VIDEOFLUOROSCOPY IN THE ASSESSMENT OF FEEDING DISORDERS OF CHILDREN WITH NEUROLOGICAL PROBLEMS

A multidisciplinary assessment, including video fluoroscopy, was carri ed out on 14 children with feeding difficulties associated with neurol ogical problems. Recommendations were made on all aspects of feeding a nd the trunk position was changed for half of the patients. A later in terview with the parents confirmed that the recommendations had been h elpful. The optimum trunk position for feeding was determined during v ideofluoroscopy by positioning the patient in the erect or reclined po sition, and also by analysis of relative difficulties during the oral and pharyngeal phases of swallowing. Those with difficulties mainly in the oral phase fed best in the reclined position; those with difficul ties mainly in the pharyngeal phase fed best in the erect position, pa rticularly if they had upper-oesophageal sphincter spasm in associatio n with a tonic labyrinthine reflex.