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Orenstein and colleagues describe an infant reflex that they have named the "Santmyer swallow." Gently but abruptly blowing a puff of air in an infant's face elicits a swallow identical to a spontaneous one. After testing 97 infants and children of various ages and five adults, investigators conclude that the reflex is normally present in preterm and term infants and children up to two years old. It disappears somewhere between the ages of 11 and 24 months, except in children with severe neurologic impairments.
The authors report that the technique is useful in clinical practice when the physician needs to induce an infant to swallow, such as when passing a nasogastric tube or pH probe or evaluating swallowing by manometer. They also report …