Ayşe Kübra Söyler

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability and convergent validity of the Mastication Observation and Evaluation (MOE) tool in assessing chewing function in children and adolescents with autism (CAwA). Method: All participants were video-recorded while chewing a standardized biscuit. The videos were independently scored by two experienced physical therapists using the MOE tool. One of the physical therapists also rescored the videos after an interval of one week. Intra-rater reliability and inter-rater reliability were analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The Karaduman Chewing Performance Scale (KCPS) was used to evaluate the chewing performance levels of participants. The convergent validity of the MOE was examined by assessing its association with the KCPS. Results: This study was completed with 41 participants, with a mean age of 11.42 ± 3.82 years, of whom 85.4% were male. Average-measures intra-rater reliability ICC values for the MOE sub-items ranged from 0.75 to 0.97, and the total=score ICC was found to be 0.96. Average-measures inter-rater reliability ICC values ranged from 0.60 to 0.89 for the sub-items, and the total score ICC was found to be 0.79. A strong and negative correlation was found between the MOE total score and the KCPS score (r = −0.766; p < 0.001), supporting the convergent validity of MOE. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the MOE has excellent intra-rater reliability and good overall inter-rater reliability for averaged ratings. The association with the KCPS provides evidence supporting its convergent validity for assessing chewing function in CAwA. Due to its multidimensional observational approach, the MOE may contribute to clinical assessment by providing information not only on overall chewing performance but also on affected components of chewing function.

Caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder (CwASD) often face high levels of stress, emotional exhaustion and physical strain due to the complex

Background: Dysphagia is considered an extrapulmonary manifestation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and its clinical significance has received increasing attention in recent years. However, data on the association between swallowing function and clinical parameters in COPD remain limited. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate swallowing function using clinical screening tools in patients with COPD and to assess its relationship with demographic and clinical parameters. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 60 COPD patients who were followed jointly at the Chest Diseases and Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation outpatient clinics of a tertiary university hospital between April and July 2025. Patients’ swallowing-related parameters were evaluated using the Eating Assessment Tool-10 (EAT-10) and the Repetitive Saliva Swallowing Test (RSST). Physical performance was assessed using the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT), respiratory function using spirometric parameters, and symptom severity using the COPD Assessment Test (CAT) and the modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC). Data analyses were performed using SPSS. Results: The mean age of patients was 68.75 ± 6.54 years, and 81.7% were male. According to the EAT-10 screening, the prevalence of self-reported dysphagia was 35%. There was a significant difference in EAT-10 scores between GOLD groups, whereas no difference was observed in RSST counts ( p = 0.020, p = 0.111). Patients with mMRC ≥ 2 had higher EAT-10 scores and lower RSST counts ( p = 0.043, p = 0.024) compared with those with mMRC scores < 2. Patients with CAT scores ≥ 10 had higher EAT-10 scores ( p = 0.001). Those with recent weight loss also had higher EAT-10 scores and lower RSST counts ( p = 0.010, p = 0.025). No significant correlations were found between swallowing-related parameters and age, BMI, smoking exposure, COPD duration, pulmonary function, or 6-MWT. However, EAT-10 scores showed positive correlations with mMRC ( r = 0.356, p = 0.005) and CAT scores ( r = 0.530, p < 0.001), while RSST counts showed a weak negative correlation with mMRC scores ( r =-0.282, p = 0.029). Conclusion: Swallowing-related parameters assessed using clinical screening tools were associated with symptom severity (mMRC and CAT) and weight loss in patients with COPD. These findings suggest that screening-based swallowing assessment may provide additional clinical information during clinical follow-up and that screening for dysphagia may be beneficial, particularly in patients with high symptom burden and recent weight loss. Trial registration: Not applicable.

Background/Objectives: Dysphagia leads to severe complications, but data on patient profiles are limited in Türkiye. In this study, we present swallowing characteristics across etiologies and examine the association between a history of pneumonia and videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS) findings. Methods: This retrospective study included 1055 adults, comprising a large, heterogeneous outpatient population, referred for swallowing evaluation between 2015 and 2018. Clinical data (demographics, diagnoses, feeding status, etc.) and VFSS findings (Penetration–Aspiration Scale, PAS; pharyngeal residue) for liquid and semisolid consistencies were recorded from our electronic database. Associations were initially assessed using the chi-square test. A logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with pneumonia history. Results: Neurologic diseases (62.1%) were the most frequent diagnosis. VFSS identified liquid aspiration in 53.9% (61.8% silent) and semisolid aspiration in 20.1% (72.5% silent) of patients. Pharyngeal residue occurred in up to 10.6% of patients for liquids and 24.3% for semisolids. Diet recommendations were modified for 43.3% of patients (p < 0.05). Overall, 26.6% of patients had a history of pneumonia. In unadjusted, exploratory comparisons, pneumonia history was significantly associated with higher frequencies of aspiration and silent aspiration (p < 0.001), while pharyngeal residue was comparable between groups (p > 0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that nonsilent aspiration (PAS 6–7) and silent aspiration (PAS 8) were associated with pneumonia history in both liquid (OR = 2.18 and 3.06) and semisolid consistencies (OR = 2.32 and 3.71), and that pharyngeal residue in semisolid consistency was also associated with pneumonia history (OR = 1.57). Conclusions: This study provides a comprehensive clinical profile of dysphagia in Türkiye, highlighting high rates of silent aspiration and the role of instrumental assessment in guiding safe feeding. While a significant association was observed between pneumonia history and impaired swallowing safety and efficiency, the retrospective nature of this study precludes causal interpretations.

