phase swallowing was evaluated in 19 (95%) studies, with food selectivity (n = 11 [55%]), oromotor impairment (n = 9 [45%]), and oral hypersensitivity (n = 7 [35%]) being the most consistently reported issues in ASD children. Oropharyngeal and esophageal swallowing were evaluated in 7 (30%) and 8 (40%) studies, respectively. Otolaryngology (ENT)-specific symptoms were reported in 3 (15%) of studies, which included drooling, mouth breathing, and nasal congestion.

While oral phase dysphagia in ASD children is commonly reported, there is limited information on oropharyngeal and esophageal dysphagia. Further research is needed to identify ENT-specific symptoms associated with dysphagia in ASD children, as otolaryngologists play a crucial role in diagnosing and treating anatomic abnormalities that contribute to dysphagia.