Swallowing disorders in the paediatric population are often multifactorial in origin, necessitating diagnosis and management by specialists from multiple medical disciplines. Currently, two diagnostic modalities are considered the “gold standard” for assessing these disorders in children: flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES) and videofluoroscopic swallowing study (VFSS). FEES consists of three stages. The first stage involves an assessment of the anatomy and physiology of the nose, nasopharynx, oropharynx, hypopharynx, and larynx. The second stage involves evaluating the swallowing of foods with varying consistencies, allowing for the identification of problems related to residue retention and aspiration. The third stage assesses the effectiveness of therapeutic interventions. FEES enables the assessment of residue and aspiration risk, particularly in populations such as exclusively breastfed infants and patients for whom VFSS is contraindicated or not feasible. The procedure is safe and well-tolerated by children and can be performed at the patient’s bedside. Because it does not expose the patient to ionising radiation, FEES can be repeated at short intervals. It is important to note that there is no universal protocol for all paediatric patients; the FEES protocol must be individualised to accommodate the patient’s age, developmental level, and general clinical condition. It is important to emphasise that FEES and VFSS are complementary techniques rather than substitutes for one another. A centre specialising in the diagnosis of dysphagia should have the capability to perform both tests.

children, dysphagia, swallowing disorders, flexible endoscopic evaluation of swallowing, FEES