ACTA FAC MED NAISS 2012;29(4):187-191

Professional article

UDC:616.89-008.434-08:613.2-053.2        DOI:10.2478/v10283-012-0026-2

Specialist Speech Therapy in Poland in Children with Feeding and Swallowing Disorders

Marta Szmaj

Medical University of Gdansk, Poland


SUMMARY

Progress in medical care witnessed nowadays has resulted in the increase of the survival rate of infants affected or at risk of some psychomotor development disorders. High psychomotor risk may be associated with perinatal risk factors, preterm delivery as well as hereditary diseases. Each child with the so-called positive perinatal family history may experience difficulty feeding and swallowing. Therefore, diagnosing feeding and swallowing disorders, known as dysphagia, by a team of specialists including a neonatologist, paediatrician, gastroenterologist, laryngologist, psychologist and speech pathologist, has become an urgent need. The aim of this article is to acquaint the readers with the role of the specialist in speech pathology in the improvement of the feeding and swallowing skills in children affected by certain psychomotor disorders, as well as present current developments in the specialist speech care available in hospitals and early medical intervention centres in Poland.

Key words: early intervention, dysphagia, speech therapy, feeding disorders, suck-swallow-respiration