Assessment of Swallowing & Dysphagia – Vocabulary Flashcards

48 vocabulary flashcards summarizing key terms, tools, goals, and concepts from the lecture on dysphagia prevention, screening, and clinical assessment.

Dysphagia

A difficulty or impairment in swallowing that can affect the oral, pharyngeal, or esophageal phases.

Continuum of Care

The sequence of health-care settings a patient may pass through—from ER and acute care to outpatient, home care, or long-term care—while receiving dysphagia services.

Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP)

A clinician responsible for assessing and treating disorders of swallowing, speech, language, cognition, and hearing.

Evidence-Based Practice (EBP)

Integration of best research evidence with clinical expertise and patient values in clinical decision-making.

Severity Levels (Mild / Moderate / Severe)

Clinical categories describing the extent of a patient’s swallowing disorder and associated risks.

Swallow Screening

A quick pass-fail procedure given broadly to detect possible dysphagia and identify need for further evaluation.

Sensitivity (Screening)

The ability of a test to correctly identify patients WITH the disorder (few false negatives).

Specificity (Screening)

The ability of a test to correctly identify patients WITHOUT the disorder (few false positives).

Aspiration

Entry of material into the airway below the vocal folds during or after swallowing.

Pneumonia Risk

Likelihood of lung infection; 11× higher in patients with severe dysphagia and aspiration.

NPO Status

Medical order indicating a patient should receive nothing by mouth, often pending swallow assessment.

Goals of Swallow Screening

Determine dysphagia likelihood, need for full evaluation, oral feeding safety, and referral for nutritional/hydration support.

Toronto Bedside Swallowing Screening Test (TOR-BSST)

A validated swallow screening tool for health-care professionals.

Gugging Swallowing Screen

An SLP-administered bedside screening protocol for detecting dysphagia.

Massey Bedside Swallowing Screening

A nurse-administered tool to quickly assess swallowing safety.

Modified Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (mMASA)

Physician-administered screening assessing multiple swallowing parameters.

4QT

Four-Question Tool asking patients about coughing, meal duration, diet changes, and voice changes after eating/drinking.

EAT-10

A 10-item patient-reported outcome measure; score ≥3 indicates abnormal swallowing function.

3-Ounce Water Swallow Test

Screen where patient drinks 3 oz of water; failure marked by inability to finish or cough/throat clear within 1 minute.

Yale Swallow Protocol

Standardized screening combining orientation, oral-motor commands, and the 3-ounce water test.

Clinical Swallow Evaluation (CSE)

Bedside assessment including history, oral-facial exam, and swallow trials to form hypotheses about dysphagia.

Oral Motor/Sensory Examination (OMSE)

Hands-on evaluation of structure, strength, range, and sensation of oral mechanism.

Video Fluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS)

Instrumental X-ray procedure visualizing all phases of swallowing with barium contrast.

Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES)

Endoscopic instrumental exam providing direct view of pharyngeal/laryngeal structures during swallowing.

Medical History Review

Compilation of past and current medical information, test results, medications, and swallow history relevant to assessment.

Posture (Swallowing)

Patient body positioning; ideal is upright ~90° for safe oral intake.

Respiratory Status

Current breathing parameters (O₂ saturation, rate, tracheostomy, ventilator use) that impact swallow safety.

Tracheostomy

Surgical airway opening in the neck that may influence swallow physiology and assessment considerations.

IDDSI Framework

International Dysphagia Diet Standardisation Initiative levels for texture-modified foods and liquids.

National Dysphagia Diet (NDD)

Earlier U.S. classification of food/liquid consistencies: thin, nectar, honey, purée, mechanical soft, etc.

Laryngeal Elevation

Upward and forward movement of the larynx during swallowing; observed clinically for adequacy.

Pharyngeal Swallow Delay

Late initiation of the pharyngeal phase, increasing risk for aspiration.

Residue

Bolus material remaining in the oral cavity or pharynx after swallowing.

Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS)

Seven-level scale describing a patient’s diet from tube-dependent to total oral intake with no restrictions.

Mann Assessment of Swallowing Ability (MASA)

Standardized clinical tool rating 24 items to diagnose dysphagia and aspiration risk.

McGill Ingestive Skills Assessment (MISA)

Assessment measuring functional eating skills in adults with dysphagia.

Swallowing Ability and Function Evaluation (SAFE)

Structured bedside assessment covering oral, pharyngeal, and cognitive-behavioral components.

Edinburgh Feeding Evaluation in Dementia Questionnaire (EdFED-Q)

Tool assessing feeding difficulties in individuals with dementia.

SOAP Documentation

Structured note format: Subjective, Objective, Assessment, Plan.

Subjective (SOAP)

Section recording patient’s reported symptoms and clinician observations.

Objective (SOAP)

Section listing measurable data, exam findings, and therapy activities.

Assessment (SOAP)

Clinician’s analysis, diagnosis, and interpretation of the data collected.

Plan (SOAP)

Proposed interventions, diet recommendations, referrals, and therapy schedule.

Basal Secretion Management

Observation of saliva amount and control at rest, relevant to aspiration risk.

Swallow Trials

Systematic administration of various food/liquid consistencies to observe safety and effectiveness of swallowing.

Nasal Regurgitation

Escape of bolus into the nasal cavity during swallow, indicating velopharyngeal dysfunction.

Cough Reflex

Protective airway response; strength and presence inform aspiration risk.

Functional Dysphagia Therapy Goals

Targets set by SLPs to improve safety, efficiency, and nutritional adequacy of swallowing.