Aspiration Pneumonia in Children with Cerebral Palsy after Videofluoroscopic Swallowing Study

Abstract Introduction Dysphagia is a common symptom in children with cerebral palsy, either in oral or pharyngeal phases. Children who face such difficulties tend to show health problems such as food aspiration, malnutrition and respiratory infections. Videofluoroscopic swallowing study is the most recommended for these cases, as it reveals the real situation during swallowing. Objective The study aimed to verify the occurrence of aspiration pneumonia in children with cerebral palsy after videofluoroscopy. Methods The population for this prospective cross-sectional study involved 103 children with cerebral palsy, referred for videofluoroscopic who had returned for medical examination after a week to search for signs and symptoms of pneumonia. Results The study involved 46 girls (44.66%) and 57 boys (55.34%), aged between 0 and 14 years of age. Of the total, 84 (81.5%) had dysphagia, of which 24 (23.3%) were severe, 8 (7.7%) were moderate and 52 (50.4%) were mild dysphagia. None of the children presented aspiration pneumonia or infectious complications during the course of videofluoroscopy or after the procedure. Conclusion In the population studied, the authors found no cases of aspiration pneumonia, even with tracheal aspiration present in 32 (31.07%) cases.

Characterization of Swallowing Sounds with the Use of Sonar Doppler in Full-Term and Preterm Newborns

Technological advances have provided a large variety of instruments to view the swallowing event, aiding in the evaluation, diagnosis, and monitoring of disturbances. These advances include electromyography of the surface, dynamic video fluoroscopy, and most recently sonar Doppler. Objective  To characterize swallowing sounds in typical children through the use of sonar Doppler. Method: Thirty newborns participated in this prospective study. All newborns received breast milk through either their mother's breasts or bottles during data collection. The newborns were placed in either right lateral or left lateral positions when given breast milk through their mother's breasts and in a sitting position when given a bottle. There were five variables measured: initial frequency of sound wave (FoI), frequency of the first peak of the sound wave (FoP1), frequency of the second peak of the sound wave (FoP2), initial intensity and final sound wave (II and IF), and swallowing length (T), the time elapsed from the beginning until the end of the analyzed acoustic signal measured by the audio signal, in seconds. Results: The values obtained in the initial frequency of the babies had a mean of 850 Hz. In terms of frequency of first peak, only three presented with a subtle peak, which was due to the elevated larynx position. Conclusion: The use of sonar Doppler as a complementary exam for clinical evaluations is of upmost importance because it is nonintrusive and painless, and it is not necessary to place patients in a special room or expose them to radiation...