What difficulties does dysphagia lead to in infants, children and young people?
- Issues with the development of feeding skills
- Behavioural issues associated with eating, drinking and mealtimes
- Can cause chest infections, pneumonia, choking, dehydration, weight loss and malnutrition
How can speech and language therapists (SLTs) help?
- They can assess and identify possible causes of eating and drinking difficulties
- They can provide mealtime assessments
- They can refer children for a videofluoroscopy
- They can recommend changes to feeding equipment, changes to the texture of food or drink, and changes to feeding positions
How many children and young people are affected by dysphagia?
- Between 25% and 45% of a typically developing paediatric population
- Between 31% and 99% of children with cerebral palsy
- Between 26.8% and 40% of infants born prematurely
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