MACROGLOSSIA AS A CAUSE OF ATYPICAL SWALLOWING: COMPARISON OF EVALUATION AND LOGOPEDIC TREATMENT BETWEEN BECKWITH-WIEDEMANN AND DOWN PATIENTS

Abstract

Atypical swallowing is the persistence of childlike deglutition at the end of dental eruption. One of the main causes is macroglossia, that is the abnormal enlargement of the tongue. The treatment is logopedic and/or surgical. Children with macroglossia have an increased incidence of respiratory diseases and infections, as well as malocclusions, articulatory defects and aesthetic damage. In this study we focused on two genetic syndromes with macroglossia: Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome (BWS) and Down Syndrome (DS): 7 patients were evaluated for logopedic treatment: 3 are affected by BWS, 2 are affected by DS. In addition, 2 patients with isolated atypical swallowing were included in the study to emphasize problems connected with atypical swallowing. All the patients underwent a global examination and a personalized logopedic therapy scheme was planned. With the exception of one of them who was lost to follow up and who did not continue with the exer- cises the speech therapist had recommended, all the children showed good response and compliance with remarkable im- provements, thus proving the importance of an early, constant and intensive logopedic treatment.