How Do I Know If I Have Dysphagia?
Symptoms of dysphagia can include the following:
difficulty in eating and swallowingcoughing or choking during meals
pain during swallowing
sensation of food lodged in the throat
aversion to accepting food/liquids of different flavors, textures, or temperatures
Dysphagia may also be suspected if you have episodes of unexplained respiratory infections or asthma, repeated incidents of pneumonia or symptoms of reflux (heartburn).
Many swallowing problems go undetected until severe consequences develop, such as malnutrition, dehydration, pneumonia, or failure to thrive.A comprehensive swallowing evaluation is the best way to determine if you have dysphagia.
How Do I Know If My Child Has Dysphagia?
Coughing or choking during meals may indicate a problem with swallowing. However, children may exhibit other symptoms and behaviors that could also point to a feeding difficulty. These could include, but are not limited to, gagging while eating, vomiting, refusal to accept different flavors or textures of foods, or difficulty progressing to age-appropriate food consistencies (i.e., from baby food to chewable food).
Feeding difficulties are often seen in children who have experienced medical
problems at a very young age. Gastrointestinal, respiratory, and neurological
issues may aggravate feeding problems.
