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How to Pronounce Congenital Disorder of Deglutition

Definition, meaning, and phonetic spelling

Congenital Disorder of Deglutition Pronunciation

kon-JEN-ih-tal dis-OR-der uv deg-loo-TIH-shun

Stressed syllable in ALL CAPS · hyphens separate syllables

Syllable Breakdown

kon
JEN

stress here

ih
tal dis
OR

stress here

der uv deg
loo
TIH

stress here

shun

9 syllables

What is Congenital Disorder of Deglutition?

A broad category of conditions present from birth that impair swallowing (deglutition), including structural abnormalities of the oral cavity, pharynx, or esophagus, as well as neurological conditions affecting the motor coordination of swallowing. Affected infants may aspirate (inhale) milk or food into the lungs, causing recurrent aspiration pneumonia, and may require feeding tubes and speech/swallowing therapy.

Questions About Congenital Disorder of Deglutition

How do you pronounce 'congenital disorder of deglutition'?

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Say it like this: kon-JEN-ih-tal dis-OR-der uv deg-loo-TIH-shun. The stress falls on the second syllable of 'congenital' (JEN) and the second syllable of 'disorder' (OR). The word 'deglutition' is stressed on the fourth syllable (TIH).

What does 'congenital' mean in this phrase?

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Congenital means something that is present from birth. It comes from Latin words meaning 'born together'—con (with) and genitus (born). When a doctor uses 'congenital,' they're saying the condition started before the baby was born, not something that developed later.

What does 'deglutition' mean?

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Deglutition is the medical word for swallowing. It comes from Latin and describes the whole process of moving food or liquid from your mouth down to your stomach. You'll hear doctors and speech therapists use this word when talking about swallowing problems.

Can you break 'congenital disorder of deglutition' into syllables?

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Yes: con-GEN-i-tal dis-OR-der of deg-loo-TI-shun. Notice there are 4 syllables in 'congenital,' 3 in 'disorder,' 1 in 'of,' and 4 in 'deglutition.' Breaking it into chunks like this makes the whole phrase easier to say.

What's a common mispronunciation of this term?

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Many people stress the wrong syllable in 'congenital' and say con-jen-I-tal instead of con-JEN-i-tal. Another mistake is rushing through 'deglutition' and saying 'deg-loo-SHUN' instead of 'deg-loo-TIH-shun.' Slowing down and hitting the right stressed syllables helps.

What does this term mean in plain English?

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A congenital disorder of deglutition is a swallowing problem that a baby is born with. It's a broad category that covers different types of swallowing difficulties—some affect the physical structures of the mouth or throat, and others affect the nerves and muscles that control swallowing.

Are there related words that share the 'deglutition' root?

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Yes! 'Dysphagia' is another medical term for swallowing difficulty (though it doesn't always mean congenital), and 'dysphagic' describes someone who has trouble swallowing. You might also hear 'aspiration' used when discussing risks in swallowing disorders, though that's a separate concept.

How would you use this term in a sentence?

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A sentence might be: 'The pediatrician referred the infant to a speech-language pathologist who specializes in congenital disorders of deglutition.' This shows the term being used in a realistic medical context where professionals are discussing the condition.