This article discusses the impact of cognitive-communicative and behavior problems on oral intake. Data on the swallowing outcomes of a group of patients in an acute rehabilitation facility are presented. These data illustrate the relationships among severity of dysphagia, admission and discharge Functional Independence Measure (FIM™) scores, admission and discharge cognitive FIM™ scores and length of stay. Two case studies that describe the effect of cognitive-communicative disorders on dysphagia are provided.