A swallowing assessment is specifically used to evaluate individuals who may have difficulties with swallowing, which is a characteristic of dysphagia. Dysphagia can arise from various medical conditions that affect the swallowing process, including neurological disorders, structural abnormalities, or muscular issues.
The purpose of the assessment is to determine the severity and specific nature of the swallowing difficulty, enabling appropriate interventions to be planned, such as dietary modifications, swallowing therapy, or feeding strategies. Other conditions listed, such as stuttering, aphasia, and articulation disorders, pertain to communication and language issues rather than the act of swallowing itself. Therefore, while they are all important areas within the scope of speech-language pathology, they do not necessitate a swallowing assessment.