Outer Ear
Point of attachment for malleus
Umbo
Infant responds to tactile stimulation of
lips or cheek
Rooting Reflex
–Videoradiographically record individual ingesting barium of various textures - anterior and lateral views
–Definitive test of oropharyngeal dysphagia
Modified barium swallow study (MBSS)
•Food prepared for swallowing
•Food kept in mouth by sealing of lips
•Food mixed with saliva to form a bolus
•Oral preparatory stage (mastication)
•Also called taste
–Taste receptors (buds or cells) found in papillae of tongue epithelium are chemoreceptors for gustation
•Transmit information to the brain about taste
Gustation
Aids in localizing the sound
sources
Concha
Created by soft contact with the inner
margin of lips. Causes a sucking response.
Sucking Reflex
–Direct visualization of pharyngeal space
Nasoendoscopy
•When the bolus is ready to be swallowed
•Bolus pushed back toward the oropharynx by the tongue in a front to back squeezing action
•Voluntary or involuntary
Oral transport stage (propulsion of bolus)
•sense of smell
•Plays vital role in appetite and taste
•Olfactory sensors have a short life and are continually replaced
Olfaction
– Structure provided by a cartilaginous
framework
– Collector of sound
The pinna (auricle)
Allows infant to receive
food from mother’s breast in first six
months
Suckling Reflex
measures impedance of middle ears
Tympanometry
•reflexively controlled events
•Begins when bolus reaches faucial pillars
•Bolus propelled through pharynx to relaxed esophageal sphincter
•Pharyngeal stage (pharyngeal swallow)
–Produce perception of pain when traumatized
–May respond to traumatic or thermal trauma
Nociception
External ear canal; protects the eardrum; resonating cavity
External auditory meatus (EAM)
Mediated in manner similar to gag
reflex
Uvular (Palatal) Reflex
–measure hearing thresholds
Audiometer
•Final stage of mastication and deglutition
–Purely reflexive and not within voluntary control
–Swallowing involves peristaltic movement of the bolus through the esophagus
–During swallow, respiration ceases for a second
•Esophageal stage (esophageal transit)
–Chewing process - grinding and crushing food
Preparing food for swallowing
•Mastication
The eardrum; separates the middle ear from the
outer ear; three layered sheets of tissue
Tympanic Membrane (TM)
Helps individuals avoid aversive
stimuli
– Tactile stimulation of faucial pillars,
posterior pharyngeal wall or posterior
tongue
Gag (pharyngeal) reflex
–introduce tone and record reflection from cochlea to determine outer hair cell function
•Otoacoustic emissions testing
epiglottis, pyriform sinuses, esophagus
–Swallowing the food - complex process of moving bolus (ball of food/ liquid) from pharynx into esophagus
Deglutition