Praxis Dysphagia Practice Test

These questions are part of the practice quiz. Start practicing

• How should a pediatric patient with suspected feeding and swallowing disorders be assessed?
• After partial glossectomy, which aspect is unlikely to be affected?
• The primary feature of lateral medullary syndrome (Wallenberg syndrome) is:
• Which cranial nerve provides sensation to the face and the anterior two-thirds of the tongue and also innervates the muscles of mastication?
• Swallowing problems after intubation are often transient. Which statement best reflects this?
• What is the primary purpose of assessing the cough reflex in a dysphagia evaluation?
• In a hospital patient with brainstem stroke who shows anterior tongue movements and residue in the anterior and lateral sulci, premature swallow, and reduced range of tongue elevation, which swallow phase is most likely affected?
• A 73-year-old man after a stroke with drooling, gurgly voice, and a weak cough: which step is the most appropriate diagnostic next step?
• A 45-year-old woman develops difficulty in mastication following irradiation due to fibrosis of the muscles involved in chewing. This condition is called:
• A 5-month-old demonstrates involuntary protrusion of the tongue during oropharyngeal transit. What is the best course of action?
• Which standardized measures are commonly used to document progress in dysphagia therapy?
• What best describes the rationale for using compensatory strategies during swallowing therapy?
• Which of the following is least important when evaluating swallowing in a patient on mechanical ventilation?
• Distinguish between bedside swallow evaluation and instrumental swallow assessment in terms of purpose and limitations.
• Which structures are primarily involved in shaping and containment of the bolus during the oral preparatory phase of swallowing?
• What is the typical duration of the pharyngeal swallow after the bolus reaches the pharynx, and when does laryngeal protection occur?
• Why is attention to the task of eating important during non-instrumental screening in patients with dementia?
• Describe the Mendelsohn maneuver and its goal.
• What is aspiration pneumonia and why is it a concern in dysphagia management?
• Which of the following is NOT reliably determined during a non-instrumental bedside screening assessment of swallowing?
• Which diagnostic tool provides the most useful information to guide swallowing treatment decisions?
• When asked to protrude the tongue, deviation toward the right indicates a lesion of which structure?
• In achalasia, what happens to the LES during swallowing?
• Which statement about the oral (oral transit) phase is true?
• Which statement about texture-modified diets is correct?
• A patient has solids and liquids difficulty, regurgitation hours after eating, complete loss of peristalsis on imaging, and a nonrelaxing lower esophageal sphincter preventing bolus passage to the stomach. The diagnosis is which condition?
• Which type of sensation is most effective for eliciting the pharyngeal swallow?
• During meals for a patient with a tracheostomy, what is the recommended cuff status?
• Which statement about aging and tongue pressure is true?
• Disorders of the oral phase are mainly due to which issue?
• How does a cuffed tracheostomy influence swallowing physiology?
• What is the dietitian's role in dysphagia management?
• Which statement best differentiates nutritive from non-nutritive sucking?
• Which symptom described in the case is associated with regurgitation hours after meals?
• In an ALS patient with persistent aspiration across all consistencies despite postural, dietary, and behavioral strategies, what is the logical next step in management?
• Isometric lingual exercises are most appropriate for which observation during a videofluoroscopic swallowing assessment?
• Nutritive sucking involves coordination of which structures?
• A patient has decreased sensation in the oral cavity with intact taste. Which cranial nerve is most likely impaired?
• For long-term non-oral feeding, which tube type is most appropriate?
• List common signs and symptoms that may indicate dysphagia in adults.
• Which measure evaluates swallowing impairment and severity based on instrumental imaging and is designed for systematic scoring of the swallowing physiology?
• What is the 3-ounce water swallow test and what are its limitations?
• Which nerve mediates taste to the posterior third of the tongue and also innervates salivary glands such as the parotid?
• Which of the following is a compensatory strategy commonly used to improve swallow safety?
• What is considered the gold standard for ruling out aspiration?
• Which laryngeal muscle is tested for motor function because its function (or lack thereof) will provide an understanding of swallowing sensory integrity?
• Which age group is associated with the use of pureed foods as the appropriate consistency during swallow assessment?
