The objective of this investigation was to determine the efficacy of combining the effortful swallow and sour bolus, in comparison to the effortful swallow alone, on the improvement of swallowing function in acute stroke patients. Three acute stroke patients participated in this investigation, which took place at a comprehensive stroke hospital in West Palm Beach, Florida. Using an alternating treatment design, the intervention of effortful swallow alone, combining effortful swallow and sour bolus, and a withholding of the two aforementioned study interventions (diet assessment alone) were used to examine their respective effect on swallowing function results as quantified by the Mann Assessment of Swallowing Abilities (MASA). All three participants experienced improved swallowing function with both the effortful swallow and combining the effortful swallow with a sour bolus. However, there is a larger improvement on swallowing function as quantified throughout the data analysis of swallowing function when the sour bolus and effortful swallow were combined; as compared to the effortful swallow alone. The literature supports both the effortful swallow and sour bolus independent of one another. However, this investigation exhibited the efficacy of the combination of these two interventions, as it achieved more efficient improvement of swallowing skills. This research should be further explored across other neurological impairments and related dysphagia.
