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Neuropediatrics 2014; 45(06): 402-405
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1387814
Short Communication
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Aspiration in Children and Adolescents with Neurogenic Dysphagia: Comparison of Clinical Judgment and Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing

Sabrina Beer
1   Clinic for Pediatric Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Epilepsy Center for Children and Adolescents, Schön Klinik Vogtareuth, Germany
,
Till Hartlieb
1   Clinic for Pediatric Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Epilepsy Center for Children and Adolescents, Schön Klinik Vogtareuth, Germany
,
Arnd Müller
1   Clinic for Pediatric Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Epilepsy Center for Children and Adolescents, Schön Klinik Vogtareuth, Germany
,
Michael Granel
1   Clinic for Pediatric Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Epilepsy Center for Children and Adolescents, Schön Klinik Vogtareuth, Germany
,
Martin Staudt
1   Clinic for Pediatric Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, Epilepsy Center for Children and Adolescents, Schön Klinik Vogtareuth, Germany
2   Department of Pediatric Neurology and Developmental Medicine, University Children's Hospital, Tübingen, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

03 January 2014

05 July 2014

Publication Date:
24 October 2014 (online)

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Abstract

A total of 30 children and adolescents with dysphagia due to various chronic neurological disorders were assessed for their risk of aspiration. This assessment was performed clinically by experienced speech and swallowing therapists, and verified thereafter by fiberoptic endoscopy. We found the clinical judgment to be correct in only 70% (for aspiration of saliva), 55% (of puree), and 67% (of thin liquids). We conclude that, because of this unacceptably high error rate of clinical assessment, a fiberoptic evaluation of swallowing is a necessary diagnostic step both for the planning of therapy and for the development of feeding strategies in children and adolescents with neurogenic dysphagia.

Keywords

dysphagia - aspiration - fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing
 

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