Did you know Speech Language Pathologists can help people with swallowing difficulties? 'Dysphagia' is the term for disordered swallowing, and it can be caused by many different factors. Swallowing is broken down into three different stages: oral (in the mouth), pharyngeal (in the upper throat) and esophageal (in the lower throat/chest). Dysphagia can occur at any of the three stages or in a combination of them. Symptoms of oral dysphagia include: Difficulty keeping food in