COM COM Speech & Swallowing Disorders 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A patient presents with a tongue-thrust swallow pattern. Which muscle group typically shows hyperactivity in this pattern?
- Masseter and temporalis
- Perioral and mentalis muscles (Correct answer)
- Pharyngeal constrictors
- Suprahyoid muscles
Correct answer: Perioral and mentalis muscles
In a tongue-thrust swallow, the perioral and mentalis muscles often contract excessively to stabilize the lip seal.
Question 2: Which diagnostic tool is considered the gold standard for evaluating oropharyngeal swallowing function?
- Clinical bedside swallow evaluation
- Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES)
- Videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) (Correct answer)
- Cervical auscultation
Correct answer: Videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS)
Videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) provides real-time imaging of all swallowing phases and is considered the gold standard.
Question 3: When a patient has reduced lingual strength, which compensatory strategy is most commonly observed during swallowing?
- Increased head extension (Correct answer)
- Chin tuck maneuver
- Valsalva maneuver
- Supraglottic swallow
Correct answer: Increased head extension
Patients with reduced lingual strength often extend the head backward to use gravity to move the bolus posteriorly.
Question 4: Which consonant class is most affected by inadequate tongue tip elevation and contact with the alveolar ridge?
- Bilabial stops
- Alveolar sounds /t/, /d/, /n/, /l/ (Correct answer)
- Velar stops /k/, /g/
- Labiodental fricatives /f/, /v/
Correct answer: Alveolar sounds /t/, /d/, /n/, /l/
Alveolar sounds require precise tongue tip elevation to contact the alveolar ridge, making them vulnerable to lingual dysfunction.
Question 5: What is the recommended resting posture of the tongue for optimal orofacial development and speech?
- Tongue tip behind lower incisors, body flat
- Tongue tip at the incisive papilla, body gently touching the palate (Correct answer)
- Tongue tip between upper and lower teeth
- Tongue retracted toward the soft palate
Correct answer: Tongue tip at the incisive papilla, body gently touching the palate
The correct resting posture places the tongue tip at the incisive papilla with the body lightly contacting the palate, supporting arch development.
Question 6: Which cranial nerve provides motor innervation to nearly all intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles?
- Cranial Nerve V (Trigeminal)
- Cranial Nerve VII (Facial)
- Cranial Nerve X (Vagus)
- Cranial Nerve XII (Hypoglossal) (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Cranial Nerve XII (Hypoglossal)
Cranial Nerve XII (Hypoglossal) is the primary motor nerve for the tongue musculature.
COM COM Speech & Swallowing Disorders 2
A patient presents with a tongue-thrust swallow pattern.
Which muscle group typically shows hyperactivity in this pattern?