Background: Screening tests for dysphagia aim to detect or predict the likelihood of swallowing dysfunction in at-risk patients who have not previously been identified. Abnormal screening test results usually do not provide information on the severity of the swallowing impairment or its etiology. Positive screening test results may necessitate referral to a dysphagia expert for a comprehensive clinical swallowing assessment, including a full medical history, physical exam, and possibly an instrumental study.
Aim of the Work: This work aims to screen the common symptoms of oropharyngeal dysphagia among infants and neonates using the Arabic version of the Pediatric Eating Assessment Tool (Pedi—EAT-10) to screen the common symptom of oropharyngeal dysphagia in Egyptian infants and children between the ages of 6 months and 10 years old.
Subjects and Methods: This study was an observational descriptive cross-sectional study. It was carried out at the Phoniatrics clinic; at Ain Shams University Hospital (El-Demerdash Hospital), from June 2022 to August 2024. This study included 52 Egyptian infants and children who were diagnosed with oropharyngeal dysphagia.
Results: This study involved 52 children with dysphagia, comprising 30 males and 22 females, with an average age of 16.19±14.92 years and a mean body weight of 8.33±3.5 kg. The participants had various underlying diagnoses, including airway problems (5.77%), cerebral palsy (32.69%), endocrine disorders (17.31%), and syndromes (32.69%), while 11.54% had other conditions. The total score of Pedi-EAT10 among the participating dysphagia patients ranged from 1 to 34, with a mean score of 17.94±9.67. The participating patients complained of coughing during eating (87%), extra effort with liquid intake (83%), stressful swallowing (81%), gagging during swallowing (79%), and inability to go out for meals (77%).
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