This subject may have been mentioned and I missed it but--
Does any one know if Terri is able to swallow her own saliva or does she require frequent oral suctioning?
IF she is able to swallow her saliva then she CAN swallow.
Yes, Terri swallows her own saliva. She doesn't require suctioning. At the time that her feeding tube was inserted for the convenience of the staff, she was swallowing food. Spoon feeding her was a long tedious process, so in keeping with common practice, a feeding tube was inserted.