We’ve asked experts in the field to challenge us with a little dysphagia pop quiz. Test your knowledge! Share with students and fellow clinicians! Put your answers in comments below and we’ll post the answers soon. Follow #dysphagiapopquiz on Twitter.

Our first set of questions come courtesy of Donna Edwards, MA CCC-SLP, BCS-S. Donna is a senior clinician at Dayton Children’s Hospital.

Pediatric Anatomy

1. The pediatric tongue largely fills the oropharyngeal cavity resulting in:

a. Obligate nose breathing
b. Reduced airway protection
c. Compensation for airway edema
d. Anterior spillage during feeding

2. Infant head position with hyperextension or hyperflexion of the pliable trachea results in:

a. Increased airway opening
b. Complete or partial airway occlusion
c. Improved airflow
d. Efficient swallow response

3. The least commonly occurring airway protection event in premature and healthy infants is:

a. Swallow response
b. Laryngeal closure
c. Apnea
d. Cough reflex

References on questions:

St-Hilaire M1, Samson N, Nsegbe E, Duvareille C, Moreau-Bussière F, Micheau P, Lebon J, Praud JP. Postnatal maturation of laryngeal chemoreflexes in the preterm lamb. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2007 Apr; 102(4):1429-38. Epub 2006 Dec 14.

Thach, Bradley T. Maturation of cough and other reflexes that protect the fetal and neonatal airway. Pulm Pharmacol Ther. 2007; 20(4): 365–370. doi:  10.1016/j.pupt.2006.11.011 PMCID: PMC2039717
NIHMSID: NIHMS22234

Harless, J., Ramaiah, R. and Bhananker, S. Pediatric airway management. Int J Crit Illn Inj Sci. 2014 Jan-Mar; 4(1): 65–70.
doi:  10.4103/2229-5151.128015 PMCID: PMC3982373