Using the BaByVFSS Impairment Profile to Characterize the Impact of Thin and Mildly Thick Liquid Consistencies on Validated Physiological Components of Swallowing in Bottle-Fed Children.
Saved in:
| Title: | Using the BaByVFSS Impairment Profile to Characterize the Impact of Thin and Mildly Thick Liquid Consistencies on Validated Physiological Components of Swallowing in Bottle-Fed Children. |
|---|---|
| Authors: | Lefton-Greif, Maureen A.1,2,3 mlefton@jhmi.edu, Carson, Kathryn A.4,5, Pinto, Jeanne M.1, Martin-Harrisf, Bonnie6,7,8,9 |
| Source: | American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology. Dec2025, Vol. 34 Issue 6, p3454-3465. 12p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Statistical correlation, *Data analysis, *Longitudinal method, *Pre-tests & post-tests, *Research, *Children, Cineradiography, Drinking (Physiology), Research funding, Fisher exact test, Descriptive statistics, Mann Whitney U Test, Bottle feeding, Statistics, Deglutition, Data analysis software, Fluoroscopy, Video recording |
| Geographic Terms: | South Carolina |
| Abstract: | Purpose: Thickening liquids is a common intervention to minimize aspiration despite limited understanding of how two different consistencies impact swallow physiology in babies. This investigation used the BaByVFSS Impairment Profile (BaByVFSSImP) to examine the influence of different liquid consistencies on validated physiological components of swallowing during bottle feeding. Method: Participants were bottle-fed thin and nectar-thick barium liquid (Varibar) during clinically indicated videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSSs) at two study sites. Swallowing impairments were scored using the BaByVFSSImP. Demographic and clinical data, maximum Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PASmax) scores, Feeding/Swallowing Impact Survey (FS-IS) scores, and pre- and post-VFSS levels of feeding were collected. Results: Two hundred twenty-five babies (median age = 2.9 months, interquartile range = 1.1-7.1 months) with heterogeneous conditions participated. On the BaByVFSSImP, mildly thick liquid was associated with lower (better) impairment scores than thin for Domain 2 (Palatal-Pharyngeal Approximation, p = .02), Domain 3 (Airway Invasion/Laryngeal Closure, p < .0001), and Domain 4 (Aspiration, p < .0001). Domain 1 (Lingual Motion/Pharyngeal Swallow Initiation) and Domain 5 (Pharyngeal Transport and Clearance) did not differ by consistency. However, impairment scores with thick liquid were higher (worse) for Component 2 and lower (better) for Component 5. With mildly thick liquid, Domain 3 (rs = .82, p < .001) and Domain 4 (rs = .74, p < .001) had strong positive correlations with PASmax, while Domain 2 (rs = .15, p = .02) and Domain 5 (rs = .20, p = .003) had weak positive correlations with PASmax. Correlations between post-VFSS feeding recommendations and mildly thick liquid impairment scores for Domain 3 (rs = .24, p < .001), Domain 4 (rs = .31, p < .001), and Domain 5 (rs = .13, p = .05) were significant. Domain scores did not significantly correlate with FS-IS subscales. Significantly greater volumes of thin liquid barium were administered compared to mildly thick barium at both study sites (p < .001). Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate improved swallow physiology and airway protection with mildly thick compared with thin liquids in bottle-fed children with diverse diagnostic conditions. Additional studies are needed to guide clinical decisions about thickening liquids for individual and well-defined populations of children that take into account their diagnostic conditions and physiological impairment profiles and move beyond the limitations associated with Penetration-Aspiration Scale findings alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
|---|---|
| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 189224618 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
| IllustrationInfo | |
| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: Using the BaByVFSS Impairment Profile to Characterize the Impact of Thin and Mildly Thick Liquid Consistencies on Validated Physiological Components of Swallowing in Bottle-Fed Children. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lefton-Greif%2C+Maureen+A%2E%22">Lefton-Greif, Maureen A.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2,3</relatesTo><i> mlefton@jhmi.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Carson%2C+Kathryn+A%2E%22">Carson, Kathryn A.</searchLink><relatesTo>4,5</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Pinto%2C+Jeanne+M%2E%22">Pinto, Jeanne M.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Martin-Harrisf%2C+Bonnie%22">Martin-Harrisf, Bonnie</searchLink><relatesTo>6,7,8,9</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22American+Journal+of+Speech-Language+Pathology%22">American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology</searchLink>. Dec2025, Vol. 34 Issue 6, p3454-3465. 