Amaç: Günümüzde fizyoterapi ve rehabilitasyon eğitimi veren okulların sayısı giderek artmaktadır. Bu hızlı artışa karşın öğrencilere pratik uygulamalar esnasında verilen eğitim ve bu eğitimin verildiği ortamın fiziki ve teknik kapasitesi sorun haline dönüşmektedir. Bu sebeple bu çalışmanın amacı yeni oluşturulan uygulama ünitesinin öğrenci memnuniyetine olan etkisini belirlemektir. Yöntem: Çalışmaya 153 fizyoterapi ve rehabilitasyon öğrencisi katılmıştır. Öğrencilerin memnuniyet düzeyleri eski ve yeni laboratuvar açısından memnuniyet anketi aracılığıyla değerlendirilmiştir. Analizler için McNemar testi kullanılmıştır. Bulgular: Çalışmaya katılan öğrencilerin memnuniyet düzeyleri oransal olarak incelendiğinde birçok parametre açısından yeni laboratuvar için daha yüksek düzeyde bulunmuştur (p

Background: Various trainings focus on the submental muscles (SMs) for dysphagia rehabilitation because of their importance for swallowing safety and efficiency. According to the current literature, swallow‐specific tasks may be optimal exercises for dysphagia. The effortful swallow (ES) and the Masako maneuver (MM) are the most commonly used swallow‐specific tasks in the clinical settings for dysphagia for years, but long‐term effects for these trainings is insufficient.Objectives: This study aims to investigate and compare the effects of ES and MM on SM activity, strength and thickness.Methods: Thirty‐seven healthy adults were randomised to ES, MM and control groups, and ES and MM groups completed 6 weeks of swallowing training. Participants in both training groups performed a total of 120 swallows in each session, while control group did not participate in any swallowing training. Surface electromyography was used to evaluate SM activity, digital dynamometer for SM strength and ultrasonography for SM thickness.Results: Both trainings did not change SM activity (p > 0.05), but increased SM strength (p < 0.05). MM increased the thickness of all SM (p < 0.05), and ES increased the thickness of mylohyoid (right, left) and digastric muscle (right) (p < 0.05), and there was no change in all evaluation parameters in the control group (p > 0.05). Also, trainings were not superior to each other in any parameter (p > 0.05).Conclusion: The results of this study provided new evidence to the literature to show that ES and MM trainings are effective for improving SM strength and thickness. Considering that SM is important in terms of swallowing safety and effectiveness, it is thought that both trainings may be promising by increasing the strength and mass of SM, especially in individuals with reduced SM strength and mass.

Chewing and Swallowing Training in Coffin-Lowry Syndrome: A Case Report.image

Amaç: Aerobik eğitim, çocukların fiziksel, bilişsel ve davranışsal işlevleri üzerindeki önemli faydaları nedeniyle otizmli çocuklar için önerilmektedir. Buna rağmen, otizmli çocuklarda pilates eğitiminin etkilerine ilişkin herhangi bir kanıt bulunmamaktadır. Bu çalışmada, otizmli çocuklarda pilates eğitiminin kas kuvveti, denge performansı, kaba motor beceriler ve sosyal beceriler üzerindeki etkilerinin karşılaştırılması amaçlandı. Yöntem: Çalışmaya toplam 22 otizmli çocuk dahil edildi. Sonuç ölçütleri olarak maksimal izometrik kas kuvveti, denge performansı, kaba motor beceriler ve sosyal beceriler değerlendirildi. Bulgular: Her iki eğitim grubunda da denge performansı ve kaba motor becerileri skorlarında iyileşme gözlenirken, sosyal beceri skorunda iyileşme gözlenmedi (p < 0,05). Kas gücünde sadece aerobik eğitim grubunda anlamlı bir iyileşme görüldü (p < 0,05). Gruplar arası karşılaştırmalarda, tüm sonuç ölçümlerinin hem aerobik eğitim hem de pilates eğitim grupları için istatistiksel olarak benzer olduğunu gösterdi (p > 0,05). Sonuç: Bu çalışma, aerobik eğitim ve pilates eğitiminin her ikisinin de otizmli çocuklarda denge performansının ve kaba motor becerilerin geliştirilmesinde etkili olduğunu ve aerobik eğitimde kas gücünde daha fazla iyileşme olduğunu göstermektedir. Pilates eğitimi, otizmli çocuklarda denge performansını ve motor becerileri arttırdığı için alternatif bir eğitim olarak düşünülebilir.