SLP - Speech-Language Pathology Swallowing and Feeding Disorders Questions and Answers

Question 1

An SLP is conducting a clinical bedside swallowing evaluation on an 82-year-old male post-CVA. When the patient is trialed with a small sip of thin liquid from a cup, he immediately coughs. What is the most immediate and appropriate next step for the SLP?

Accepted Answer

Modify the liquid consistency to nectar-thick and administer a small sip to assess the patient's response.

Answer

The most appropriate action is to systematically test a hypothesis. Since the patient coughed on thin liquid, the next logical step in the diagnostic process is to trial a thicker consistency to see if it improves swallowing safety. Continuing with a liquid that caused a problem is unsafe, making the patient NPO is a significant restriction that may be premature, and implementing a therapeutic maneuver is inappropriate before completing the diagnostic assessment.

Question 2

Which of the following is a key diagnostic feature that distinguishes a pediatric feeding disorder from typical "picky eating"?

Accepted Answer

The child's nutritional intake is compromised, leading to weight loss, failure to thrive, or specific nutrient deficiencies.

Answer

The critical distinction between picky eating and a pediatric feeding disorder is the impact on the child's health and development. A feeding disorder results in measurable negative consequences such as poor weight gain, nutritional deficiencies, or reliance on supplements. The other options describe behaviors that are common in typical picky eaters but do not, by themselves, constitute a disorder.

Question 3

A 55-year-old female patient with a tracheostomy tube is referred for a swallowing evaluation in the ICU. She is ventilator-dependent and cannot be safely transported to the radiology suite. The primary concerns are managing copious secretions and assessing laryngeal function during swallowing attempts. Which instrumental assessment is the most appropriate choice?

Accepted Answer

Fiberoptic Endoscopic Evaluation of Swallowing (FEES)

Answer

FEES is the most appropriate choice because it is a portable procedure that can be performed at the bedside, which is essential for a patient who is ventilator-dependent and cannot be transported. It provides a superior view of the larynx and pharynx, allowing for direct visualization of secretion management and laryngeal anatomy, which are the primary concerns in this case.

Question 4

The oral preparatory phase of swallowing, which involves manipulating and chewing the bolus, is primarily dependent on motor innervation from which cranial nerve?

Accepted Answer

CN V (Trigeminal)

Answer

The Trigeminal nerve (CN V), specifically its mandibular branch (V3), provides motor innervation to the muscles of mastication (e.g., masseter, temporalis, pterygoids), which are essential for chewing. While other nerves are involved in the overall swallow, CN V is the primary motor nerve for mastication.

Question 5

A patient is observed to have significant post-swallow residue in the valleculae during a videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS). Which of the following compensatory maneuvers would be most effective for clearing this specific residue?

Accepted Answer

Effortful swallow

Answer

The effortful swallow is designed to increase tongue base retraction and pressure generation during the pharyngeal swallow. This action effectively helps to clear residue from the vallecular spaces, which are located between the base of the tongue and the epiglottis. A chin tuck primarily widens the valleculae, a head turn redirects the bolus, and a supraglottic swallow is focused on airway protection.

SLP - Speech-Language Pathology Practice Test

SLP - Speech-Language Pathology Practice Test

SLP - Speech-Language Pathology Swallowing and Feeding Disorders Questions and Answers