PMC

Swallow-by-swallow analysis collapsed over infants at each successive swallow position of standard deviation of continuous relative phase

A sequence of bolus head positions during pharyngeal transits. a The tongue is compressing the nipple and the bolus head advances. b Bolus head has passed the vallecula and is entering the upper esophageal sphincter

Group differences for all ten infants in mean continuous relative phase of tongue–soft palate coordination during swallows of thin and nectar-thick consistency barium, respectively

a At approximately 1 s, tongue and soft palate are close to antiphase (see text). b Initiation of bolus head pharyngeal transit

A sagittal videofluoroscopic image (left side) and line drawing identifying the major structures (e.g., tongue, soft palate) and a bolus transit. Drawing courtesy Professors A.W. Crompton, Harvard University, and Rebecca German, Johns Hopkins University

A sequence of tongue positions during infant swallowing. Point 1 is the tongue tip, point 2 is a medial tongue point, and point 3 is a posterior tongue point. Left the tongue at rest during suckling. Right maximum nipple compression by the tongue

Changing marker positions indicating the functional component of a pump that moves tongue and soft palate in opposite directions at the same time to create a chamber that receives liquid and compresses it prior to initiation of the pharyngeal swallow. a The soft palate is at rest. b The soft palate begins elevation