• What considerations are essential when evaluating swallowing in a patient on mechanical ventilation?
• A velum deviates to the right during a sustained vowel. Which cranial nerve deficit is most likely on the left side?
• Which infant behavior describes sucking with no swallowing, often used for self-soothing with a pacifier?
• Why is texture progression important in dysphagia management, and how is it implemented?
• What are key considerations in managing head and neck cancer–related dysphagia?
• For a case of post-stroke dysphagia with delayed swallow initiation and reduced laryngeal elevation, which interventions would you consider immediately and in long-term therapy?
• What is the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) and how is it used clinically?
• A patient with a tracheostomy tube is referred for swallowing therapy. Which of the following is recommended during therapy?
• Which cranial nerve primarily mediates both the intrinsic and extrinsic tongue musculature?
• Which professional is not typically part of the core multidisciplinary dysphagia care team?
• Which feature best describes the MBSImP scoring system?
• In preparing for feeding and swallowing therapy, which is a method of increasing buccal mastication, EXCEPT?
• During instrumental swallow assessment, which statement best distinguishes penetration from aspiration and notes the management implications?
• Which statement is true about FEES and VFSS?
• At 16 months, a tonic bite reflex is present when the spoon contacts the teeth. Which statement is true?
• In a newborn with Pierre Robin sequence, which sign would NOT be expected during oral-motor feeding evaluation?
• Name common etiologies of dysphagia in adults and their implications for management.
• Which therapy technique is commonly used to improve pharyngeal constriction and swallow safety?
• Louise is an 85-year-old with severe pharyngeal phase dysphagia and NPO; the surgeon is considering a more permanent non-oral feeding method. Louise is most likely receiving nutrition via which non-oral feeding method?
• If hyolaryngeal movement is reduced during the pharyngeal swallow, which of the following are likely affected?
• During swallowing, decreased base of tongue retraction can lead to residue in which anatomical space?
• The duration of swallowing apnea is longest in which group?
• An adult with pharyngeal tumor and pharyngeal residue that clears with secondary swallows, planning pharyngeal surgery in 2 weeks: what is the most likely recommendation before surgery?
• The signs of anterior tongue movements and reduced tongue elevation observed during a swallow trial after a brainstem stroke most strongly indicate a disorder of which phase?
• Which statement best describes the normal function of the LES?
• All of the following are deficits of the oral phase of swallowing, except what?
• A 35-year-old woman with intact oropharyngeal swallow but complaints of esophageal symptoms; appropriate plan is to:
• What is the most commonly recommended long-term alternative to oral nutrition and hydration?
• The coordination of sucking, swallowing, and breathing becomes adequately developed for successful oral feeding at approximately how many weeks of gestation?
• Where can the pharyngeal swallow be triggered and still be considered timely in a healthy person?
• Which measure is specifically used to document swallowing outcomes and overall severity on videofluoroscopic swallowing study imaging?
• Which technique uses a stethoscope placed over the thyroid cartilage to amplify sounds during swallowing?
• During swallowing, which action occurs to protect the airway?
• As Virat’s therapist, you explain that which is not a goal of his oral-motor control exercises?
• A 74-year-old patient with decreased laryngeal closure but a strong cough would most likely benefit from which dietary modification?
• Which nerves primarily provide motor control for pharyngeal constrictors and laryngeal closure during swallow?
• What factor is most important when tailoring swallow therapy to an individual patient?
• For a ventilator-dependent patient with a tracheostomy, which practice is recommended when preparing for feeding and swallowing therapy?
• During an evaluation for a 6-month-old infant not gaining weight, which food consistency would be most appropriate for the speech-language pathologist to administer?
• Which of the following is NOT a risk factor for developing pneumonia?
• Which factor does NOT contribute to increased airway protection in a 3-month-old infant?
• Which of the following is commonly identified as a normal, healthy change in swallowing function with old age?
• What swallowing changes are typical in Parkinson's disease, and what therapy is commonly recommended?
• What is a primary purpose of texture modification in dysphagia management?
• Differentiating compensatory strategies from rehabilitative exercises in dysphagia treatment.
