Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES) in Dysphagia Treatment

Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is a treatment for swallowing disorders, also called dysphagia. NMES uses a low-level electric current to activate muscles used for feeding and swallowing. NMES is noninvasive: We place electrodes on the skin of the neck and/or face, over the muscles used for chewing and swallowing. Our therapists use NMES, along with traditional treatments, to improve a child’s swallowing and feeding skills.

• Before treatment, your therapist may require a videofluoroscopy swallow study to check your child’s swallowing skills and determine the type and severity of the dysphagia.
• We will use the study’s results to determine your child’s goals and the frequency of NMES treatment.
• After treatment, your speech and language pathologist and/or your occupational therapist might request a follow-up videofluoroscopy to measure possible improvements in your child’s swallowing.

VitalStim® is a type of NMES we use specifically for treating the swallowing muscles.

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved VitalStim® to be safe.
• The only side effect the FDA reports is occasional redness on the skin where the electrodes were placed.

You might receive treatment from a speech and language pathologist and/or an occupational therapist. Both are certified to use VitalStim®.

Talk to your doctor. For your child to receive NMES, your doctor must write an order for dysphagia assessment and treatment, with consideration of NMES for swallowing.