Pediatric Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study

What?

A Videofluoroscopic Swallow Study (VFSS), also known as a Modified Barium Swallow (MBS), is an "X-Ray movie" of your child as they are swallowing food and drink. This allows us to see how your child swallows as we watch food move from the mouth, through the esophagus (food pipe). This also helps us make recommendations to help your child's feeding and swallowing. The study only lasts a few minutes, but you should allow 30-60 minutes start to finish. Results may not be available to discuss with your speech therapist on the day of the study, and your speech therapist may call you to talk about the results or schedule you for follow-up in our outpatient clinic once the video has been reviewed with the radiologist.

What will happen during our appointment?

The speech therapist will meet you in the waiting room and ask if you have any home foods/drinks/bottles/cups/utensils to use during the study. Depending on your child's age, your child will either sit in a special chair or lay on their side next to the fluoroscopy (X-Ray) machine. The caregiver may be asked to feed the child if they are willing and not pregnant at the time of the study. Other family members will be asked to wait in the waiting room or watch from behind a window. The speech therapist, radiology technician, and feeding caregiver will wear lead vests. The child will never be left alone in the radiology room. The speech therapist will offer your child food and drink mixed with a little bit of white substance called barium that allows us to see the food and drink on the X-Ray. Barium is not harmful to your child. The radiology technician will turn on the X-ray while your child eats and drinks. The study should not be painful and only takes a few minutes. The speech therapist and radiologist will review this video after to make recommendations.

How do I prepare?

Your child must be able to eat/drink during the appointment. You can prepare your child by telling them they will be going to have their picture taken as they eat and this test should not be painful. Make sure your child is not wearing any metal jewelry or shirts with buttons. It is best to dress your child in clothing that can get dirty and can easily be taken off, and you may consider bringing an extra change of clothes for your child. Please bring a variety of foods your child eats at home so we can see their swallowing skills many different foods/drinks with different textures. Please bring cups, bottles, and utensils used at home.

Where?

The study will take place in the Radiology department. This is on the first floor of the UC Davis main hospital located at 2315 Stockton Blvd. Sacramento, CA 95817. The information desk in the hospital will be able to show you to Radiology if you have questions.