Comparative analysis of oral phase with ultrasonography in swallowing between individuals with cerebral palsy and healthy individuals

Cerebral Palsy (CP), is a neurodevelopment condition beginning in early childhood and persisting through a person's lifespan. CP as a group of disorders concerning the development of movement and posture, causing activity limitation, that are attributable to nonprogressive disturbances that occur in the developing infant or fetal brain. Children with CP have eating and swallowing problems, especially in orapharyngeal stage. Assessment and evaluation instruments such as Modified Barium Swallow Study, Fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of study are used in swallowing disorders. These instruments have risk of radiation and invasive methods. Contrary to this, ultrasound is not an invasive evaluation and has no risk of radiation. In literature, most studies made with ultrasound include normal swallowing and related muscular movement. There is a very limited study of ultrasound for the patients with CP. Even if there are few study about children with CP in swallowing and eating problems, there is no detailed study of how these people have swallowing problems in later ages. The study aims to determine the swallowing time and movement of tongue muscles of individuals with CP in oral phase and to reveal the differences between healthy people. In conclusion, individuals with CP had delayed onset of oral phase and prolonged swallowing period compared to healthy subjects. Muscle movements have also been found to be reduced compared to healthy individuals.