Purpose: To verify the accuracy of clinical evaluation compared with videofluoroscopic swallowing studies in the detection of isolated laryngeal penetration and laryngeal aspiration in children with suspected dysphagia; to identify clinical signs and symptoms associated with isolated laryngeal penetration and laryngeal aspiration; and to determine the sensitivity and specificity of the clinical signs and symptoms identified. Methods: Retrospective analysis of data from clinical and videofluoroscopic evaluations carried out in 55 children from 1 month to 7 years and 11 months old. For clinical assessment, the Protocol for Clinical Assessment of Pediatric Dysphagia was used. The sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of clinical evaluation were analyzed. For statistical analysis, the Fisher's exact and χ2 tests were used. Results: Clinical evaluation showed, in general, a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 32%. For isolated laryngeal penetration, clinical evaluation showed a sensitivity of 88%. For laryngeal aspiration, clinical evaluation showed a sensitivity of 86%. However, the specificity values were low for both alterations. There was no association between clinical evaluation and videofluoroscopic findings. Choking was the only clinical sign associated with isolated laryngeal penetration thin fluid and showed a sensitivity of 53% and a specificity of 77%. Conclusions: Clinical evaluation was sensible to detect isolated laryngeal penetration and laryngeal aspiration in children with suspected dysphagia. However, it showed a low specificity. Choking was the only clinical sign associated with isolated laryngeal penetration of thin fluid. More prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings in this population.

OBJETIVO: Descrever os achados fluoroscópicos da deglutição de recém-nascidos pré-termo de zero a seis meses de idade, assim como as doenças e os sinais e sintomas clínicos relacionados à alteração na deglutição, e compará-los com os respectivos dados obtidos de recém-nascidos de termo. MÉTODOS: Foram analisados, retrospectivamente, os dados das avaliações fluoroscópicas realizadas no período de um ano em lactentes de zero a seis meses de idade e aos respectivos prontuários. Participaram 40 sujeitos, divididos em dois grupos: Grupo Pré-Termo, constituído de 23 recém-nascidos pré-termo; e Grupo de Termo, constituído por 17 recém-nascidos de termo. RESULTADOS: Os principais achados fluoroscópicos da deglutição observados em ambos os grupos foram refluxo para a nasofaringe e refluxo gastresofágico. Não houve diferença entre os grupos para a presença de alteração na deglutição . O Grupo Pré-Termo apresentou mais problemas cardíacos do que o Grupo de Termo. Não houve diferença entre os grupos para problemas neurológicos e respiratórios. Em relação aos sinais e sintomas clínicos sugestivos de alteração na deglutição, o Grupo Pré-Termo apresentou mais dessaturação de oxigênio e o Grupo de Termo mais vômitos. CONCLUSÃO: Os principais achados fluoroscópicos da deglutição encontrados em recém-nascidos pré-termo de zero a seis meses de idade foram refluxo para a nasofaringe e refluxo gastresofágico. Novos estudos de seguimento desta população devem ser realizados para confirmar a hipótese de que as alterações na deglutição observadas ocorreram devido à imaturidade na função de deglutição.

Clinical Trials registration number: NCT 00952354Conflict of interest: non existent typical development (TD), and literature indicates a relationship between lexicon and grammar. It is reported greater difficulties in functional words, such as articles, pronouns, prepositions and conjunctions, which have greater grammatical load, than in words with semantic content, such as nouns, verbs, and adjectives. In addition, these children have difficulties combining words and dealing with morphosyntactic rules, which have implications in phrasal structure [1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] .The use of Mean Length Utterance -MLU 10 as a measure of language development in children with DS corroborates these difficulties, and indicates frequent omission of grammatical morphemes, particularly of functional words, resulting in ABSTRACT Purpose: to present and to discuss the use of augmentative and alternative communication as a therapeutic tool with the morphosyntax with adolescents with Down syndrome. Methods: this pilot study monitored during 12 months four adolescents chronologically aged between 13 and 15 years and mentally aged between 5 and 6 years. It were analyzed the initial and the final assessments, situations of free interaction between the participant and the caregiver videotaped during 30 minutes. The speech samples were analyzed as MLU values considering morphemes and words, comparing both the two situations. All of the participants were submitted to the same procedures during the therapeutic interventions. Picture Communication Symbols (PCS) has been used and the symbols were organized according to a simple syntactic structure (substantive + verb + complement) with a gradual extension, and the elements were rated at the following order: articles, prepositions, pronouns (personals, possessives and demonstratives), and conjunctions. Each therapeutic session was recorded in specific protocol. It was used the Wilcoxon test and the p value considered was 5%. Results: spites there were no statistical significant differences, increase in number of morphemes and words used between the both assessments was observed. This improve was represented by the worked elements, including prepositions and conjunctions beyond substantives and verbs. For personal pronouns there was tendency to significance (p=0,068). Conclusion: the communication system showed to be a therapeutic tool to improve the use of syntactic elements in statement structures, as articles, prepositions and conjunctions, which use for individuals with Down syndrome are difficult.