Oral Motor Exercises for Pediatric Dysphagia

Donna Scarborough, Ph.D., CCC-SLP

Dr. Donna Scarborough specializes in developmental/medical speech language pathology, developmental neurosensory physiology and pediatric dysphagia at Miami University located in Oxford, Ohio. She teaches the graduate level course in Dysphagia, Trach and Vent and head and neck anatomy and physiology to undergraduates. In 2004 she established the Clinical Dysphagia Research Laboratory and current projects include: collaboration with the Neuroscience Center of Miami University in order to generate an animal model to better understand the gag reflex at the level of the brainstem, development of a treatment technique to decrease the hyperactive gag reflex, ultrasound studies in preschoolers to evaluate hyoid bone movement, and collaboration with the Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering department (Miami) to generate a prototype high chair and an advanced training cup. She currently serves as the chair of the Division 13 Research Committee and is a member of the ASHA's Division 13 pediatric advisory board. Over the past 14 years Dr. Scarborough has also provided clinical services to children enrolled in the Birth to Three programs of Ohio and Kentucky.