• Regarding a 9-month-old infant with gagging, tongue thrusting, teething drool; which statement is not correct?
• What is the most common medical intervention for sialorrhea in children with cerebral palsy?
• A patient with weakness of the left lower face but preserved forehead function suggests a lesion in which location?
• Who has the final decision-making authority in a treatment plan when multiple options exist for a patient with intact cognition?
• Which factor should be considered when assessing safety of oral intake for a patient with Alzheimer disease at a long-term facility?
• How does cognitive impairment affect swallowing therapy and safety planning?
• During the pharyngeal phase, which set of processes are involved?
• Which statement best describes compensatory swallowing strategies and when they are indicated?
• Zenker diverticulum is also known as pharyngoesophageal diverticulum. Which statement best completes this fact?
• Which statement accurately describes the supraglottic swallow and the super-supraglottic swallow and their clinical use?
• Which muscle is NOT a suprahyoid muscle?
• What is a typical pediatric progression for sensory and oral-motor interventions in dysphagia?
• What is the Penetration-Aspiration Scale (PAS) and how is it used?
• How do age-related changes (presbyphagia) influence assessment and treatment planning?
• Which feature of Pierre Robin sequence is most associated with airway obstruction?
• What is the evidence-based approach to selecting therapy techniques for specific swallowing impairments?
• What are common signs of post-extubation dysphagia and why is early assessment important?
• Which motions contribute to opening of the UES during swallowing?
• When should nonoral feeding be discontinued and oral intake resumed?
• Which physiological process is facilitated by hyolaryngeal excursion during swallowing?
• Which of the following is NOT a possible cause of serial swallows in a post-stroke patient?
• When evaluating a patient after head and neck cancer surgery, what information is most critical?
• After total laryngectomy, which complication would be least of concern?
• Which statement about gastrostomy tubes and pneumonia risk in ALS is true?
• Which of the following is NOT an approach used to stimulate swallowing sensory awareness?
• What is the Modified Barium Swallow Impairment Profile (MBSImP) primarily used for?
• How does caregiver involvement influence dysphagia outcomes in adults and children?
• What factors influence the selection of a liquid thickness level for a patient?
• In a premature infant with a resting respiratory rate of 60 breaths per minute, increasing to more than 90 breaths during feeding, what is the next step?
• A 49-year-old man after partial glossectomy shows which finding most likely on videofluoroscopic evaluation?
• Which statement describes the pathophysiology of achalasia during swallowing?
• When is nonoral feeding considered, and what are the main options and considerations?
• A premature infant presents with bursts and pauses during breastfeeding and about two up-and-down jaw cycles per second, while having difficulty bringing hands to the mouth to initiate sucking. This pattern is called:
• When is the general transition to solid foods appropriate for a normally developing infant?
• Which statement best describes non-nutritive sucking in infants?
• Which imaging modality provides a two-dimensional picture of a body radiation source using radioisotopes?
• Identify red flags requiring urgent medical evaluation in a patient with suspected dysphagia.
• In the esophageal phase, what occurs to guide the bolus to the stomach?
• For a patient with a tracheostomy during swallowing therapy, which statement is correct?
• Which cranial nerves are central to airway protection during the pharyngeal swallow and what are their roles?
• Premature swallow and reduced range of tongue elevation are most consistent with which swallowing phase disorder?
• What is the role of ASHA guidelines in dysphagia practice?
• Left buccal residue with limited left lower face movement but intact bilateral forehead indicates a lesion in which location?
• How does bolus viscosity affect penetration-aspiration risk and what is the approach to therapy?
• A Zenker diverticulum is found in proximity to which structure?
• How might radiotherapy for head and neck cancer affect VFSS findings and therapy planning?
• Why is a multidisciplinary team approach essential in dysphagia care?
• Which feeding option is most commonly used for long-term feeding in patients with dysphagia?
• What is the role of caregiver involvement in pediatric dysphagia therapy?
• Which statement about achalasia is accurate?
• After total laryngectomy, why is aspiration typically not a concern?
• Which factor would most influence the choice of compensatory strategies in dysphagia management?
• Which of the following statements about the LES is true?
