J Korean Dysphagia Soc.
2012 Jan;2(1):14-19.
Development of Swallowing in Infant and Young Child
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea
Abstract
- Swallowing is essential function throughout the whole life for supplying proper nutrition. This function needs highly organized movements of oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal structures and intact responses in several reflexes which are vital to protect the airways. Deficiency in this function could cause serious consequences such as dysphagia, aspiratration, regurgitation, and undernutrition. Development of swallowing starts from the period of fetus, and this development keeps pace with the demand of nutrition of each period of infant and young child. This article presents the characteristics of development of swallowing in each period of infant and young child with summary of evaluations of swallowing in these periods.
