Acoustic and Perceptual Profiles of Swallowing Sounds in Children: Normative Data for 4-36 Months from a Cross-Sectional Study Cohort

Abstract

Limited data on cervical auscultation (CA) sounds during the transitional feeding period of 4-36 months in healthy children exist. This study examined the acoustic and perceptual parameters of swallowing sounds in children aged 4-36 months over a range of food and fluid consistencies. Using CA, swallowing sounds were recorded from a microphone as children ate or drank. Acoustic parameters of duration, peak frequency and peak intensity were determined. Perceptual parameters of swallowing/breath sounds heard pre-, during and post-swallow were rated ('present', 'absent', 'cannot be determined') for each texture. 74 children (35 males; mean age = 17.1 months [SD 10.0]) demonstrated mean swallow durations of <1 s. Increasing age correlated to reduced peak frequency on puree (r = -0.48, 95 % CI -0.66, -0.24). Age correlated to peak amplitude when swallowing puree (r = 0.27, 95 % CI 0.02, 0.49), chewable solids (r = 0.31, 95 % CI 0.02, 0.56) and thin fluids (r = 0.48, 95 % CI 0.27, 0.64). The bolus transit sound was present in all swallows. A majority of children had normal breathing sounds and coordinated swallows. A swallow duration of <1 s and the presence of a quick bolus transit sound with normal breathing sounds were found in healthy children. The normative data reported in this study provide a platform for future comparison to abnormal swallowing sounds in children.Pediatr Emerg Care. 1995 Jun;11(3):158-61. (PMID: 7651870); Eur Respir J. 2009 Mar;33(3):604-11. (PMID: 19010985); Dev Med Child Neurol. 2005 Mar;47(3):149-57. (PMID: 15739718); Dysphagia. 2008 Sep;23(3):267-73. (PMID: 18071792); Dysphagia. 1993;8(3):170-9. (PMID: 8359036); Evolution. 1998 Feb;52(1):251-255. (PMID: 28568159); J Rehabil Med. 2009 Jul;41(8):639-45. (PMID: 19565158); Dysphagia. 1994 Winter;9(1):54-62. (PMID: 8131426); Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1988 Aug;69(8):637-40. (PMID: 3408337); Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1983 Jun;64(6):281-4. (PMID: 6860100); J Commun Disord. 2001 Jan-Apr;34(1-2):55-72. (PMID: 11322570); Dysphagia. 2002 Fall;17(4):308-15. (PMID: 12355146); Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2011 Dec;268(12):1837-44. (PMID: 21607581); Dev Med Child Neurol. 1990 Sep;32(9):760-8. (PMID: 2227139); Med J Aust. 2006 Apr 17;184(8):398-403. (PMID: 16618239); Dysphagia. 2005 Summer;20(3):195-209. (PMID: 16362508); Dysphagia. 2011 Dec;26(4):374-84. (PMID: 21225287); Neuropediatrics. 2014 Dec;45(6):402-5. (PMID: 25343329); Am J Med. 2001 Dec 3;111 Suppl 8A:60S-63S. (PMID: 11749927); Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2002 Jul;111(7 Pt 1):623-32. (PMID: 12126019); Dysphagia. 2011 Jun;26(2):135-43. (PMID: 20532920); Gastroenterology. 2011 May;140(5):1454-63. (PMID: 21354152); Dysphagia. 2006 Jul;21(3):175-82. (PMID: 16897324); Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1993 Oct;74(10):1066-70. (PMID: 8215858); Am J Med. 2002 Apr 22;112 Suppl 6A:4S-12S. (PMID: 11955454); IEEE Trans Biomed Eng. 2004 Dec;51(12):2103-12. (PMID: 15605857); Dysphagia. 2001 Spring;16(2):110-8. (PMID: 11305220); Dysphagia. 2007 Oct;22(4):290-8. (PMID: 17554472); Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2007;20(4):365-70. (PMID: 17374497); Dysphagia. 2002 Winter;17(1):40-9. (PMID: 11824392); Dysphagia. 1994 Summer;9(3):168-73. (PMID: 8082325); Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol. 2008 Apr;117(4):253-8. (PMID: 18478833); J Speech Hear Res. 1994 Oct;37(5):1041-59. (PMID: 7823550); Chest. 2001 Oct;120(4):1190-5. (PMID: 11591559); Dysphagia. 1995 Summer;10(3):177-91. (PMID: 7614860); Dev Med Child Neurol. 2012 Sep;54(9):784-95. (PMID: 22582745). Linking ISSN: 0179051X. Subset: MEDLINE; Date of Electronic Publication: 2016 Nov 09. ; Original Imprints: Publication: New York : Springer-Verlag, [c1986- <br />