Comparison between nasal-only and combined oro-nasal measures of respiration during rest and swallowing tasks in healthy participants

The study will completed at a swallowing research laboratory. The intervention will be administered by a Speech-Language Therapist/PhD candidate with three years' clinical experience. The study will take approximately one hour (allowing 30 mins per method). The healthy participants will be fitted with two methods for measuring breathing 1) a facemask detecting respiration through the mouth and nose simultaneously and 2) a nasal cannula with an attached nasal probe, to assess nasal airflow. The order in which the two methods are assessed will be counterbalanced between participants. Participants will also be fitted with surface Electromyography (sEMG) adhered to the skin on the chin and collar bone, to examine activity of the swallowing muscles; this will confirm the occurrence of swallowing. The protocol will be completed twice (once for each assessment method). Participants will be observed during the following tasks: 1) breathing and spontaneous swallowing at rest, 2) single sips of water through a straw, 3) consecutive sips of water through a straw, 4) eating pieces of an Arnotts Salada cracker. Order of tasks will be counterbalanced between participants. There will be a period of at least 5 minutes between the first and second round of tasks, to allow for testing equipment to be changed, and to allow some rest for participants.