[Clinical and videofluoroscopic evaluation of swallowing in patients with spastic tetraparetic cerebral palsy and athetosic cerebral palsy].

Abstract

AIM: To evaluate and to compare the findings of oral and pharyngeal phases of swallowing in children with both spastic tetraparetic cerebral palsy (STCP) and with athetosic cerebral palsy (ACP). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 11 children were evaluated, with their ages ranging from 10 months to 8 years old, through both clinical assessment and videofluoroscopic evaluation. RESULTS: The children with STCP were more involved at the neurologic, clinical and speech-language and hearing aspects. At the oral phases all the children had presented some involvement. At the pharyngeal phases the clinical signs of aspiration were identified in 10 children. It was observed aspirations in 80% of children with STCP and in 67% with ACP. The changes on swallowing were similar in both cerebral palsy groups, but the performance of the children with STCP was inferior. CONCLUSION: The videofluoroscopy was an important method which makes possible the verification of aspirations, helping the professionals at the therapeutical program for these children.