• For a 7-month-old girl with Down syndrome and orofacial hypotonia, which technique increases orofacial sensitivity?
• Which muscle opens the Eustachian tube during yawning and swallowing?
• Which is NOT an immediate cause of swallowing difficulty in patients undergoing radiation treatment for head and neck cancer?
• For spoon feeding transition at 5 months, which technique is recommended?
• Outline the three-tier approach to dysphagia management: prevention, compensation, and rehabilitation.
• Which condition is characterized by complete loss of esophageal peristalsis with a nonrelaxing LES?
• Which measure assesses functional oral intake status?
• Which cranial nerve provides motor innervation to the intrinsic and extrinsic tongue muscles?
• A 65-year-old woman with a brainstem stroke demonstrates poor bolus formation, weak lip closure, and weak buccal tension. On the basis of these findings, which swallowing phase is most likely affected?
• Which intervention is NOT effective for improving opening of the upper esophageal sphincter (UES)?
• What is the purpose of a videofluoroscopic swallow study (VFSS) in dysphagia management?
• What is a common cause of swallowing problems in patients with tracheostomy?
• A tumor at the right trigeminal motor nucleus would most likely cause which change in the muscles of mastication?
• The cricothyroid muscle is innervated by which nerve?
• Which cranial nerve primarily transmits sensory information from the face and mucous membranes and also stimulates movement in jaw muscles?
• Which measure assesses penetration and aspiration severity during swallowing assessment?
• Which nerve innervates the tensor palatini?
• Which cranial nerve provides motor innervation to the tongue muscles?
• Which muscle is the main mover of tongue protrusion?
• Nutritive sucking is characterized by which sequence and pattern?
• How is esophageal dysphagia evaluated and what tests are commonly used?
• In videofluoroscopic evaluation, if premature spillover and delayed initiation of the pharyngeal phase are observed, which maneuver is evaluated first?
• A skilled nursing facility patient has a weak cricopharyngeus, causing difficulty passing the bolus through the cricopharyngeus muscle and past the 7th cervical vertebra. This most likely indicates disorders of which swallowing phase?
• The lower esophageal sphincter (LES) is described as which of the following structures?
• Which characteristic is not commonly observed in Parkinson disease-related dysphagia?
• Which modality uses radiopaque boluses to visualize all phases of swallowing?
• Which mechanisms may contribute to intubation-related swallowing impairment?
• Maximum lingual pressure generation decreases with healthy aging as a function of:
• In videofluoroscopic swallowing, recording images in the AP view is best for which purpose?
• How can you clinically distinguish oropharyngeal from esophageal dysphagia?
• Which statement best describes how aspiration pneumonia influences management in dysphagia?
• Which factor is NOT predictive of swallowing problems after intubation?
• How does observing aspiration during swallow evaluation influence therapy planning?
• At approximately what gestational age can suckling and swallowing sustain nutritional needs in a healthy infant?
• During a videofluoroscopic swallow study, vallecular residue after swallow is most likely caused by which of the following?
• Which of the following is a common contraindication for dysphagia therapy or instrumentation?
• What is the appropriate plan for a 75-year-old with normal esophageal function and videofluoroscopic swallowing assessment showing no aspiration but trace penetration?
• In pediatrics, a 30-week gestation infant without severe postnatal complications is expected to sustain nutritional needs by mouth at which postnatal week without supplementation?
• Which of the following signs may indicate dysphagia in adults?
• Assessing pitch elevation provides information regarding which aspect of swallowing?
• Which swallowing assessment may miss aspiration due to a period of whiteout during the pharyngeal swallow?
• In dysphagia management, what is the purpose of integrating prevention, compensation, and rehabilitation?
• What is NMES in dysphagia therapy, and what does evidence say about its use?
• In nutritive sucking, what is the typical sequence?
• Which feature of Pierre Robin sequence contributes to difficulty generating intraoral pressure during sucking?
• What is the Shaker (head-raising) exercise designed to strengthen, and what is its effect on swallowing?
• Which neuromuscular function is described as most important during the oral transit phase?
• What does rehabilitation in dysphagia therapy focus on?
• Which statement best describes esophageal dysphagia management?