Development and Pilot Study of a Pediatric Screening for Feeding and Swallowing Disorders in Infants and Children: The Pediatric Screening–Priority Evaluation Dysphagia (PS–PED)
Antonella Cerchiari,
Marco Tofani,
Carolina Giordani,
Silvia Franceschetti,
Eleonora Capuano,
Francesca Pizza,
Gessica Della Bella,
Massimiliano Raponi,
Giorgia Biondo
Affiliations
Antonella Cerchiari
Management and Diagnostic Innovations & Clinical Pathways Research Area, Neurorehabilitation and Adapted Physical Activity Day Hospital, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy
Marco Tofani
Department of Human Neurosciences, Sapienza University of Rome, 00183 Rome, Italy
Carolina Giordani
Management and Diagnostic Innovations & Clinical Pathways Research Area, Neurorehabilitation and Adapted Physical Activity Day Hospital, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy
Silvia Franceschetti
Management and Diagnostic Innovations & Clinical Pathways Research Area, Neurorehabilitation and Adapted Physical Activity Day Hospital, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy
Eleonora Capuano
Management and Diagnostic Innovations & Clinical Pathways Research Area, Neurorehabilitation and Adapted Physical Activity Day Hospital, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy
Francesca Pizza
Management and Diagnostic Innovations & Clinical Pathways Research Area, Neurorehabilitation and Adapted Physical Activity Day Hospital, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy
Gessica Della Bella
Management and Diagnostic Innovations & Clinical Pathways Research Area, Neurorehabilitation and Adapted Physical Activity Day Hospital, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy
Massimiliano Raponi
Management and Diagnostic Innovations & Clinical Pathways Research Area, Medical Directorate, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, IRCCS, 00165 Rome, Italy
Giorgia Biondo
Management and Diagnostic Innovations & Clinical Pathways Research Area, Neurorehabilitation and Adapted Physical Activity Day Hospital, Bambino Gesù Children’s Hospital, 00165 Rome, Italy
Feeding and swallowing disorders (FSD) are common during childhood, with a prevalence of 85% in children with neurodevelopmental disorders. A comprehensive screening is essential to identify FSD and improve health outcomes in a clinical setting. This study aims to develop a new Pediatric Screening tool capable of identifying FSD. This screening tool was developed in three steps: selecting variables based on clinical experience, searching the literature and finding agreement between experts with a two-round Delphi study. This process, which reached 97% of agreement between experts, led to the development of the Pediatric Screening–Priority Evaluation Dysphagia (PS–PED). PS–PED comprises 14 items divided into three main domains: clinical history, health status and feeding condition. We also carried out a pilot test for measuring internal consistency, as measured with Cronbach Coefficient alpha. Concurrent validity, as measured with Pearson correlation coefficient, was tested using a videofluoroscopy swallow study (VFSS) classified with the Penetration Aspiration Scale (PAS). The pilot test was conducted on 59 children with different health conditions. Our findings showed good internal consistency (alpha = 0.731), and a strong linear correlation with PAS (Pearson 0.824). Furthermore, comparing PS–PED and PAS scores, we find preliminary strong discriminant validity to identify children with FSD (p < 0.01). Our results provide evidence on using the 14-item PS–PED as a screening tool for FSD in a clinical sample of children with heterogeneous disease.
