Acoustic and Perceptual Profiles of Swallowing Sounds in Children: Normative Data for 4 –36 Months from a Cross-Sectional Study Cohort

This study examined the acoustic and perceptual parameters of swallowing sounds in children aged 4–36 months over a range of food and fluid consistencies. Using CA, swallowing sounds were recorded from a microphone as children ate or drank. Acoustic parame ters of duration, peak frequency and peak intensity were determined. Perceptual parameters of swallowing/breath sounds heard pre-, during and post-swallow were rated (‘present’, ‘absent’, ‘cannot be determined’) for each texture. 74 children (35 males; mean age = 17.1 months [SD 10.0] ) demonstrated mean swallow durations of<1  s. Increasing age correlated to reduced peak frequency on puree (r = −0.48, 95 % CI −0.66, −0.24). Age correlated to peak amplitude when swallowing puree (r = 0.27, 95 % CI 0.02, 0.49), chewable solids (r = 0.31, 95 % CI 0.02, 0.56) and thin fluids (r = 0.48, 95 % CI 0.27, 0.64). The bolus transit sound was present in all swallows. A majority of children had normal breathing sounds and coordinated swallows. A swallow duration of<1  s and the presence of a quick bolus transit sound with normal breathing sounds were found in healthy children. The normative data reported in this study provide a platform for future comparison to abnormal swallowing sounds in children.
Source: Dysphagia - Category: Speech Therapy Source Type: research