Acute characteristics of pediatric Dysphagia subsequent to traumatic brain injury: videofluoroscopic assessment.
OBJECTIVE
To document the acute characteristics of swallowing impairment in a group of children post moderate/severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) by means of videofluoroscopy.


METHODS
Eighteen children with moderate/severe TBI.


METHODS
Videofluoroscopy at an average of 27.7 days post-injury.


RESULTS
Subjects demonstrated a range of dysphagia severity levels: mild-moderate (n = 8), moderate (n = 6), moderate-severe (n = 3), and severe (n = 1) and had a combination of oral and pharyngeal phase characteristics. More specifically, observable features or physiological impairments that were identified included reduced lingual control, hesitancy of tongue movement, repetitive tongue pumping, the presence of aspiration (including silent aspiration), delayed swallow reflex trigger, reduced laryngeal elevation and closure, and reduced peristalsis.


CONCLUSIONS
These data highlight the diversity of swallowing deficits and dysphagia severity levels in children following TBI and suggest that the former are consistent with a pattern of oropharyngeal impairments.
Morgan
Angela
A
Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland.
Ward
Elizabeth
E
Murdoch
Bruce
B
Bilbie
Kate
K
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D005260:Female; D005471:Fluoroscopy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D015601:Injury Severity Score; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014741:Video Recording / Q000379:methods*