Determining Diagnostic Criteria to Define Infant Swallowing through Dyad Interviews with Experts

INTRODUCTION: With the increasing incidence of pediatric dysphagia, understanding what constitutes normal swallowing is essential to identifying aberrant swallowing. The purpose of this investigation is to understand how expert clinicians define swallowing disorders in infants and young children through a qualitative analysis of clinical decision-making processes. METHODS: Data collection occurred in two phases. Phase I consisted of an online survey, which gathered demographic information and expert opinions on pediatric feeding and swallowing assessments. Phase II consisted of two dyad interviews to discuss key clinical and instrumental components important in determining the presence or absence of swallowing problems in infants and young children. Content analysis was employed and included survey data analysis and qualitative analysis of dyad interviews. RESULTS: The findings of this investigation indicate a comprehensive approach to assessing infant swallowing—one that integrates objective and subjective measures, research evidence, patient medical history and needs, family input and preferences, as well as clinical experience and reasoning. CONCLUSION: This qualitative investigation provides valuable insights into how expert clinicians determine the presence or absence of swallowing disorders in infants and young children. Our findings reveal a sophisticated clinical reasoning process that integrates objective and subjective measures with consideration of broader contextual factors.