title: Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in children: mechanism, source, and management.
abstract: Oropharyngeal dysphagia (OPD) is a challenging and relatively common condition in children. Both developmentally normal and delayed children may be affected. The etiology of OPD is frequently multifactorial with neurologic, inflammatory, and anatomic conditions contributing to discoordination of the pharyngeal phase of swallowing. Depending on the severity and source, OPD may persist for several years with significant burden to a patient's health and family. This article details current understanding of the mechanism and potential sources of OPD in children while providing an algorithm for managing it in the acute and chronic setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology and Head and Neck surgery, Arkansas Children's Hospital, 1 Children's Way, Slot #836, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA.
authors.forename: Venkata S P B
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Durvasula
authors.affiliation: Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, Arkansas Children's Hospital, 1 Children's Way, Slot #113, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA.
authors.forename: Ashley C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: O'Neill
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology and Head and Neck surgery, Arkansas Children's Hospital, 1 Children's Way, Slot #836, Little Rock, AR 72202, USA. Electronic address: GTRichter@uams.edu.
authors.forename: Gresham T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Richter
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003679:Deglutition / Q000502:physiology; D003680:Deglutition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D019468:Disease Management; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010614:Pharynx / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000503:physiopathology; D011379:Prognosis; D053120:Respiratory Aspiration / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Aspiration; Children; Dysphagia; Microaspiration; Oropharyngeal dysphagia; Pediatric dysphagia; Pharyngeal; Swallowing disorders