Differential diagnosis between infantile and mature swallowing with ultrasonography

Abstract

In order to investigate the difference in tongue movement between visceral (infantile) and somatic (mature) swallowing patterns, 12 visceral (seven females, five males) and 14 somatic (eight females, six males) swallowers were examined with the B+M-mode ultrasound technique. Movements of the tongue tip and submental musculature during swallowing were recorded on video cassette and evaluated with a personal computer. The results demonstrated that the tongue dorsal surface, which was thought to be ideal for observing tongue function, was not suitable for differentiating between visceral and somatic swallowing patterns. Conversely, the movements of the genioglossus muscle were found to be identical within groups but significantly different (P < 0.01) from each other between the two swallowing patterns. Therefore, the genioglossus muscle can serve as a reliable means for differentiating between visceral and somatic swallowers.

Cephalometric Evaluation of the Airway Space and Hyoid Bone in Children with Atypical Deglutition: Correlations Study

“…Perfect sealing of the oral cavity, contraction of the masseter muscle which helps the dental occlusion, necessary for swallowing, was observed in normal swallowing. Lip incompetence and effort on the perioral muscles to help swallowing, and, in some cases, spilling of content from the labial commissure and interposition of the tongue to help incompetent lip sealing have been observed in adapted swallowing (Peng et al, 2003(Peng et al, , 2004Bertolini et al;Malkoc et al).…”

“…The mean age of the control group (normal deglutition) and the experimental group was 9.46 years and 10.05 years, respectively. To define the control and experimental groups an initial test forced opening method was conducted (Peng et al, 2003(Peng et al, , 2004Graber et al) by three senior orthodontists simultaneously, defining by consensus to which group the teleradiography of the child should belong. The sample size was determined to obtain the appropriate power level.…”

“…A visceral type of swallow can persist well after the fourth year of life. However, it is then considered as a dysfunction or abnormality because of its association with certain dental malocclusions and facial growing alterations (Peng et al, 2003;Graber et al, 1985). Such deglutition is classified as atypical (Peng et al, 2004;Ovsenik et al, 2007;Bertolini et al, 2003).…”

“…The movements of the tongue during swallowing may be clinically assessed, asking the child to swallow liquids, semi-solids or solids or even only saliva to observe the protrusion of the tongue with the lips half-open or, if necessary, with lips opened with the fingers (forced opening method) (Peng et al, 2003(Peng et al, , 2004. By placing the hands on the masseters it is possible to observe the presence or absence of contraction and to observe the ascendant movement of the hyoid bone under the thyroid cartilage.…”

“…By placing the hands on the masseters it is possible to observe the presence or absence of contraction and to observe the ascendant movement of the hyoid bone under the thyroid cartilage. The participation of the perioral muscles is also observed, as well as whether the swallowing is loud, if there is a retraction movement with the head, the presence of any signal which characterizes child swallowing (Peng et al, 2003(Peng et al, , 2004Ovsenik et al;Bertolini et al). For a variety of reasons that so far remain incompletely explained, 'infantile swallowing' may continue beyond the replacement of the deciduous teeth.…”