Which of the following ages is NOT a physiological infant swallowing age?

• A. 0-3 months
• B. 0-8 months
• C. 3-4 years
• D. 6-7 years

Answer: (D)

The concept here is when swallowing is still considered an infantile, physiologic pattern. In early life, swallowing is reflexive and different from the mature adult swallow, and many texts place the infantile pattern within the birth to early childhood window. By around six to seven years of age, the swallow has typically matured to the adult pattern, so that age is no longer described as physiologic infant swallowing. Therefore, six to seven years is not a physiologic infant swallowing age, while the younger options fall within the period when infant swallowing patterns can still be observed.