What is Atypical Swallowing?
Atypical swallowing is a functional alteration of the normal swallowing pattern, in which the tongue adopts an inappropriate position during the oral phase of swallowing. This dysfunction can affect speech articulation, dental alignment, and orofacial development. Its diagnosis and treatment require a multidisciplinary evaluation, with a speech-language pathologist (SLP) playing a key role in correcting orofacial patterns and improving swallowing function.
Definition and Characteristics of Atypical Swallowing
Atypical swallowing is defined as an abnormal swallowing pattern in which the tongue pushes against the upper or lower incisors instead of positioning correctly against the palate. This alteration can persist from childhood or develop during adolescence or adulthood due to various factors.
Main Characteristics:
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Abnormal tongue position: During swallowing, the tongue is placed between the teeth instead of rising against the palate.
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Incompetent lips: Difficulty maintaining proper lip closure.
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Orofacial muscle tone issues: Altered muscle tone affects coordination of tongue and lip movements.
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Noisy or effortful swallowing: Due to inefficient muscle function.
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Persistence of childhood habits: Prolonged use of bottle, thumb sucking, or tongue thrust at rest.
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Bite alterations: Open bite, dental protrusion, or associated malocclusions.
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Speech articulation difficulties: Phonetic problems, especially with sounds like /s/, /z/, /t/, /d/, and /l/.
Etiology and Risk Factors
Atypical swallowing has a multifactorial origin, combining anatomical, functional, and behavioral factors.
1. Anatomical Factors:
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Structural alterations such as a short lingual frenulum (ankyloglossia)
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Congenital orofacial malformations
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Adenoid or tonsil hypertrophy causing chronic nasal obstruction and oral breathing patterns
2. Functional Factors:
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Orofacial muscle hypotonia
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Prolonged sucking habits (pacifier, bottle, thumb)
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Oral breathing due to recurrent nasal obstruction
3. Behavioral and Environmental Factors:
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Late introduction of solid foods
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Lack of stimulation in orofacial motor development
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Prolonged bottle feeding or predominantly liquid diet in advanced stages
Importance of Speech Therapy in Correcting Orofacial Patterns and Swallowing Function
Speech therapy is essential in treating atypical swallowing as it corrects improper muscular patterns and promotes functional swallowing. The approach is individualized and multidisciplinary, often in collaboration with dentists and orthodontists.
Objectives of Speech Therapy:
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Tongue posture re-education: Training to position the tongue correctly at rest and during swallowing
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Orofacial muscle strengthening: Exercises to improve tone and coordination of the tongue, lips, and cheeks
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Correction of breathing patterns: Training to promote nasal breathing and eliminate oral breathing habits
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Elimination of harmful oral habits: Strategies to stop thumb sucking, prolonged pacifier use, and other dysfunctional habits
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Speech articulation improvement: Therapy to correct sounds affected by tongue dysfunction
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Coordination with orthodontics: For cases where atypical swallowing has caused malocclusions, working with the orthodontist enhances treatment success
If you or someone you know has atypical swallowing, our speech-language pathologists in Marbella can help correct it and improve oral health.
📞 Schedule your appointment: +34 672 115 083 / 951 765 549