12p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+correlation%22">Statistical correlation</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis%22">Data analysis</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Longitudinal+method%22">Longitudinal method</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pre-tests+%26+post-tests%22">Pre-tests & post-tests</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research%22">Research</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Cineradiography%22">Cineradiography</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Drinking+%28Physiology%29%22">Drinking (Physiology)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fisher+exact+test%22">Fisher exact test</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mann+Whitney+U+Test%22">Mann Whitney U Test</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Bottle+feeding%22">Bottle feeding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistics%22">Statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Deglutition%22">Deglutition</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fluoroscopy%22">Fluoroscopy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Video+recording%22">Video recording</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22South+Carolina%22">South Carolina</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Purpose: Thickening liquids is a common intervention to minimize aspiration despite limited understanding of how two different consistencies impact swallow physiology in babies. This investigation used the BaByVFSS Impairment Profile (BaByVFSSImP) to examine the influence of different liquid consistencies on validated physiological components of swallowing during bottle feeding. Method: Participants were bottle-fed thin and nectar-thick barium liquid (Varibar) during clinically indicated videofluoroscopic swallowing studies (VFSSs) at two study sites. Swallowing impairments were scored using the BaByVFSSImP. Demographic and clinical data, maximum Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PASmax) scores, Feeding/Swallowing Impact Survey (FS-IS) scores, and pre- and post-VFSS levels of feeding were collected. Results: Two hundred twenty-five babies (median age = 2.9 months, interquartile range = 1.1-7.1 months) with heterogeneous conditions participated. On the BaByVFSSImP, mildly thick liquid was associated with lower (better) impairment scores than thin for Domain 2 (Palatal-Pharyngeal Approximation, p = .02), Domain 3 (Airway Invasion/Laryngeal Closure, p < .0001), and Domain 4 (Aspiration, p < .0001). Domain 1 (Lingual Motion/Pharyngeal Swallow Initiation) and Domain 5 (Pharyngeal Transport and Clearance) did not differ by consistency. However, impairment scores with thick liquid were higher (worse) for Component 2 and lower (better) for Component 5. With mildly thick liquid, Domain 3 (rs = .82, p < .001) and Domain 4 (rs = .74, p < .001) had strong positive correlations with PASmax, while Domain 2 (rs = .15, p = .02) and Domain 5 (rs = .20, p = .003) had weak positive correlations with PASmax. Correlations between post-VFSS feeding recommendations and mildly thick liquid impairment scores for Domain 3 (rs = .24, p < .001), Domain 4 (rs = .31, p < .001), and Domain 5 (rs = .13, p = .05) were significant. Domain scores did not significantly correlate with FS-IS subscales. Significantly greater volumes of thin liquid barium were administered compared to mildly thick barium at both study sites (p < .001). Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate improved swallow physiology and airway protection with mildly thick compared with thin liquids in bottle-fed children with diverse diagnostic conditions. Additional studies are needed to guide clinical decisions about thickening liquids for individual and well-defined populations of children that take into account their diagnostic conditions and physiological impairment profiles and move beyond the limitations associated with Penetration-Aspiration Scale findings alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology is the property of American Speech-Language-Hearing Association and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=189224618 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1044/2025_AJSLP-25-00203 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 12 StartPage: 3454 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Statistical correlation Type: general – SubjectFull: Data analysis Type: general – SubjectFull: Longitudinal method Type: general – SubjectFull: Pre-tests & post-tests Type: general – SubjectFull: Research Type: general – SubjectFull: Children Type: general – SubjectFull: Cineradiography Type: general – SubjectFull: Drinking (Physiology) Type: general – SubjectFull: Research funding Type: general – SubjectFull: Fisher exact test Type: general – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics Type: general – SubjectFull: Mann Whitney U Test Type: general – SubjectFull: Bottle feeding Type: general – SubjectFull: Statistics Type: general – SubjectFull: Deglutition Type: general – SubjectFull: Data analysis software Type: general – SubjectFull: Fluoroscopy Type: general – SubjectFull: Video recording Type: general – SubjectFull: South Carolina Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: Using the BaByVFSS Impairment Profile to Characterize the Impact of Thin and Mildly Thick Liquid Consistencies on Validated Physiological Components of Swallowing in Bottle-Fed Children. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Lefton-Greif, Maureen A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Carson, Kathryn A. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Pinto, Jeanne M. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Martin-Harrisf, Bonnie IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 12 Text: Dec2025 Type: published Y: 2025 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10580360 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 34 – Type: issue Value: 6 Titles: – TitleFull: American Journal of Speech-Language Pathology Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |