Dysphagia (swallowing impairments)

Dysphagia (swallowing impairments) is a group of conditions affecting the safety and efficiency of the swallowing act: choking during eating and drinking, slowed bolus transit, food falling out of the mouth, prolonged chewing, refusal of foods of a certain consistency, coughing and choking during swallowing. In children, dysphagia is most often linked to CNS damage — cerebral palsy, encephalopathy sequelae, post-neuroinfection sequelae — as well as a weak oral-motor base and oral hypersensitivity. Dysphagia is a serious condition: beyond feeding difficulties, there is a risk of aspiration (food entering the airways) and growth impairments.

At Hanshi NeuroLife International Rehabilitation Center (Shangrao), the core instrumental method for dysphagia is a specialized swallowing stimulation device. Low-frequency electrical stimulation and biofeedback train the coordination of the swallowing muscles, strengthen the muscles of the mouth and pharynx, and improve the swallowing reflex. The method is highly targeted, gentle, and safe. In parallel — oral-motor therapy (professional manual techniques, play tools), neuromuscular electrical stimulation of the mouth muscles, and pediatric acupuncture and Tui Na massage.

What parents should know

At the initial assessment, it is important to share with specialists all feeding details — what consistencies the child tolerates, whether coughing or choking occurs, whether there are recurrent respiratory infections. This allows the program to be tailored precisely and risks to be minimized. When needed, the program is coordinated with an ENT specialist and other relevant physicians.